2009/12

“A Requiem for Injured Snowflakes”. Original musical score: Ariel Benjamin and Andrew Diluvian. In scientific collaboration with Stanley K. Sessions, Hartwick College (USA) and David M. Green, McGill University (Canada). Photography under the direction of Brandon Ballengée by: Marissa Nolan, Frédérique Paquin and the artist/ biologist. Post photography montage: Brandon Ballengée. Post video production: Philip Henken, Gillian Wilson.

This is a series of 21 individual portraits of short-lived beings (tiny metamorphic American toads found in Southern Quebec). Each was born into a hostile universe of predators, parasites and ecological degradation. Like all beings, these young creatures represent a particular moment in history and carry the environmental marks of their birth place. In the case of these individuals, trauma during development resulted in terminal abnormalities. As they emerged to begin life on land severe deformations fated them to early death. This finite/infinite artwork is meant to be a memorial to these small creatures and in honor of the countless number of beings coming into this world and passing without our notice.

*This video is free for download and exhibition. The artist asks though that once begun, the video should be played for infinity, until the extinction of our species or until someone chooses to turn it off at which point the file should be deleted. For high-res version please contact us.

Acknowledgments

Society for Art and Technology (SAT); Redpath Museum, McGill University (Canada); 2009/2010 “Frog Team” volunteers (Canada); Peter R. Warny, New York State Museum (USA); Ethan Bright, University of Michigan (USA); Tagny Duff and the students of the Flux Media Laboratory @ Concordia University(Canada); SunRiver Oregon Nature Center (USA); Bruce Pauli, Environment Canada (Canada).