research&development

isobel knowles

isobel knowles

Isobel Knowles finds herself equally at home on a stage, trumpet in hand, as she is greeting dawn after another late night creating animation. The former permits playing music (loud), dancing, singing harmonies and wearing great socks. The latter is the delicate and painstaking work that is required in making animation. It requires an eye for detail, for colour, for visual composition and, most importantly, for storytelling.

Since graduating from RMIT's multi-discipline Media Arts stream in 2001, Isobel has amassed an impressive (looking at her CV, some may say intimidating) body of work that encompasses animation, installation, traditional visual art and music. While sometimes these disciplines are presented individually more often it's a well conceived combination of two or more elements. Her work has been exhibited at ACMI and as part of The Next Wave and Experimenta festivals as well as at independent artist run galleries like Westspace, The Narrows and Bus. She has also animated filmclips for bands including New Buffalo, Architecture In Helsinki, Dr. Dog, Still Flyin' and Sarah Blasko.

In her debut for r&d we've got her recent filmclip for Dr. Dog's song "My Old Ways" from their album "We All Belong" as well as a collaboration with Van Sowerwine titled "Expecting" that has toured Australia and Europe as part of Experimenta. Isobel also worked with Van on the short film "Clara" which received official selection from Cannes and Sundance.

2007 finds The Lady Knowles overseas living the gypsy life and navigating her way to small towns in the Czech Republic for animation festivals. Her new clip for the Ground Components will be out soon and she'll have another million things on the go after that. She never stops thinking, wanting to create, wanting to dream up the seemingly impossible and find a way to do it. And that's why we love her.

Isobel Knowles Links:


Expecting

Isobel Knowles, Van Sowerwine and Liam Fennessy

In the future, children don't make friends, they give birth to them. So, what happens when a child's fantasy of a living, breathing doll becomes a reality?

Meet Charlotte, an 8 year old girl. With a squeeze of her teddy bear, she gives birth to a playmate.

Expecting blends the real, the virtual and the not too distant future to examine the very contemporary notions of isolation and detachment. In an environment that appears nurturing, yet is ultimately controlling and lonely, a child's body combines with a teddy bear to become a baby-making appliance. Your interaction with Charlotte does not serve to liberate her. Despite your best intentions, you can only perpetuate her disengagement with the social world.


Dr. Dog :: My Old Ways

from the album “We All Belong”
An animated filmclip by Isobel Knowles...

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