Oh, Mr. Wells

Wow. Wells hates narrative animation.

I had a feeling this reading was going to remind me of the Hans Richter piece Shannon assigned in the experimental class, and I was right. I remember wishing I had a more visceral reaction to the reading—Cassandra had it covered though, and I wonder if she will have a similar reaction this time around.

Poetry was my first real artistic outlet. It was the first time something came to me that I had to capture. Poetry can mean many things or nothing just like experimental animation; however, Wells believes that the attempt of an abstract animator to attach deeper meaning negates the art all together. I’m not sure that I agree with him.

I grew up with the Looney Tunes and Disney cel animation. I was very fond of both of them. Being born to the first generation that was truly saturated in Cartoon Network, I spent most of my life with narrative animation, and I really enjoyed it—I still do when the mood strikes.

That being said, I realize that these cartoons are not necessarily the highest form of animation, but that’s not to entirely negate what these animators are doing. Sure, some of them are simply repeating the same styles that were there before them and they will continue you to use them without any thought of innovation—such is the nature of art when it exists within a capitalist system—but some of these commercial animators are attempting innovations, no matter how small they may be.

I think Wells does make a valid point, but I guess I’m just too tender hearted to accept the harshness of it. We can’t all be Van Gough! Some of us are just the guy doing caricatures on the corner. Maybe that does diminish our artistic output; maybe not being politically charged/controversial/provocative/abstract means that we are less than those, who are cutting edge. Who am I to say? I just know that even the guy on the street corner is making art no matter how low an art form it may be. It’s a beautiful thing that made someone feel something even if it was just a fleeting chuckle.