Zoetropolis
GENIUS LOCI WEIMAR 2015Â – COMPETITION WINNER
GAUFORUM – ATRIUM WEIMAR | DE
â ... It lays in the city of turning life where behind and beyond those lines, it's all about the peopleâ
– the city of turning life –
Presented as a science-fiction tale, the 2015 “Genius Loci Weimar” winner “Zoetropolis” explores the manipulative power of symbols within ideological systems to shed light on the darkest chapters of history. The site-specific art festival, conceived to redefine historic buildings, featured the work projected on the façade of the Gauforum, a controversial site tied to the Third Reich.
To decipher the language of symbols, âZoetropolisâ delves into the origins and universal significance of these potent tools, frequently harnessed by authoritarian regimes. From this exploration emerges a fictional scenario, portraying a society teetering on the brink of a precipice. The narrative unveils a powerful sign system that exploits the deepest structures of the human soul, eradicating individuality. As the epilogue compels the audience to employ a code against totalitarianism, dictatorship, and oppression, a newfound awareness emerges as the ultimate boon.
âa unique social aesthetic, to explain the challenges of commemorative culture"
Head of the Buchenwald Concentration Camp Memorial
THE SOUNDTRACK
An original musical score crafted by the talented Giancarlo Trimarchi sets the rhythm for the narrative. The soundtrack utilises digital and analogue sounds, voice-overs, and recordings, evoking internal atmospheres and complementing the storyboard. Scenery and plot changes are driven by sound, running through a full-length timeline featuring various narrative forms.
PRODUCTION NOTES
The production of âZoetropolisâ demanded meticulous time management and complex production planning. An exceptional workflow, tailored for nonlinear production, was employed to shape the experience designed to weave around and through the location. To achieve excellence in frame-by-frame animation required expertise and expansion of set production, lighting, editing, and prop-making techniques.
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The outdoor projection using MX Wendler software was accomplished with 14 projectors operated by a single FX server system. Through artistic expression, the 400-meter-long projection area transformed into a stage, celebrating the essence of this peculiar site.
THE URBAN SPACE
No building in Weimar embodies the grandeur aesthetics of the Nazi regime more than the Gauforum. Currently, public access to the complex’s square is restricted – a deliberate stance against the principles of authoritarian regimes. The site posed significant challenges, starting with the event showcasing the work on a neglected square.
âZoetropolisâ brings to light the inherent connections between history, architecture and the human experience, engaging the public in a placemaking act that transcends time and ideology. During the projection, the audience embarks on a journey to reprocess the past through atonement with the physical space.
CREDITS
Concept – Screenplay & Animation
Digital Animation
Stop motion Animation
Additional Animation
Photography
Production Assistant
Soundtrack
Concept – Screenplay & animation – Luca Pulvirenti
Digital Animation Luigi Mignemi, Vito Pirrello, Cristina Santangelo, Jakub Szczesniak
Stopmotion Animation Michela Giuffrida
Additional Animation Viviana Caccamo, Giuseppe Grado, Marco Locati, Walter Scafidi
Photography Giovanni Narcisi
Production Assistant Viviana Caccamo
Soundtrack Giancarlo Trimarchi
Luca Pulvirenti
Luigi Mignemi, Vito Pirrello, Cristina Santangelo, Jakub Szczesniak
Michela Giuffrida
Viviana Caccamo, Giuseppe Grado, Marco Locati, Walter Scafidi
Giovanni Narcisi
Viviana Caccamo
Giancarlo Trimarchi
AUDIO DOCUMENTARY
Commentary
Translation
Commentary Mrs. Dr. Elisabeth Fischer – Dr. Helga Raschke – Kurt Raschke
Translation Ilaria De Nuzzo – Franziska SchnauĂ
Mrs. Dr. Elisabeth Fischer – Dr. Helga Raschke – Kurt Raschke
Ilaria De Nuzzo – Franziska SchnauĂ