If you hangout on the internet, then you probably know that we’re in somewhat of a GIF renaissance. I mostly use GIFs to help communicate important work related issues, like when I discover broken code in a website that I’ve been working on and it was perfectly fine yesterday:

But last year, my relationship with GIFs changed forever. Holly Harrison introduced me to a whole new world – GIF art. That’s right. There’s a thriving subculture of art dedicated to making beautiful, mesmerizing GIFs.

This “high art” of the interwebs pulls you in to a specific moment and keeps you there for what feels like an eternity. It’s hard to know the future for these artists. The form is already starting to make increased appearances in fashion editorials and after the huge success of the first ever GIF festival, “Moving The Still,” we can only hope this is but the beginning.

A few favorites:

Ignacio Torres

His work looks like glittering pages from a fashion catalog that leave me wishing bursts of dust followed me around wherever I went.

The Saline Project 

Created by Jesse Roff, Liam Kirtley, Adam Toht, and Ben Toht, these high-def, 3D GIFs are steeped in a perfectly haunting noir aesthetic.

Kerry Callen

If I had an ounce of animation skills, this is exactly how I would spend my talents: injecting life into old comic covers. Callen doesn’t have a lot of work in his GIF portfolio, but let’s be thankful for what we get.

Mimi Leung

Mimi Leung’s technicolored, absurd GIFs are like something from a cartoon’s nightmares. Her bio says exactly what I’d expect it to: “I love creating and experiencing a delirious joy when I’m making things.”

GIFRIENDS

The GIF masterminds Peter Marquest and Michael Fivis founded this collective four years ago, which seems like an eternity in GIF years. Their collections range from music shows to stunning fashion editorials.