FAR–NEAR Can you tell me a little about yourself?

Robin Pak I’m a NY-based artist working primarily in clay animation.

FAR–NEAR How did you start making claymations?

Robin I made a claymation ad for a local Chinese take-out place (Good Chinese on Knickerbocker Ave–they probably don’t know about it) 4 years ago, which led to me making more videos.

FAR–NEAR What inspires you?

Robin I’m inspired by memories of things I’ve seen on TV as a kid, memories that are kind of distorted.  I’m inspired by the notion of making something I wish existed on TV when I was a kid.

FAR–NEAR Where/how did punk become a venue for you?

Robin In NYC. Most of my close friends are active in punk in one way or another. I get jaded, but it’s exciting to stop and think about what people have accomplished and what futures lay ahead of them. And it’s some of the best work–audio or visual–in terms of what you might call outsider art/punk. Because it’s a group of so many creative people, interesting collaborations arise, and I’m lucky to have made music videos for some of these bands, and to have gained some level of recognition from people involved in this community globally.

FAR–NEAR What’s your favorite claymation?

Robin I don’t have a favorite, but I am a fan of how wild and loose Bruce Bickford’s work is. Honestly, claymation isn’t as interesting to me as much as animation in general–I feel like it tends to get too absorbed by technical execution or too cutesy.  As far as I know, it’s a medium that hasn’t really been fleshed out beyond the interests of “man-children” or actual children, the way animation in general has. I love dinosaurs and robots and chickens and Gumby, but I’d like to see the medium used for other iconography or for it to use wilder, trippier techniques. That being said, I’m excited to see Phil Tippett’s “Mad God.”

FAR–NEAR If there was one person you would want to work with, who would it be?

Robin Someone who pays well.