Freddy Arenas animates how California has inspired Kim Gordon

Date
22 July 2016

In this short for California Sunday Magazine animator Freddy Arenas translates the thoughtful musings of Sonic Youth co-founder, bassist and all round icon, Kim Gordon, on her childhood in California. Sonic Youth are a band historically tied to New York but Kim’s artistic and musical influences have stemmed from her West Coast upbringing, carefully reimagined in Freddy’s animation for her edition of the California Inspires Me series.

Freddy’s attention to detail in depicting Kim’s memories of night blooming jasmine, the California sunshine and her record collection, makes for an uplifting, nostalgic short. Freddy effortlessly translates the tone of Kim Gordon’s voice through his animation, “I wanted the film to feel super moody, Kim’s voiceover had this quality, even when she was happy or excited, it felt laggy and chill” he says. His use of black ink on vivid backgrounds creates an evocative image of the location without being typical. The success of these illustrations comes from Freddy’s fondness for Kim, “I was super excited, I’m a skateboarder, I grew up listening to Sonic Youth everyday,” the inspiration coming from the album covers for Sonic Youth’s Goo and Washing Machine.

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Freddy Arenas: California Inspires Me

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Freddy Arenas: California Inspires Me

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Freddy Arenas: California Inspires Me

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Freddy Arenas: California Inspires Me

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Freddy Arenas: California Inspires Me

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Freddy Arenas: California Inspires Me

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Freddy Arenas: California Inspires Me

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Freddy Arenas: California Inspires Me

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About the Author

Lucy Bourton

Lucy (she/her) is the senior editor at Insights, a research-driven department with It's Nice That. Get in contact with her for potential Insights collaborations or to discuss Insights' fortnightly column, POV. Lucy has been a part of the team at It's Nice That since 2016, first joining as a staff writer after graduating from Chelsea College of Art with a degree in Graphic Design Communication.

lb@itsnicethat.com

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