Takeshi Murata + Christopher Rutledge
20th PICTOPLASMA BERLIN
CONFERENCE AND FESTIVAL
OF CONTEMPORARY CHARACTER DESIGN AND ART
1 — 5 MAY 2024
Pictoplasma, the world’s leading conference of contemporary character design in illustration, animation, graphic and urban arts, celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Over the past two decades the Berlin-based project has promoted a uniquely playful and interdisciplinary investigation of new visual worlds in the digital age, served as a lively forum for a growing international community, and redefined the boundaries of contemporary character representation.
To pay tribute to our coming of age, this May 1—5, Pictoplasma awaits all international character creators and connoisseurs for a specially immersive programme of awe-inducing artist presentations and back-to-back conference lectures, freshly hatched animations illuminating the big screen, numerous hands-on workshops, endless fun, inspiration and loads of visual confetti …
LIMITED TICKETS FOR PICTOPLASMA 2024 NOW AVAILABLE
CONFIRMED PARTICIPATING ARTISTS AND SPEAKERS
Ana Seixas
PT
Portuguese Illustrator and ceramicist now following her passion and running her own brick-and-mortar shop in the centre of Porto to create and showcase her colourful, bold and quirky characters in one place.
BORA
FR
French interdisciplinary queer artist exploring different media to create a universe where imagination is a form of activism
Christopher Rutledge
USA
CG artist, animator and master of “Houdini” based in Los Angeles creating grotesquely detailed yet charmingly floppy characters
Clémentine Bal
FR
Artist crafting other-worldly character sculptures that materialise as multi coloured mountains or anthropomorphic volcanoes, hybrid ghosts, or semi-human creatures
En Iwamura
JP
Fine artist primarily working with large-scale ceramics from his studio in Shigaraki, one of the six major pottery centres of ancient Japan, regarding his work as “future archeology”.
Eric Schwarz
DE, FR
Eric aka @comicblues loves oversharing his thoughts on life, love and loneliness on social media
Genie Espinosa
ES
Barcelona based illustration freelance gone full-on bright coloured, birthing bold, fearless, strong, angry, unapologetic characters
Grip Face
ES
Artist at home in a wide range of media, from intimate works on paper to textured sculptures and public space interventions
Joe Bennett
USA
Los Angeles based artist, animator and co-creator of acclaimed adult science fiction drama ‘Scavengers Reign’ for HBO Max
Joe Taylor
UK
British graphic designer gone full-time animator and illustrator, building a visual world of surreal, funny, and sometimes disturbing encounters
Joseph Melhuish
UK
3D artist slash animation director famed for his glossy, acid saturated, contorted CGI character creations
Josephine Rais
DE
Illustrator creating strong, often female-led compositions for multidisciplinary projects: from illustrations, to original works and strategic design
Los Calladitos
MX
Mexican muralist duo bringing their creation to walls across the globe from Latin America and the US to Europe, currently immersed in crafting an animated series
Mila Useche
COL
Colombian artist working for the likes of Disney, Warner Brothers or Nickelodeon, recently avoiding client work to create personal projects and physical art pieces
Oskars Pavlovskis
LV
Latvian character artist combining digital and analogue illustration techniques, academic drawing, comic art, sculpture and 3D computer graphics
Parn Aniwat
THA
Bangkok born, Texas-based artist known as Wood You Mind, creating whimsical toys from chunks of timber
Peter The Roman
UK
Digital artist with a background in traditional painting, creating melted and bloated figurative forms with a luring, almost lustful physicality
So Lazo
ELSL
Illustrator from El Salvador, now living in Berlin, who is also a book author, occasional tattoo artist and full-time shy clown
The 2024 animation section presents new short films in four programs, featuring the latest and freshest generation of characters in motion, be it narrative shorts, music visuals, experimental animation, and anything in between – with many of the filmmakers present to discuss their work in Q&A sessions.
WORKSHOP/
Woodcarving with Wood.youmind
Armed with a utility knife and humble block of wood (and some protective gear), experience the slow pleasure of woodcarving with Wood.youmind. Participants will learn the basics of subtractive sculpture and leave with a perfectly imperfect new friend (and hopefully, very few splinters).
WORKSHOP/
Pixel Printing with Comicblues
Seek meaning in small squares in pursuit of the perfect pixel print with Eric Schwarz. Coax a character into 2D consciousness, then capture it in ink for an eternity. Sometimes the best things come one dot at a time.
ATTENDEE STAGE/
PORTFOLIO REVIEWS & PECHA KUCHA
Rapid-fire networking events grant conference attendees private face-to-face time with industry leaders, agencies, production companies and talent scouts.
Additionally, selected from prior applications, attendees take the stage and introduce their own work in a lively, concise PechaKucha style presentation.
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CHARACTER WALK / EXHIBITIONS / GROUP SHOWS / PANELS / PORTFOLIO REVUES / CHARACTER LAB WORKSHOPS / ART JAMS / ATTENDEE STAGE / CHARACTER MARKET / NETWORKING EVENTS / LIVE PERFORMANCES / PARTIES /
CHARACTER WALK / EXHIBITIONS / GROUP SHOWS / PANELS / PORTFOLIO REVUES / CHARACTER LAB WORKSHOPS / ART JAMS / ATTENDEE STAGE / CHARACTER MARKET / NETWORKING EVENTS / LIVE PERFORMANCES / PARTIES /
SCHEDULE
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15:00 — 20:00
CHARACTER WALK
FESTIVAL EXHIBITION OPENINGS
ATTENDEE REGISTRATION
_
20:00 — 00:00
WELCOME MEET ‘N GREET
_
-
10:30 — 12:00
ANIMATION SELECTION
PROGRAM 1
_
13:00 — 20:00
CONFERENCE
LECTURES, ARTIST TALKS
_
CHARACTER LAB
WORKSHOP, ATTENDEE STAGE, PANEL DISCUSSION
_
20:00 — 00:00
PERFORMANCE PROGRAM
_
-
10:30 — 12:00
ANIMATION SELECTION
PROGRAM 2
_
13:00 — 20:00
CONFERENCE
LECTURES, ARTIST TALKS
_
CHARACTER LAB
WORKSHOP, ATTENDEE STAGE, PANEL DISCUSSION
_
22:00 — 00:00
ANIMATION SELECTION
PROGRAM 3
PSYCHEDELIC MIDNIGHT MIX
_
-
10:30 — 12:00
ANIMATION
SELECTION
PROGRAM 4
_
13:00 — 20:00
CONFERENCE
LECTURES, ARTIST TALKS
_
CHARACTER LAB
WORKSHOP, ATTENDEE STAGE, PORTFOLIO REVIEW
_
22:00 — LATE
POST-PICTO PARTY
_
-
12:00 — 20:00
CHARACTER WALK
FESTIVAL EXHIBITION FINISSAGE
_
12:00 — 18:00
OPEN HOUSE
CHARACTER MARKET
OFFICIAL ANIMATION SELECTION FESTIVAL RERUN
WORKSHOPS
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BERLIN VENUE
Pictoplasma Berlin 2024 takes place at the extensive premises of a former crematorium, the silent green, a beautiful, vibrant cultural venue that has already hosted several memorable Pictoplasma events. silent green houses all activities at one lively venue, with conference talks, panels, animation screenings, workshops and exhibitions happening both inside and Open Air.