ROBERT DARROLL RETROSPECTIVE
including THE KOREAN TRILOGY
1986-2011. 65 min.
USA. HD video.
New York City Premiere of New Restorations!
iotaCenter’s Jeremy Schwartz in attendance
Special Thanks to Huckleberry Lain, Anthology Film Archives, and the Academy Film Archive
FRIDAY, JULY 11 – 8:00 PM
“The first words that come to mind about Robert Darroll’s films are density and complexity — of imagery, technique and style. He assimilates, transforms and transcends almost every technique in the history of animation. This is the apotheosis of motion graphics – simultaneously photographic, videographic and computer graphic. Darroll creates a hypnotic and visionary universe through virtuosic use of rotoscoping, compositing, layering, filtering and complex segmentations of the frame.” -Gene Youngblood
This July, Spectacle is pleased to partner with the iotaCenter to spotlight a trio of unsung masterpieces of avant-garde cinema: Robert Darroll’s KOREAN TRILOGY. Spectacle will screen brand new HD transfers of prints preserved by the Academy Film Archive. Jeremy Schwartz, member of iotaCenter’s Board of Directors, will be in attendance to present the films.
Created as a reflection upon an intense research period into Korean culture and East Asian philosophy, THE KOREAN TRILOGY represents three of the most complex analog animation techniques ever captured on film: a crazy mix of abstractions that dazzle the eyes. Transitions are abound and bring hundreds of emotions flowing smoothly from showering colors to spiraling abstractions and rippled designs. You won’t believe this was all shot on film.
“Darroll understands that digital technology’s most important contribution to moving image art is the seamless merging of photographic and synthetic imagery, live action with animation. Organic figures are set against elegant geometric constructions, shot through with startling vectors and trajectories.
“Visual density is matched by sonic density. Darroll’s sound design evolves from the Theremin-like electronic score of Memb to dazzling multilayered blends of natural and synthetic sounds in later works.
“The earlier works show the influence of Oskar Fischinger, Viking Eggeling, Len Lye, Paul Glabicki, even a touch of Jordan Belson. But gradually he transcends them to give us the unique vision of a true master of his art. The films are ravishingly beautiful journeys through the corridors of an inspired imagination.” -Gene Youngblood
This screening is a tribute to the late filmmaker, who passed away during its organization. This work and several others are also available on a DVD released by the iotaCenter this summer. We’re grateful to the iotaCenter’s Huckleberry Lain for initiating this program.
Korean Trilogy (16mm in HD digital video)
Lung (1986, 11:24) • Feng Huang (1988, 10:29) • Stone Lion (1990, 10:14)
Experience three of the most complex analog animation techniques ever captured on film. A crazy mix of abstractions that dazzle the eyes. Transitions are abound and bring you through hundreds of emotions flowing smoothly from showering colors to spiraling abstractions to rippling designs. You won’t believe this was all shot on film. Created as a reflection upon an intense research period into Korean culture and East Asian philosophy.
Soundtracks: Sukhi Kang and the Electronic Studio of the Technical University of Berlin
Production: Folkmar Hein
Restoration: Mark Toscano and the Academy Film Archive
Taiwanese Trilogy (digital video)
Things Fall Apart (2011, 5:37) • How Technology Saved the World (2011, 5:37) • What Ghosts Like Most (2011, 5:37)
Scientific analyses presented in a mashing of abstraction and video manipulation. Stare into the soul of humanity while contemplating the existence of the universe. These are three intense approaches to the same audio tracks. As a companion to his previous trilogy this series follows as an interpretation to a period of teaching in Taiwan over a lengthy period.
Soundtracks: Robert Darroll and Pierre Henri
Noemata No. 1 (digital video – 2001, 6 min)
“This composition uses documentary material interlaced in various rhythms. The individual frames of the original material have been reworked and then placed so that their numerical order is retained although they are separated by other sequences of frames. The object of this is to create a new sequence of images by blending different sequences together and by decreasing the continuity of the frames. The video also includes passages of continuous animation.” RD
Award winner Media Prize by the Bund Deutsche Industrie (2001) and Asolo Art Film Festival prize for computer animation (2002). Hoeren und Sehen Production Grant awarded by the ZKM in Karlsruhe, Germany (2004)
Music: Sean Reed
Stele (digital video – 1999, 11 min)
“Does an increase in complexity imply a qualitative evolutionary advance and are we able to impose a sense of direction, or indeed a goal, on that process? Are these impositions not in fact the servants of our innate need for purpose related value? Is an illusory orientation more effective than disillusioned disorientation? Or insane contentment better than morbid insight? From this distant perspective, all that can be witnessed is an apparently aimless and fragmented ebb and flow, leaving myriads of spent forms adrift in the virtual afterworld of memory.” RD Award winner at CYNET art prize for computer animation, 2000
Soundtrack: Kiyoshi Furukawa at the ZKM, Karlsruhe
About Robert Darroll
Robert Darroll studied in Germany until 1974, then worked independently as a media designer and media artist in Europe until 2001 when he relocated to Japan. After a decade in Japan, Robert Darroll moved to Taiwan. He held professorships at the Department of Intermedia at the Tokyo National University of Art and Music, at the Nagoya University of Art and Science and at the Department of Digital Media at the Ming Chuan University. He is associated with the ZKM in Germay and the iotaCenter.
About the iotaCenter
The iotaCenter is a non-profit arts organization, founded in 1994, devoted to the preservation and promotion of experimental animation and abstract visual music. Through our online discussion group and The Visual Music Village social network, we foster a worldwide community of artists, scholars and fans of this art form. iota has received numerous grants for its programs in film preservation and archiving and maintains a video study center for students, scholars and curators doing research in the genre.