June 2, 2010

French artist Emmanuel Arcache has taken cinema back to its roots with Peek a Boo-k, a series of simple but stylish flipbooks. The flipbook may represent the most primitive way of creating a moving image, but Arcache has modernized and revolutionized the format. His creations are the product of a complex technological process in which his subjects are filmed in front of a greenscreen and then edited into a backdrop using programs such as Maya, Dreamweaver and After Effects. The result is a high-resolution image with seamless fluidity of movement— a quirky and sophisticated hand-held movie.

Largely inspired by Paris, the hometown he “both loved and hated,” Arcache works alone, giving his works a personal touch. His first collection, ParisFlip, gives viewers a nostalgic glimpse of the French capital. Filmed in black-and-white, and with titles like Café, Souvenir and Bon Voyage, each of the books tells a story set among the city’s streets and monuments and which last but a few seconds. His Mimoscope series develops more French themes, while quite different is Casino, a Vegas-inspired tour de force of color and speed. Now based in Barcelona, Arcache sells the little works of art online and also accepts commissions for personalizing books.