emancipath | ZEITGUISED

Physical and digital space poetically intersect in emancipath. The film consists of a set of CGI vignettes depicting moving sculptures. It plays with the possibility of metamorphous shapes as a physical reality. Normally passive textiles and upholstery are shown here exhibiting lifelike behaviour as if they possessed a sovereign spirit.

Seamlessly smooth transformations of organic and geometric forms are constantly moving in and out of abstract compositions, determining how each textile flaunts its own character.

At the beginning of the looping sequence of shots, the selection of Kvadrat Canvas textiles designed by Giulio Ridolfo seemingly oozes independently across solid flat geometries as if it were growing endlessly from within itself. Over the course of subsequent shots the forms start to bulge and become autonomous expanding volumes, first in their formal language and later as floating shapes themselves.

The forms are peaceful and patient in pace and behaviour. Their arresting physical impossibility is softly tickled by the realism and detail of their tangible textile texture seen under the vivid lighting.

ZEITGUISED is a studio of autonomous form, founded in 2001, and based in Berlin since 2009. It has been at the forefront of synthetic image making since its inception, focusing on the poetic character of shape, colour and behaviour and shifting relations between them. The studio has been developing algorithmic and generative translations of its own unique dimensional form-finding process, which is strongly geared towards exploring unknown formal territory. The exceptional character of its object language stems from apparently everyday things and inanimate objects showing a strong and accessible personality. Since the beginning, its digital explorations have echoed in the physical realm.

Its work has been presented at numerous international new media festivals, including onedotzero, DOTMOV, Biennale Némo and RESfest. ZEITGUISED was nominated for two Media Art Awards at the ZKM Karlsruhe in 2001 and 2002. In 2005 it received the award for Best Music Video at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, and later that year the Best Design Award at RESfest. In 2009 it received the award for Best Experimental work at the Ottawa International Animation Festival and in 2010 was a finalist in the Experimental section of the Vimeo Festival + Awards in NYC. It holds two Laus Awards and two honorary mentions at Prix Ars Electronica in 2015 and 2016. In 2016 it received several prizes for the geist.xyz fashion film, including Best Experimental and Best VFX awards at the Berlin Fashion Film Festival.

Works by ZEITGUISED have been shown in galleries and exhibitions around the world, most notably at Volta Art Fair, New York, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Barcelona.

zeitguised.com