Top animator Richard Haynes to exhibit postgraduate project exploring nostalgia at The Cass Summer Show
Date: 14 June 2018
Aardman Animator Richard Haynes will be celebrating the completion of his Postgraduate studies in Animation at the Cass Summer Show this week.
Richard has worked as a professional animator for around a decade at Aardman Animation Studios on a number of stop motion films including Shaun the Sheep and Pirates- An Avdenture with Scientists and also as an animator on iconic animation series including Postman Pat at Cosgrove Hall. He recently returned to Aardman for a stint on Early Man, the latest feature from the studio where he brought various characters to life frame by frame.
Richard recently restored the ledge style caravan from the stop motion animation The Wind in the Willows (produced by the studio Cosgrove Hall), and then created the replica of it as key component in his research into nostalgia, simulacra and simulation, in animation.
The outcome was a Gilbert & Sullivan style theatrical extravaganza that combined his expertise in stop motion character animation with nostalgic visuals projection mapped onto the replica caravan to create an innovative stop motion installation. His work will form part of an installation at the Summer Show from 22 June to 5 July and you can also see the animation here.
Richard's tutor, Mark Collington, is optimistic about where Richard's work will take him, "Richard has tapped in to something really contemporary with his MA Animation work, I am sure that within due course we will see his name not only in the credits of feature films, but also in the events schedules for major venues along side visionary multidisciplinary playwrites like Robert Lepage."
Richard looks back on his MA studies at the Cass with great nostalgia, and said, "The MA Animation course offered me the unique opportunity to take my experience as a commercial animator and various passions in life, and present them through an entirely refreshing lens. It has been an absolute thrill to underpin my thoughts with a theoretical and meaningful framework and create my very first installation. I began within my comfort zone, then stepped out of it, before finding new and satisfying comfort, and I am very grateful to Mark Collington for encouraging me to explore avenues I never dreamed I would, resulting in a highly satisfying outcome"
For more information about studying Animation at the Cass, please see the BA Illustration and Animation course page.
