SPEED RESIDENCY UPDATE: WHAT I HAVE ACHIEVED SO FAR…
By Rudy Hartt
Days and weeks fly by and it is almost the end of the year – what better time to look back and reminisce about the good things that happened during my Speed Residency…
To begin my story: on the first rainy Sunday of November, I had the wonderful opportunity to host my very own workshop in the Learning Centre of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Preparations for this event started taking place already during my October two-week stay in the Residency Studio and I spent many hours researching the Museum’s extensive archives to collect colourful imagery relating to Aesop’s Fables (my main theme dedicated to this Residency).
An equally difficult task was finding affordable equipment, because as it is known, animation generally requires financially demanding and specialised technology. I worked with the always-helpful V&A staff to prepare PC laptops, searched for suitable software and gathered materials for the creation of paper puppets and sets.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Asa Desouza-Jones, who helped me set up electronics on the day of the workshop and in the run up. Laura Southall, our Residency Coordinator, kindly supplied all the art materials and also provided cookies and tea for everyone – this was greatly appreciated (especially since it was a Sunday)!
The aim of the afternoon was to introduce even complete beginners to the secrets of animation and at the end of the day, everybody left with their very own short story and maybe – even inspired to start making animations on their own…
For those who couldn’t make it, I have created a short video about this workshop, which can be viewed below:
© Rudy Hartt, 2014.
More recently in December, I took part in the ‘Creative Quarters’ and ‘Making It!’ educational events, hosted in the Raphael Gallery at the V&A. This was a great chance to meet and talk with students interested in pursuing a career in the creative industry.
I was able to give them advice on how to get started with disciplines such as design, illustration, animation and filmmaking, drawing on my experiences as a freelance graphic designer and graduate from the Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design.
Alongside these activities, I have been focusing on my main residency project about the Aesop’s Fables and will be entering my main production stage over Christmas break – more updates coming soon.
Have a lovely and peaceful holiday season and I look forward to seeing you at the V&A or elsewhere in the New Year 2015!
What a great residency program for the resident artists and the visitors! The guest researchers offer constant renewal to V&A offerings and the artist creates a new body of work. I would love to make a proposal.