Pictoplasma

PICTOPLASMA EXHIBITION

French designer Florent Feys aka Doudouboy has worked extensively for the luxury industry – his luscious, oneiric and crystalline illustration style is the perfect match to brand high-class products such as haute couture or radiant perfumes.
In 2009, Pictoplasma commissioned Doudouboy to collaborate on a large-scale, walkable installation, playing on the topic of perfect and sterile consumer aesthetics incorporating minimal, yet engaging characters. The aim was to create a maximal notion of desire while keeping the viewer at unreachable distance.

The installation “Brilhante” employs the optical illusion of an infinity room by arranging mirrors to seal and extend a closed space. This endless void is the perfect stage for an over-sized, gently revolving koala bear statue covered in exclusive fur.
A soundtrack sets an uncanny mood, as the visitor is tempted to touch, hug and cuddle the precious creature, only to see his own image endlessly reflected in the life-less eyes and infinite space of the installation.

PICTOPLASMA EXHIBITION

The Character Walk is an open tour through numerous galleries, project spaces and other locations made temporarily available to host exhibitions, installations and performances of outstanding international character art.

Held three times in 2004, 2006 and 2009 as the official opening event to the bi-annual Pictoplasma Conference, we invite innovative artists and international designers working with a reduced visual vocabulary of anthropomorphic shapes to present their work to a wide and interested audience. All exhibitions are open to the general public, entrance free of charge.

Since 2009 Pictoplasma and DISK/club transmediale additionally offer young and upcoming artists the opportunity to present their character driven work to a wide, international and interested audience in a unique residency program.
As part of the official Walk the renown project space General Public in the center of Berlin serves as the perfect stage for the winning proposal. The awarded artist receives up to 10 days of accommodation in Berlin and a grant to help realize the submitted proposal.

PICTOPLASMA EXHIBITION

In 2008 the TodaysArt Festival, Den Haag, invited Pictoplasma to come up with an open, collective urban game. We accepted the kind invitation and set up a real-life, Mario-Kart-like race, straight through the passage in front of the Ministry of Environment (tellingly named VROM).
Two huge trucks brought in hay to mark the track and the “Character Collision Army” recruitment office was erected, where festival visitors were drafted, drilled and prepared for a truly character-driven combat.

The result was a gasoline infused thrill with roaring go-karts, a high speed radio edit by Jason Forrest blasting from the ministry’s propaganda speakers, drill-instructor Jared Gradinger shouting out commands and the opportunity for clue-less passer-byes to support their favorite character clan, designed by Motomichi Nakamura, Fons Schiedon and Rinzen.

In retrospect we are all puzzled that no one was seriously hurt…

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Pictoplasma’s second volume of the Characters in Motion series documents the latest developments of this revolution in a DVD and book set, which showcases over 50 forward-looking, stylistically outstanding studios, animators and designers in three hours of programming.
Traditional animation systems of inter changeable characteristics, predictable story telling and limited movements are being overturned by a new generation of character designers who are redefining the craft. The 64 page, full colour book gives in-depth information on the creators, presenting insight into their process of creation, from the first sketch and visual reference to the finished character in its unique visual system.

Including more than 60 cutting edge, character-driven animations by Jun seo Hahm, Ben Hibon, Tim Hope, Hornet Inc., Kangaroo Alliance, Guilherme Marcondes, Carolina Melis, Mixtape Club, Model Robot, Motomichi Nakamura, Grant Orchard, Nexus, Panda Panther, Passion Pictures, Plushood, Yannick Puig, David O’ Reilly, Santa Maria, Fons Schiedon, and more…

View a teaser by clicking the image below

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PICTOPLASMA EXHIBITION

In cooperation with TodaysArt (2007), Den Haag, Pictoplasma produced a truly interactive installation of taming and repulsion, enabling visitors to enter an intriguing world of a seemingly harmless archetypical being. “The Character Ride” invites you to witness the simplest of icons coming to life. A central character sculpture designed by Akinori Oishi (JP) smiles at you and turns around to follow your movements. Hop on and give it a ride! Powered by a mechanism similar to a rodeo machine, you will definitely fail to tame the beast.

So be aware: Cute can hurt…

After its premiere at TodaysArt, “The Character Ride” made a reappearance at the Pictoplasma Festival Berlin (2007), where Geisha-gone-singer Hanayo attempted the impossible: She agreed to perform her live-act while in full gallop.

Since then “The Character Ride” had the honour of shaking off “It-Girls” Julia Allison and Meghan Ashaat at the DLD Conference in the Haus der Kunst, Munich; nearly knocking out it’s own creator Akinori Oishi at the opening of “Prepare for Pictopia” in Berlin; as well as disgracing numerous courageous attendees of the Internationaal Beeldfestival, Rotterdam (2009).