"A futuristic, kinetic, energetic new commission from moving image artist Max Hattler ... on a 10x15m screen of water rising from the canal alongside KXFS for performances each night." (Kings Cross Filling Station)
SCREENINGS 2013
- Frederick Film Festival, Frederick, Maryland, USA, 28-30 Jun
- Backup Festival, Weimar, Germany, 23-26 May
- Animasivo, Mexico City, Mexico, 9-19 May
- ITFS, Stuttgart, Germany, 27 Apr, 17:00 (Nominated for Animated Com Award)
- AniFest, Teplice, Czech Republic, 27 Apr (lecture)
- London College of Communication, London, UK, 17 Apr (lecture)
- Frenz: Art in April, Strongroom, London, UK, 17 Apr (screening/talk)
- 6 Million Ways of Getting into the Arts, University of Salford, MediaCityUK, 16 Mar (talk)
- Plymouth College of Art, Plymouth, UK, 8 Mar (lecture)
- Exploring Your Future, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK, 13 Feb (lecture)
- University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, UK, 8 Feb (lecture)
- Royal College of Art, London, 31 Jan (talk)
2012
- GOV Gasteig Open Video, Munich, Germany, 10 Dec 2012 - 25 Jan 2013
- Playgrounds Digital Arts Festival, Tilburg, NL, 22 Nov - 2 Dec (Max Hattler solo show at SEA Foundation / Gust van Dijk Project Room)
- HEAD - Geneva University of Art and Design, Switzerland, 22 Nov (artist talk)
- Freie Kunstakademie Baden-Württemberg, Fellbach, Germany, 15 Nov (artist talk)
- Blitzfilm Festival China Tour to Chongqing, Chengdu, Kunming, Shanghai, Qingyuan, Foshan, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Tianjin, and Beijing, 3 Nov - 8 Dec
- Petersburg Computer Animation Studio, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2 Nov (presentation at Theories of Modern Animation seminar, hosted by Konstantin Bronzit and Anatoly Prokhorov)
- Multivision Festival, Pro Arte Foundation, St. Petersburg, Russia, 1 Nov (artist talk)
- Max Hattler Canal Commission, KXFS, London, 6-16 Sep (water screen projection)
CREDITS
Directed by Max Hattler.
Sound and music by Eduardo Noya Schreus.
Animation by Matt Abbiss, Tony Comley, Valeria Fonseca, Max Hattler, Siobhan Mcelhinney, Luiz Stockler.
Commissioned by KFXS and Vauxhall as part of Vauxhall Ampera Season #VXAmperaSeason @TheKXFS.
Special Thanks to Sandra Sykorova.
Year: 2012
Available formats: 1080p HD digital file, DVD
Length: 6 min.
"Projecting animations on a screen is nothing new—but what if that screen was made from water being blasted out of high-powered water jets? That’s not an everyday occurrence, is it? German animator and visual artist Max Hattler has used exactly this technique to present his latest animation, X. If you’re not familiar with Hattler’s work, his style is colorful, haunting, abstract, geometric—a spectacle for the eyes that can jar you from a daydreaming slumber or equally hypnotize you into one. (...) The piece is a perfectly synced dance of light and sound, featuring abstract geometry shifting about to sci-fi-esque music, which is given added depth and surreality by its presentation on the hydro screen. (...)." Kevin Holmes, The Creators Project, 2012 [-->read the interview]
"(...) Open from last night is X (2012), a new film commission by media artist Max Hattler. This is a pop-up display in the most accurate sense. Jets of water shoot up from the banks of Regent’s Canal to form a 10x15 metre screen onto which X is projected. (...) Hattler is used to presenting in non-traditional spaces: he has made work for media including smartphones, tablets – once even for the video advertising hoardings on the westbound Central Line platform at Liverpool Street station. X is a digital light show, amalgamating kinetic outline shapes glowing luminous green, purple, white and blue. It is a demonstration of all that is strongest about Hattler’s work: the film is beautifully constructed and is a self-referential treat for the eyes. Where his most well known works explore some form of digitally-induced dystopia, X finds its most direct influence in Destination Docklands, Jean Michel-Jarre’s 1988 concert/spectacle/extravaganza, and its glittering celebration of industrial and technological revolution in the age of postmodernism." Ajay RS Hothi, 2012
"a 3D geometric 'psychedelic ballet' over London's Regent's Canal … a dramatic new public art experience" Huffington Post UK, 2012
"Roll by the Kings Cross Filling Station in London this week, and you can take in a stunning laser light motion graphic sequence created by the experimental artist Max Hattler ... [more]" Computer Arts, 2012
"interesting and impressive technique" The Curious Brain, 2012
"Max Hattler's skills may not quite be at the stage where he can walk on water but they’re certainly great enough that he can animate on it." Directors Notes, 2012
"A film is about to be shown on a wall of water, sounds crazy right? But surely that’s what London’s all about – just when you think you’ve seen it all something knocks that thought out the window. This latest art work comes from the artist Max Hattler and you can see it yourself this week rising out of Regent’s Canal." Who's Jack, 2012
"We are not big on supporting brands, who let’s face it, only commision art works to up their cool status. But we’ll stick the perverbial pipe in our mouths and smoke it, because however much we want to hate this Vauxhall-supported commission by visual artist Max Hattler, we can’t, because it is quite simply mesmerising, as we found out when we stumbled on it, on a trip to Shrimpy’s on Friday. Hattler has projected a colourful animation of flying shapes onto a screen of water – a high-powered jet stream that spouts 10×15 metres into the air from Regent’s Canal, which he calls a ‘psychedelic geometric ballet’. It’s hypnotic as various shapes twist, turn and dance with each other, as they spit out lazers and probes, and morph into other shapes, Matrix-style. Spectacular and well worth a visit." Art Wednesday, 2012
"Watery light show is simply wild ... Max Hattler’s mesmerizing light and sound art entitled X, wherein the moving image artist uses a fountain as the canvas for his fascinating display" Holy Kaw!, 2012
"It doesn't see that long ago we were posting about Max Hattler and his latest visual triumph, but he's already back with another stunning project. Max's Canal Commission: 'X', part of the Vauxhall Ampera Season at KXFS in King's Cross, launched last Thursday (6th September) and runs every evening until the 16th. If you can't get to London to see it live Max has kindly posted a video of the piece on his Vimeo channel which can be viewed below. We're a big fan of Max's visual output and each piece seems to have surpassed the last. 'X' is no exception, albeit taking a unique departure from his other recent works. The kinetic futuristic geometric neon visuals are back-projected onto a 10x15m screen of water rising from the canal giving the animation a ghostly shimmer. So whilst 'X' is a continuation of Max's abstract exploration into his other-worldly aesthetic, it's a whole new experience. One we hope to experience again in subsequent works, and with Max's prolific output we shouldn't have to wait too long." Animated Review, 2012