Redmoon Zoetrope

This research stems from a partnership with Redmoon Theater's artistic directors and interns to develop solutions, design and build viewing apparatus and media for an 8 foot tall functioning zoetrope. During the Summer of 2012, Compagnon curated a studio taught by Matt Marsden, an Animation professor at SAIC in the Film, Video, New Media and Animation department. Students worked in teams and collaborated with Redmoon interns to research historical animation processes, lighting, viewing angles and instruments and adapt them to contemporary resources and materials. The studio had the opportunity to consult with Jan Tichy, Artist and Art & Tech Professor as well as with Odile Compagnon, for the lighting and design/build research components, models and prototypes.

One of the paper prototypes, “Less Than Lethal”, designed and constructed by Compagnon was included in the Sullivan Gallery exhibit, Opening the Black Box: The Charge is Torture, in October 2012. The paper zoetrope, which can be built following the blue print, addresses the use by police authorities, of Less-than-Lethal weapons.

On a scale of one to ten, how much does it hurt?

When is Less-than-Lethal more than enough?

By raising these questions and proposing that the Chicago community take part in celebrating IDAPB (International Day Against Police Brutality) on March 15th, this project, set in the State of Illinois’ Thompson Center in Chicago, proposes to honor torture victims around the world and in Chicago in particular.

The hand drawn animations inside the zoetrope are representations of the violence and pain associated with police brutality. Their cartoony manner expresses one's reluctance to face real images of what these violence and pain might actually encompass.