Audiopleasures: Let's Lounge , Holland Animation Film Festival , Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam , Munk , Defasten , L'amie De Zoé, Lulu Rouge

Monday, 27 October 2008

Let's Lounge , Holland Animation Film Festival , Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam , Munk , Defasten , L'amie De Zoé, Lulu Rouge

First edition AAF Amsterdam big success

The first edition of the Affordable Art Fair Amsterdamdrew more than 9000 visitors and galleries sold for more than €1.2 million worth of art. With those numbers the first AAF Amsterdam can be called a success. Visitors are charmed by the AAF concept, that different, energetic atmosphere and the inspiring diversity of galleries.

Exhibiting galleries are most happy with the affluence of a young, enthusiastic public that doesn't hesitate long before going over to acquisition. ‘Again next year!' was what the organisers heard time and again. “The atmosphere was really terriffic!” , wrote Petra Leene, Kunst aan de Amstel Gallery. Galleries that partake in several fairs each year, call the character of the Affordable Art Fair unique. “The most fun fair to date, and I've done many fairs this year!” , was Gallery Noordeinde's comment.

AAF Amsterdam 2008: 30 October till 2 November 2008

After eight successful years in London, New York, Sydney and Melbourne the Affordable Art Fair has been launched in Amsterdam in November 2007. After this first edition the Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam will grow in 2008: circa 80 galleries from the Netherlands and abroad will be seen at the Westergasfabriek terrain from 29 October to 2 November. The fair is fun, relaxed and with everything from €100 to €5,000, it is an art-buying opportunity that can not be missed.

The fair's friendly environment invites first time buyers to browse amongst the thousands of paintings, original prints, photography and sculpture, whilst seasoned collectors can seek out hot new artists. In short, AAF Amsterdam is a fair where you can look at contemporary art, love it and leave with your own piece.

This funky fair's stunning location is the 19th century gasworks, an impressive industrial monument on the Westergasfabriek terrain, close to Amsterdam Central station and easy to reach by bike, tram, car or foot from the town center.

Free workshops about art techniques will take place throughout the event. All ages are catered for with our wine bar, café and children's crèche making it a great place to meet up with friends or to bring the family.

On Wednesday November 5 the twelfth edition of the Holland Animation Film Festival kicks off with the impressive animated documentary Waltz with Bashir of Ari Folman and the world premiere of Thee Wreckers: No Place Like Home directed by Dutch animation director Rosto.

Peter Lord, co-founder of Aardman Animations, attends HAFF as the Guest of Honour. He has compiled a special Aardman retrospective. The master will personally introduce the Aardman sections. They obviously include the famous Wallace & Gromit, but there is a lot more where that came from. In addition Peter Lord presents a programme at the festival featuring his personal animated favourites, covering almost one century of animation: from Willis O’Brien’s Prehistoric Poultry (1916) to Matthew Walker’s Astronauts (2005).

The whole selection of films, the special programmes, the international juryies and their competitions, the master classes and talk shows with hosts Paul Wells and Pierre Floquet, the workshops with open source software Blender, the Aardman retrospective, the hilarious festival leader directed by HAFF 2002 Grand Prix-winner Pete Bishop, the poster designed by jury member Richard McGuire, the Oscar winning Peter and the Wolf by jury member Suzie Templeton, the public animated installation Intra Muros by artist Rose Bond at the windows of the city hall and info of all films in the programme and the Audience Award Dutch Animation, the debate about the cross pollination between games and animation and so much more ….

New video from Munk , Taken from Cloudbuster , 2008 album out on Gomma.

Watch | Munk - "Down in L.A." Shazam Version

Defasten believes in remodernist ideals and the nihilist difference of our alleged unified society. In the future, the alphabet does not exist.

Focusing on digital animation, Defasten delineates parallels within information, space, and the urban landscape at the intersection of digital media practices. This direction reflects an interest in the fragmentation of media, contemporary society, and the post-modern condition.

Watch | Defasten Live

"L'amie De Zoé " is an animated short story about friendship. Life in Zoé's world is green and ordinary. When a red family unexpectedly lands on her planet, Zoé makes a new friend. While teaching her friend, Maho, all about her world, Zoé realizes that being green is not ordinary to everyone.

Working closely with illustrator Matthieu Roussel, MAKE created a wonderous moving world from Roussel's book "L'amie de Zoé". By bringing Zoé's green world from the page to the screen, the team at MAKE were able to add layers of interactions and emotions not achievable in printed form. Even the planet itself becomes a character. It affects the characters' lives and behaviours. Using Roussel's book and vision, MAKE brought "L'amie de Zoé" to life.

Watch | L'amie De Zoé

The Official Video for Lulu Rouge's first single "Bless You"
Directed by: Jimmy Falinski Kornhauser

Watch | Lulu Rouge feat. Mikael Simpson - Bless You