ARTH 001G. First Year Seminar: Brought to Life: The Art of Animation in East Asia

To bring an image to life is an undying fantasy. In this discussion-based seminar, we explore the art of enlivenment in East Asia, beginning with early accounts of inanimate objects coming to life, from bronze sculptures of the Buddha walking off of their pedestals in medieval China, deities captured in paintings animated by shamans in Korea, to abandoned furniture and kitchen utensils banding together to seek vengeance on their owners in Japan. Imbued with movement, lifelike dolls, puppets and automata also take on a life of their own, and static images like those painted on a handscroll move to tell riveting stories. We trace this development of moving images into the twentieth century by examining the early history of animation in China and Japan, the emergence of anime and its media culture, and the use of animation in avant-garde art and cinema.
Humanities.
Writing course.
1 credit.
Eligible for ASIA. FMST.
Spring 2023. Lee.
Spring 2024. Lee.
Catalog chapter: Art and Art History: Art History
Department website: https://www.swarthmore.edu/art-and-art-history

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