Taking its name and narrative inspiration from the 17th century Japanese art form “Ukiyo-e”, Pictures Of The Floating World is an experimental animation made entirely from woodblock prints, produced using traditional cell animation techniques and custom digital programs.

Each hand drawn frame was laser cut into wooden boards before being hand printed, scanned and reassembled into a moving image. The film explores the meeting point between tradition and technology: the fusion of ancient craft with the digital production possibilities of the modern day.

Pictures of the Floating World was first exhibited at Somerset House as part of “Into the Wild: Decoding the Creative Journey”. A viewing space was constructed from the inky black woodblocks, immersing viewers in all aspects of the project. We hung a selection of prints used in the film alongside a process video and the final animated film. The project has been showcased world wide, most notably at the 2017 Vienna Biennial and the Crafts Council's 'Real To Reel' film festival. The full film was released online in 2018.