Artist Soren Hope Revives 19th-Century Animation with New Flip Book

New York City – Artist Soren Hope is releasing a limited-edition flip book, “Bite, Sip,” published by New York Life Gallery today, offering a contemporary take on the early animation technique dating back to the 1860s.

The publication coincides with the closing of Hope’s first solo exhibition in New York City, “Soren Hope: Two Time,” currently on view at a Canal Street gallery through November 1st. The flip book format, originating with inventions like Pierre-Hubert Desvignes’ folioscope and John Barnes Linnett’s kineograph, gained popularity in the early 20th century as a prize in Cracker Jack boxes. Hope’s work utilizes black line drawings that progressively shift and dissolve, creating an illusion of movement as the pages are flipped, exploring themes of intake and consumption.

The book’s design, by Claire Hungerford, is described as substantial and intentionally crafted for the tactile experience of flipping, while an essay titled “Un-Finitudes” by Jennifer Pranolo is unconventionally placed within the book to subtly interrupt traditional reading patterns. The artist also includes a series of drawings appearing in reverse sequence, inviting viewers to consider alternative perspectives. This resurgence of the flip book format highlights a growing interest in analog art forms in a digital age, offering a unique and intimate experience for the viewer.

Hope, who grew up on the South Fork of Long Island and attended the Hayground School in Bridgehampton, currently lives and works in New Haven, Connecticut. New York Life Gallery officials stated the limited run is expected to sell out quickly, continuing a trend of collectible art objects gaining traction in the contemporary art market.