Abstract
This paper discusses labour anxiety exhibited in cinema as a legacy narrative originating in chronophotography, with connections to Taylorism and synchronised dance entertainment. Connecting the chronophotographic human movement studies of Marey to Taylorism (Dagognet, 1992), and Taylorism to the invention of synchronised dance through Tiller (Kracauer, c. 1927, 1995) allows a history of industrialised human movement visualisation in the fin-de siècle to emerge. The inefficiencies of the human body when framed as a machine, by a machine, and re-enacted as a machine commonly find form through dance, and in particular, synchronised dance as reimagined for screen media (McCarren, 2003). Marey’s chronophotographic images present a significant cultural rupture - a point of origin for a graphic narrative of mechanic perfection and human imperfection through the surveillance of work. Documenting human movement in an era of increasingly industrialised and monitored labour culture (Karsten, 2012), the expression of labour anxiety in creative arts subverted the inhumanity of Taylor’s time-and-motion studies (1911, 2012), instead emulating and celebrating an ideal human machine. This extant sociocultural issue prevalent in art at the dawn of cinema easily populated early moving image culture, where it has flourished since. The nature of cinema and its indexical connection to choronophotography as a antecedent technology present a simple progression of visual language affected by the incredible changes surrounding the time and place of its coming-into-being. Synchronous assemblages of human movement in screen media constitute an ideal type that continue to preserve the shock of Taylorism, its deskilling and fragmenting of labour, through the fragmentation of the body and the deconstruction of dance as framed by Kracauer’s ‘Mass Ornament’ (c. 1927, 1995). Works such as the films of Busby Berkeley, animated musical cartoons, visual music, and more modern media examples such as music videos connect industrialism, dance, the and history of modern labour anxiety as an iterative expression through animation as an industrialised artform.
| Original language | English |
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| Pages | 63-64 |
| Number of pages | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 02 Jul 2024 |
| Event | 35th Annual Society for Animation Studies Conference: Animating Change - University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Duration: 01 Jul 2024 → 04 Jul 2024 https://sas2024.wpcomstaging.com/ https://sas2024.wpcomstaging.com/sas2024-full-conference-program-v2/ (Program) |
Conference
| Conference | 35th Annual Society for Animation Studies Conference |
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| Country/Territory | Australia |
| City | Sydney |
| Period | 01/07/24 → 04/07/24 |
| Other | The Society for Animation Studies (SAS) stands as a paramount institution in the realm of academic discourse surrounding animation, fostering a rich tapestry of achievements and advancements in the field. Central to its mission is the annual conference, a cornerstone event that serves as a nexus for scholars, practitioners, and enthusiasts alike. The conference not only provides a platform for the dissemination of cutting-edge research and critical perspectives but also facilitates interdisciplinary dialogues that contribute to the continual evolution of animation studies. By displaying a diverse array of topics, methodologies, and approaches, the conference has become an indispensable forum for the exploration of animation’s multifaceted impact on culture, society, and technology. Moreover, the collaborative spirit cultivated within the society bolsters the development of a global community of scholars, fostering an environment conducive to the cross-pollination of ideas and the forging of connections that transcend geographical boundaries. In this way, the Society for Animation Studies and its annual conference not only illuminate the vast landscape of animation studies but also play an instrumental role in shaping its future trajectory. |
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