Artful Evolutions of Victorian Era Optical Devices

Abstract Animation is still a young art form with many under-explored avenues of expression. Although the lay person’s view of animation is still predominantly that of entertainment on screens, it can also exist as participatory sculpture, paintings in motion, live performance visuals, and experiences of exploration and discovery. Such artworks challenge us to rethink what animation is and how it can engage people. As an artist, I draw on all of this and more through works based on one of the keystones of animation—the zoetrope, or “wheel of life.”