Independently Animated

An interview with legendary illustrator Bill Plympton on his forthcoming book, friendship with Terry Gilliam and the future of adult animation in America

At 13-years-old Bill Plympton wrote to Walt Disney asking for a job in the animation department. The young illustrator was initially rejected, but an Oscar nomination six years later for his animated short called “Your Face” led to Disney knocking on his door—where Plympton finally got his turn to say no. These were the early days of Plympton’s prolific career, which can be seen in …

Baudouin: Serial Photographer

An up and coming French photographer talks his way into subjects' homes for striking eccentric portraits

A once aspiring Jazz bassist, Baudouin has found his calling as a photographer. His portraits are all of strangely familiar French characters and he has gained notoriety by creating ironic collections like “Friends,” “Unknown But Nice” and the “The Parisian Ladies.” I recently spoke with Baudouin to get some insight on his process—he confessed to having a systematic, almost ritualistic method, following a strict set …

Louviere + Vanessa

A visceral look at humanity in prints made from blood and wax

A designer friend recently tipped us off about a husband-and-wife photography duo in New Orleans whose fine art creations blend state-of-the-art innovations with old world crafts by developing monochromatic film on Gampi—paper texturized with a mixture of wax and blood is just one example. Grotesque? Hardly. Louviere + Vanessa’s images are visceral in a good way. The artists proclaim to harness the amoral eros and …