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Space Song

Philip Leonard Ocampo

February 28, 2018 - April 10, 2018

Essay by Alessia Oliva

February 28- April 10, 2018

Philip Leonard Ocampo

Download Essay by Alessia Oliva

Space Song is an animated ceramic that tells the story of a fictionalized queer mythology, with space, techno-futurism and ancient drawings as its visual motifs. When documented in 360 degrees, the designs painted around this large ceramic vase activate via stop motion animation. In comparison to the previous heteronormative imagery of Western narratives, Space Song is a “found”, celestial artefact of a hypothetical future; it loops itself through the trajectory of the canon of history itself. Its deviant existence calls into question the universal veracity of previously deciphered myths,  revealing a fantastic queer world hidden between the strata.

The Toronto Animated Image Society (TAIS) is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to exploring and promoting the art of animation through production, screenings, workshops, and exhibitions. TAIS directly supports independent (non-commercial) animation art and film making, with a focus on skills development. We provide affordable access to studios and equipment and hold workshop programs. TAIS has a growing membership of 180+ animators, artists, and animation enthusiasts. Our studios support classical and digital hand-drawn, stop motion, 3D and VR animators, who work in narrative and/or experimental forms, installation, web-based, and animation as craft. TAIS also welcomes multi-disciplinary artists to explore animation and incorporate it into their artistic practices. www.tais.ca
Philip Ocampo’s “Space Song” is produced by the artist as part of TAIS 2017-18 Microres program – a series of 3-week residencies in TAIS studios in which guest artist are invited to initiate production of a new work of animation. Ocampo was in TAIS studios from September 11 – October 2, 2017, and his residency was presented in collaboration with Xpace Cultural Centre, and in partnership with OCAD University’s Digital Painting & Expanded Animation (DPXA) Program.