Contemporary Animation Research In Spain – Maria Pages

Thus, AE draws on other art forms, characterized by a broad palette of narrative, visual, and sound structures. This happens through the use of numerous techniques, procedures, and materials, as the animator Jules Engel (1909–2003) asserts: “Experimental animation is art because it was created by a human being,” that is, created out of a need for personal expression (Wittgenstein, 1960: 180).

This freedom explains its formal diversity: from analog cut-outs to digital datamoshing, through direct manipulation on celluloid—as in Man Ray’s Rayographs—or the use of generative algorithms in contemporary animation. It is not surprising that such a risky aesthetic bet places us far removed from conventional animated film and the entertainment industry, hindering our professional path on mass audiovisual platforms (Faber & Walters, 2004: 6). The strange—because it is astonishing—and the threatening— because it is novel—are not usually good commercial factors.

However, the work of many of these animators proves that AE can subvert the mainstream from within4 and shows how experimental language can infiltrate mass productions without losing its identity. Today, AE, although a minority profession until the beginning of the 21st century, stands out as a versatile language tool, “open and predisposed to experimental contact” (Garin, 2009: 4) and to formal play. In this sense, perhaps these lines can show the potential contained within it: a form of cinema that challenges our personal abilities to the extent that it incorporates “the fascination, often the compulsion, of seeing how all its creation takes on a life of its own, moving freely in time and space” (Russett & Starr, 1988: 9).

7.1.3 Technological hybridization and randomness Playful experimentation has been a distinctive feature in the work of many experimental animators throughout their short history, as well as a vindication of the manual origin of the moving image and the pleasure that comes with its creation. This has led to a hybridization between digital “new technologies,” contemporary drawing, and the representation of movement in the visual arts.

For us, the term “new technologies” and its potential dialogues with contemporary visual art gain relevance. Along these same lines of thought, we start from the conjecture that, after acquiring a deep understanding of development and animation, the cartoonist-animator chooses to embark on a personal experience of wonder, based on random construction—i.e., alea—and the vertigo inherent in unrestricted experimentation.

This book emerges from the pressing need to consolidate animation studies within the Spanish academic landscape. While Spain boasts a thriving animation industry, recognized globally for its creative output and economic impact, scholarly engagement with this dynamic field remains relatively underdeveloped. This book addresses this gap by mapping the current state of animation studies in Spain, evaluating existing research, and fostering new synergies among scholars. The impetus for this project stems from the MESA group (Women in Animation Studies), which brings together researchers with different profiles and university affiliations.

After the organization of a first seminar on animation in 2024, the initiative was expanded by a collective of researchers dedicated to advancing the field of animation studies and amplifying the voices of women scholars. This book serves as a crucial step toward recognizing the academic value of animation studies, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, and enhancing the visibility of Spanish scholarship on animation internationally. This book will be of great interest to all those learning and researching in the field of animation.

Maria Pagès specializes in Spanish animation and holds a PhD in Animation from Universitat de Vic‑UCC. She is a Senior Lecturer in 2D Animation at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. She is a member of the research group Dicode at the Centre de la Imatge i la Tecnologia Multimèdia and a founding member of MESA (Women in Animation Studies).

1kitap1.com/en Contemporary Animation Research in Spain Edited by Maria Pagès 1kitap1.com/en Designed cover image: Elisa Martínez First edition published 2026 by CRC Press 2385 NW Executive Center Drive, Suite 320, Boca Raton FL 33431 and by CRC Press 4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, LLC © 2026 selection and editorial matter, Maria Pagès; individual chapters, the contributors Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use.

The authors and publishers have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this publication and apologize to copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint. Except as permitted under U.S.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: e2b8552d63b94cc3
• File Extension: .pdf
• File Size: 39,370,134 bytes (37.546 MB)
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• ISBN: 9781041095842, 9781041095873, 9781003650867, 9780822376811
• Pages: 426
• Language: English (en)

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