Melancholia (2)
Melancholia is a symbolic experiment contemplating the human condition's struggle with mental health.
A number of variations were created for this animated experiment, please review the alternate attempts for consideration at the links below.
The 4 primary individual micro experiments can be viewed here:
http://www.michaelamter.com/melancholia_Micro.htm
A version intending to highlight 4 variables illustrated with color is here:
http://www.michaelamter.com/melancholia_C.htm
The 4 individual micro experiments with color variables is located here:
http://www.michaelamter.com/melancholia_Micro_C.htm
Original FilmFreeway Project Page - Extended Format:
https://filmfreeway.com/Melancholia939
-
Michael AmterArtist
-
Project Type:Animation, Experimental, Short, Web / New Media, Other
-
Genres:Mental Health, Melancholy, Sorrow, Suffering, Depression, Mania, Pain, Saddness, Variable, Mutation, Wave, Limit, Uncertainty, Grief
-
Runtime:2 minutes 30 seconds
-
Country of Origin:United States
-
Shooting Format:Digital
-
Aspect Ratio:16:9
-
Film Color:Color
-
First-time Filmmaker:No
-
Student Project:No
-
FEDAXV 2022Valdivia
Chile
November 21, 2022
Official Selection -
Festival ECRÃRio de Janeiro
Brazil
July 1, 2022
Official Selection -
Dreamers of Dreams Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
November 19, 2021
Official Selection -
Experimental SuperstarsNovi Sad
Serbia
September 24, 2021
Official Selection -
Serbest International Film Festival (SIFF)Chișinău
Moldova, Republic of
September 23, 2021
Semi-Finalist -
*/ 17th Athens Digital Arts FestivalAthens
Greece
September 20, 2021
Official Selection -
Wallachia Int'l Film FestivalBucharest
Romania
September 10, 2021
Award Winner -
Toronto Indie Filmmakers FestivalToronto
Canada
July 31, 2021
Finalist -
ONED International Film FestivalVersailles
France
June 15, 2021
Experiment Award -
Art Film Awards - Monthly CompetitionSkopje
Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of
December 2, 2021
Finalist -
Älvsbyn Film FestivalÄlvsbyn
Sweden
May 8, 2021
Official Selection -
Roma Short Film FestivalRome
Italy
May 2, 2021
Official Selection -
Seoul International Short Film FestivalSeoul
Korea, Republic of
May 1, 2021
Official Selection -
New York Tri-State International Film FestivalNew York
United States
April 25, 2021
Official Selection -
Iconic Images Film FestivalGoštauto, Vilnius
Lithuania
April 20, 2021
Official Selection -
New Wave Short Film FestivalMunich
Germany
March 4, 2021
Finalist -
Tokyo International Short Film FestivalTokyo
Japan
March 3, 2021
Official Selection -
Luleå International Film FestivalLuleå
Sweden
January 17, 2021
Official Selection -
Kosice International Monthly Film FestivalKošice
Slovakia
January 11, 2021
Finalist -
4th Dimension Independent Film FestivalBali
Indonesia
December 23, 2020
Finalist
Michael Amter developed an exquisite personal vocabulary of metaphorical imagery over the years. He began serious artistic study at Washington University in St. Louis. There he was recognized early for an obsessive work ethic producing a unique expression. During this time a number of his paintings were stolen during a special exhibition at this institution.
Michael has a truly diverse background, including extensive work in television and film production to support his personal artistic endeavors. The artist has exhibited extensively throughout the globe, beginning professionally with the iconic 01 Gallery in Los Angeles during the early 90’s. Later he would be known for a wild variety of film/video experiments, rewarded by several opportunities to contemplate various themes with extensive travel in France, Japan, Singapore, etc.
Michael’s impressive history involves a wide range of noted entities, including 3331 Arts Chiyoda, Apexart, Cité Internationale des Arts, Creative Time, Des Lee Gallery, Gallery Aferro, Instinc, Meridian International, Studio Kura, etc.
The artist has encountered a number of humbling moments in relation to his personal expression. Notably a request by former director Mr. David Ross to provide a submission for the Whitney Biennial in the 1990’s. Michael’s piece created for a special 9-11 memorial exhibition is included in a collection with the US Library of Congress. However, his most memorable experience proved to be visiting the impressive special needs artists of Atelier PorePore in Tokyo during the Fall of 2016 and Summer of 2019. Currently a sampling of the artist’s drawings can be found at the Pierogi Gallery on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in NYC.
"Exploring mental disorder commonly experienced with the human condition. Aspects of this study were originally exhibited in the Visceglia Gallery at Caldwell University curated by Andrew Baron. This experimental effort was recently revisited and reworked during the Covid19 pandemic. A series of animated clips mediating emotive concepts in an intentional repetitive manner to replicate certain patterns experienced in life. Attempting to create simple visual metaphors contemplating alienation, grief, depression, isolation, loss, mania, mortality, etc."
"The imagery for this work was inspired by creating a simple graphic metaphor while considering various theories encountered in science and physics. The primary symbol dominating this experimental work is a direct reference to basic codes experienced in genetics, DNA, etc, mixed with various elements impacting life; including light, gravity, time, space, etc. The animated symbol was modestly conceived during a humble reflection after studying various theories regarding particles, waves, etc. A primary factor involved was Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, producing numerous variations of this graphic motif's movement with random changes impacting direction, size, shape, etc. Trying to interpret the vastly complex in the most simplistic manner possible. Of the many variations, the mutated results, four animated examples are on display in the video submitted here, selected for their relation, contrast, effect, etc. "