Artistic Research Café kicks off 2021 with two remarkable artists working and researching within the field of illustration and film.
In their work both artists explore how their drawn universes can be adapted and translated into new mediums and stories.We have invited two artists to present their artistic research, process and works.
>>> Bendik Kaltenborn is a cartoonist (working for The New Yorker, Rick and Morty, Todd Terje, Joe Keery) who recently made his first live action short film as part of his Artistic Research at Kunsthøgskolen in Oslo. At the heart of Bendik’s research lies transitions, mainly from one storytelling medium to another; what happens when a cartoonist transfers his world from the paper to the movie set with actors, costumes, photography etc. And in which way does it color the final result that the artist him/herself takes that journey and instead of handing the adaptation and directing over to others more experienced, like is most often the case?
As his main piece of work Bendik wrote and directed the short film "Liker Stilen", based on his comic book by the same name and produced by Oslo Pictures, features original music by Todd Terje. Bendik is still in the process of wrapping his phd up and will do his best to give a comprehensible glimpse into where he’s at right now in this process.
>>> Gina Thorstensen is an artist who works in multiple fields including animation, sculpture, drawing and Virtual Reality. Her work has been rewarded and shown in publications and film festivals around the world. Her last solo shows; “Brotan” (2016) and “Cosmogonías” (2018), were held in Galeria Cromo in Barcelona. She has directed several animated music videos and worked as an art director on animated feature films.
During her master's degree at the Norwegian Film School she focused on immersive technologies and is developing the project “ Kabaret,” an interactive Virtual Reality musical about coral´s synchronized reproduction and a shrimp´s worries about the future.
Gina is interested in using VRs immersive possibilities to create a connection and solidarity with the natural world. In “Kabaret” she blends VR´s interactivity with analogue methods of experimental animation to create the feeling of being part of an organic physical environment.
