About
MOVING THE STILL: A GIF FESTIVAL
Moving the Still is the first large-scale, open call festival for original GIF art. This inaugural competition will showcase animated GIFS as a new genre of digital art. The Festival is curated by Paddle8, powered by Tumblr, and presented by Smartwater and Milk MADE. Submissions and will be published on a rolling bases from October 17th through November 7th, culminating in a live exhibition during Miami Art Week 2012.
From Chief Council, Johnny Misheff, 2012:
The GIF is one of the most recognized and well-loved forms of digital media in use today. We’re celebrating it’s 25th birthday this year. Some of you will remember those early iterations that popped up onto the interwebs… all the clip art, like the waving American flag; those Under Construction banners in heavy use during the 90s; the dancing baby in diapers; that crazed dancing woman — well, ALL those silly dancing people, really. Everyone currently using the internet has seen a GIF. The last few years have seen the GIF rise to a level of prominence of epic proportions. Artists have taken to the medium with an incredible fervor. Businesses use them to send lighter, more compressed advertisements via email. The Net Generation has taken to the GIF in myriad ways, from fan art to the revolutionary meme. Perhaps more than any other medium, the GIF embraces a diversity inherent in its simple function. Plus, they are extremely fun and easy to make.
The time for officially celebrating the GIF is long overdue and we are thrilled to celebrate it in this unique and totally groundbreaking way. When we began the process of outreach to prospective Council Members for their involvement in the project, the responses were overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Everyone seemed to agree this is the perfect moment and platform to properly exhibit the GIF, and to honor it by giving it its due place in a greater artistic conversation. Our Council and Contributors have gone above and beyond what we could have imagined, both with in advising on the show conceptually and with their own work which created the foundation for the final, larger exhibition which we will physically present via projections in Miami during this upcoming Miami Art Week 2012.
What is perhaps the most exciting element of all is the open call submission process via Tumblr’s dedicated community and beyond, for here we anticipate with great excitement contributions from some of the strongest, most prolific producers of GIFs in the world. To show these previously unseen gems from the far reaches of the internet alongside the works of some of the world’s most revered cultural ambassadors is truly a great moment.
The Selection Council:
Johnny Misheff will be serving as Chief Council Member working in close collaboration with a team of prominent figures from creative industries who will each judge a specific category of submission. Council members will select their favorite animated GIFs. Many of the submissions will be featured on the Moving The Still blog and shared with the entire Tumblr community and public.
List of Council Members
- Michael Stipe
- Ryan Trecartin
- Rodarte
- James Frey
- RoseLee Goldberg
- Richard Phillips
- Nicola Formichetti
- Inez & Vinoodh
The Exhibition:
The top animated GIFs in each category will be announced on November 26th and presented at a major exhibition event in the Wynwood District of Miami during the Art Basel Fair this coming December.
About the Team:
Co-founded by Alexander Gilkes and Aditya Julka, Paddle8 is an online destination that offers international collectors access to a selection of works from the world’s leading galleries, museums, foundations, and art fairs. Paddle8 produces original content focused on timely cultural topics, including web-only exhibitions and projects curated by notable figures. Join Paddle8 today.
Founded by David Karp in New York City in 2007, Tumblr is a social blogging platform that allows individuals to post and share anything effortlessly, including text, photos, quotes, links, audio and video. A top 20 US network, Tumblr now hosts over 69 million blogs, 29 billion posts, and 140 million unique visitors, according to Quantcast, fulfilling its mission as the premier publishing and distribution platform for creative individuals.
ABOUT smartwater®
smartwater®, the #1 premium water in the country – is a zero-calorie, vapor-distilled water that contains added electrolytes for taste. the vapor distillation process (the way water is purified in nature) and added electrolytes (calcium, magnesium and potassium), results in a bottled water that is distinctly fresh, crisp and pure. if it sounds like smartwater has one-upped the clouds, it has…smart, because it’s made that way.
ABOUT MILK
MILK stands at the crossroads of the fashion, photography, music and film worlds. A media company based out of New York and Los Angeles – MILK spans contemporary culture and is a hub for nurturing creativity and supporting partnerships with some of the industry’s most visionary talent and innovative brands.
ABOUT MADE
MADE is an initiative created by MILK, The Terminal Presents and PRODJECT. It is a year-round, dynamic platform, anchored by MADE Fashion Week in New York and Paris, which connects emerging talent in fashion, music, art and pop-culture with visionary brand partners.
For press inquiries, please contact Michelle Finocchi at michelle@michellefinocchi.com
