The GIF, a looping image format born in the early days of the internet, continues to thrive as a dominant form of digital expression.Recently,the first Swiss festival dedicated to the format,le. gifFEST, was held November 22 and 23 in Lausanne, spotlighting the GIF’s evolution beyond simple reaction images. The event showcased the GIF as a compelling and surprisingly nuanced medium for artistic communication,underscoring its enduring influence on internet culture.
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Whether you pronounce it with a hard “G” or a soft one, the GIF has become a ubiquitous part of online communication. These looping images have undeniably conquered the internet, becoming a staple in digital conversations.
Created in 1987, the Graphics Interchange Format has become inextricably linked to internet culture, especially with the rise of social media. Often reduced to a simple, amusing reaction, the GIF is a surprisingly rich medium that evokes a whole world of imagery. “When an illustration moves, it conveys emotion. It adds details related to mood! The GIF allows you to express what cannot be transmitted by words,” explains Chantal Caduff, a Swiss multimedia artist specializing in collages, GIFs, and animation. Caduff was one of the jurors at the first Swiss festival dedicated to the format, le. gifFEST, which took place November 22 and 23 at Pyxis, the House of Culture and Digital Exploration in Lausanne.
