The Animated Woman: Second Annual Symposium on Gender Bias at CalArts

2nd Annual Symposium on Gender Bias in Animation | Image courtesy of CalArts

This Friday (Dec. 9), the Program in Experimental Animation at CalArts presents Sidekicks, Nerd Girls, Tomboys and More: The Animated Woman Symposium on Gender Bias in Animation at Langley Hall. This is the second year CalArts has presented students’ final work from “The Animated Woman,” a semester-long course that explores gender issues within the animation industry both on and off-screen.

Students from the Character Animation and Experimental Animation programs, as well as Sound Design, Stage Management and Fine Art, will present projects which include live and animated works, installations, drawings, dolls, songs, zines and keynote presentations.

Symposium originator and CalArts faculty Erica Larsen-Dockray (Film/Video BFA 09, MFA 12) says working with students from varied backgrounds and artistic disciplines was important because they reflect “perspectives from marginalized communities as they investigate animated characters and issues of biases, which in many cases, has impacted them directly.”

The evening begins with opening remarks by CalArts Provost Jeannene Przyblyski and an introduction to the course by Larsen-Dockray. A Q&A follows the presentations. This year, six students share art work that respond to gender bias in animation. The exhibit will be on view at Langley during the presentations.

This year’s featured work are:

Art Exhibit

• Brenna Wells’ (Theater BFA 19) Dirty Doll
• Ajani Russell’s (Art BFA 20) Female Figures
• Anais Franco’s (Art BFA 19) Deconstruction of Hypersexualization
• Caroline Snow’s (Art BFA 18) Chihiro vs. the Uncreal
• Jonni Phillips’s (Film/Video BFA 18) Jonni Talks About Sausage Party
• Stephanie Delazeri’s (Film/Video BFA 17) Steph’s Rad Research Corner: Race and Gender at the Happiest Place on Earth 

Presentations

• Madison Stubbs’ (Film/Video BFA 18) The Nerd Girl 
• Jinal Sangoi’s (Art MFA 17) Framing Motherhood 
• Ade Ayedun’s (Art BFA 17) Sidekick Stories
• Benni Quintero’s (Film/Video BFA 20) + Jonni Phillips (Film/Video BFA 19) Jonni + Benni Talk About Trans Stuff 
• Hunter Janos’ (Film/Video BFA 17) Untitled
• Worsey’s (Film/Video BFA 20) What Gender Does a Rock Have?
• Sam Sewell’s (Theater MFA 17) Tomboys and Cartoons