A multi-modal exhibit opening on Jan. 12 at the School of Communication gallery examines the fragile connections between humans and the natural world through a combination of hand-drawn animation, large-scale prints, video displays and interactive components.
The project, conceived by Chris Johnson, a professor of visual communication, is based on a close encounter he had with bears in Alaska.
“I was filming a coastal brown bear in Katmai,” Johnson said. “There were about a dozen bears in the area, but one passed within 20 feet of me, then suddenly turned and walked back toward where I was standing. That moment of fear shifted into awe and respect, and it sparked the idea of turning environmental encounters into tangible art objects.”
The interactive exhibition titled “The Immensity of the Search” showcases printed scrolls with animations, a kestrel that can simulate flight when turning a crank, salmon rubber stamps and hand-drawn studies from sketchbooks, among other elements. Johnson said his goal was to create work that invites viewers to slow down, observe and reflect on the deep connections between species, places and technology.
“This project is about reimagining animation,” Johnson said. “I want people to think about animation as something you can hold and touch, experiencing the physical space, not just on the screen. I have been working with Blender and Procreate Dreams, with relief print stamps, projection mapping and physical computing to trace and look at the relationships between animation, space, ecology, memories and storytelling.”
Several endangered Arizona species appear throughout the exhibition, including the southwestern willow flycatcher and the Mount Graham red squirrel, honoring the region’s rich biodiversity.
“I want the work to create a sense of reverence for species we often overlook—and to show how animation can be both poetic and physical, technological and deeply human,” Johnson said.
The Immensity of the Search exhibit will be on view Jan. 12-Feb. 27 at the School of Communication Gallery (Bldg. 16), on the second floor. An opening reception will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Jan. 22.
Mariana Laas | NAU Communications
(928) 523-5050 | mariana.laas@nau.edu