tx th nxthng . ivan belousov

project: "praxinoscope"

authors: Nastya Verzhbitskaya, Ivan Belousov, Max Chernyshev

interactive art object

technique: wood CNC laser cutting, stop motion animation

tags: media art, non-human, stop motion, kinetic sculpture, post human

exhibitions: student showcase

The “praxinoscope” project is based on the pre-cinematic optical device of the same name. The conceptual source of inspiration for the project is an article by Deborah Levitt: “Animation and the Medium of Life: Media Ethology, An-Ontology, Ethics". According to the author, animation is inextricably linked with the development of biological sciences and biopolitics in general. While cinema sought to present life as it is, animation focuses on creating new forms of life that are not bound by existing ontologies. Animation helps to see the body in a new format that was previously inaccessible to human perception. It challenges our understanding of ethics, which is often tied to the differences between human and non-human.

The art object is a praxinoscope, and when the mechanism rotates, the animation on the tape inside is visible in the mirrors in the central part. The mechanism consists of an electric motor and controller with which it is possible to adjust the speed of rotation and experiment with animation. It is also possible to change animation tapes with different frames. The main plot of animation is based on the depiction of bodily forms that cannot be categorized by type or gender. This connects the art object with the concept of a new life form in animation, described earlier.