The video appearing on Vimeo is an abridged, low-resolution version of "The Evangelists" which will be finalized and configured for two-channel projection as part of a solo exhibition at Frey Norris Contemporary and Modern in early 2013 in San Francisco.
To create the project, artist Joshua Hagler interviewed four men on video who, although unknown to each other, share commonalities including psychological trauma and complex and unusual philosophical and religious views. The individuals include his father, a well-known comic book creator, a homeless friend, and the artist's former neighbor who burned down the building the two of them had shared. Collaborating with a team of animators, the four men's respective likenesses are animated, while the original low-fi audio testimonies are edited and re-contextualized. This process imposes mythological or quasi-historical roles--distinct from the original intentions of the four men--as something akin to the gospel “evangelists.” The project explores the historical, mystical and psychological substrates which are precursors to the arising of religiosity. The animation is intended for wall projection and plays in a continuous and interwoven loop, as though in a chorus.
Funds for the project were raised on Kickstarter.com. More information can be found here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jhagler/the-evangelists-a-cerebral-experiment-in-3d-animat?ref=users
Creator, Director, Visual Effects
Joshua Hagler
Producer, Rigger
Andrew Klein
Animators
Josh Johnson
Ben Kluewer
Dedipya Kapila
Feras Khagani
Krys Wada
John Hasbrook
Modeler
Alisha Rosen
