Wish You Were Clay

Wish You Were Clay

Clay Is Freedom – But Dust Is Its Kryptonite

Clay animation is often mistakenly associated with childishness, excessive cuteness, or visual kitsch. Contemporary animated film, however, reveals it as a highly versatile and expressive technique capable of addressing serious, intimate, and experimental themes. The curated selection Wish You Were Clay highlights the wide range of aesthetic approaches to clay animation, from traditional puppet-based works infused with dark humour to recent films driven by playful material experimentation and creative freedom.

Drawing on interviews with Julie Černá and the animator duo Eliška and Lee Oz, the text explores not only the artistic potential of plasticine but also its physical, emotional, and even therapeutic dimensions. Clay animation emerges as a medium of spontaneity, tactile pleasure, and continuous discovery—one that keeps evolving and expanding the boundaries of what animated film can be.

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