Aether
I designed this motion graphic upon request from a former graphic design professor, Jon Krasner, at Fitchburg State University. He proposed creating an environmental installation that included pieces from both student and teacher design work.
His proposal:
"Symbiosis
Exhibition Proposal
Environmental installations can expand our notion of traditional art and cinema into experiences that inspire awe and wonder and connect people with the world and with each other. The immersion that results can enhance the narrative experience, allowing audiences to develop deeper connections. For example, Philadelphia’s National Museum of Jewish History combines films with the physical qualities of sculpture in Dreams of Freedom: 1880-1945, a wall installation chronicling the wave of European Jews who immigrated to America in the late 19th century. A design firm collaborated with the museum’s curatorial staff to determine how archival letters and pages from diaries could be presented based on actual historical accounts. England’s National Maritime Museum’s Voyagers contains a wave-shaped “canvas” and spherical projector that presents the earth as a visual canvas of video and thematic words that wash across its surface. This emotive experience is choreographed into a series of narrative journeys that evoke the sensation of the sea and recall the country’s long-standing maritime history.
I envision a mediated environment, where physical and digital images, typography, motion, and sound are choreographed to provide an immersive journey that explores the concept of symbiosis. The environment will comprise of three components: 1) a series of mixed media assemblages and collages; 2) a large-scale video installation; and 3) a student-based installation. Each of these components will portray the theme of symbiosis.
The third component of the exhibition will feature the work of students who will be asked to reflect upon the concept of symbiosis and express their thoughts in a haiku and in an accompanying artist statement. Students will choose one of five natural elements-earth, water, air, fire, aether- and produce a short film using the devices of metaphor, motion, and sound to portray their own interpretation of the subject. The films will be projected onto a standing screen or gallery wall. Visitors can view the work from a standing kiosk by selecting a student or a natural element to serve as an expression of symbiosis."