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Gisèle and Nag Ansorge, Swiss Film Archive Restorations (Swiss Animation Tribute)

Overview
Description
Films

Come and see the sandy work by Gisèle and Nag Ansorge, and discover this animation technique made with quartz sand!

Nag (1925–2013) and Gisèle (1923–1993) Ansorge rank among the most important animation directors, not only in Switzerland, but worldwide. Known and recognized for their sand animation films, they developed this technique after a medical stand commissioned them for the 1964 National Exhibition.

The Ansorge couple mainly used extremely fine and fluid quartz sand to create these animation films. After testing various types of powders (coffee, flour, sugar) they chose quartz sand for its physical properties. Unlike the grains of other sands, quartz grains were heavy enough not to blow away – making a film could take several months and therefore the sand drawings could last throughout the very long days on the workbench – whilst also not sticking to Gisèle Ansorge’s paint brushes, making her task easier during filming.

The Ansorge’s sand animation films have been restored by the Swiss Film Archive and the Omnimago Laboratory in Germany, with support from the Memoriav Association. The colour variations, which are sometimes noticeable from one shot to another, have been preserved.

Get carried off into the Ansorges’ daydream world and discover the pioneers’ mesmerizing sand animation work.