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Animation Gets No Respect

Animation gets no respect. At least not in the highbrow art world.

Animation gets no respect. At least not in the highbrow art world that is the prodigal descendant of Western art. In fact it ranks even below grafitti, viz Banksy.

Video made it into the museums 50 years ago. It’s the 21st century and animation is still rapping on the door.

Why? 

“Animation? It’s just cartoons.”

Animation hasn’t been just about cartoons since Steamboat Willie and Betty Boop. As if that was somehow a lesser way to reflect on life’s experience.

Is it a problem with story? That visuals following a tight story arc can’t be art? 

Western art is rich with stories... mythological, historical, contemporary. Ok, the images don’t move, only the viewers move. But story is very much front and center.

What about the big, bad word Entertainment? And what does entertainment really mean anyway? The Cambridge online dictionary defines it as : “public shows, performances, or other ways of enjoying yourself”

“Enjoying yourself.” That’s gotta be the problem concept. As in "How can you honestly enjoy yourself when there’s so much going on in the world to be critical about?"

Umm... Because both reflect reality?

Just because animation never hitched its chops to Western critical theory doesn’t mean it can’t offer a thoughtful reflection on the big questions.  

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