Experimental Animation since 1933

Here’s a special opportunity to see some of the best examples of the rich, innovative, and beautiful worlds of animation that lie beyond the realm of “cartoons.”

Works shown include examples of abstract, drawn-on-film, cutout collage, pinscreen, stop motion, computer graphics, and other unclassifiable animation styles. Featured animators range from renowned pioneers (Norman McLaren, Oskar Fischinger) to the most acclaimed figures working today (Robert Breer, Lewis Klahr) to radical new voices (Virgil Widrich, Chris Landreth).

The parallel strains of commercial and experimental animation have always had a Cain and Abel relationship: often contentious, occasionally deadly, but always interdependent and keenly aware of what the other is doing. Although they may work of the margins of the industry, experimental animators often have access to images, ideas, and techniques unavailable to those in the commercial animation mainstream.

Complete list of films:

Night on Bald Mountain (Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker, 1933) 8 mins. Allegretto (Oskar Fischinger, 1936-43) 3 mins. Blinkity Blank (Norman McClaren, 1955) 5 mins. Our Lady of the Sphere (Lawrence Jordan, 1969) 10 mins. Valise (Lewis Klahr, 2004) 14 mins. Fuji (Robert Breer, 1974) 9 mins. Train Landscape (Jules Engel, 1974) 4 mins. Flying Fur (George Griffin, 1981) 7 mins. Fast Film (Virgil Widrich, 2003) 14 mins. Ryan (Chris Landreth, 2004) 13 mins. Madame Tutli-Putli (Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski, 2007) 17 mins.

Trailer for Madame Tutli-Putli: