Swimming Upstream, 2021
https://belleparkproject.com/projects/swimmingupstream
Swimming Upstream
A site-specific augmented reality installation for Next Door, Skeleton Park Arts Festival, June-August 2021
Jenn E Norton, Matt Rogalsky, Laura Murray, Dorit Naaman
It may be hard to imagine it now, but in the past, fish were abundant in the Ka’tarohkwi river. In the 1750s, Pierre Pouchot reported that in the spring and early summer the creeks and rivers running into Lake Ontario teemed with spawning fish; “the quantities that go up on some days,” he wrote, “is inconceivable.” The Mississauga people (Mishi-zaagig – people of the large river mouths) depended on their fish relations for a large part of their livelihood. The construction of mills and dams and the destruction of wetlands by settlers, not to mention overfishing and pollution, have drastically reduced the number of fish. They are still here, though. The herons and ospreys know that, and some of you do too! We hope this audio and video piece will immerse you in the fish world of this river.
For more reflection on the fish among us, see our first blog post, by Laura Murray.
Viewing Instructions
To see this piece, download the “Swimming Upstream AR” app from the App Store or Google Play. Go down to Douglas Fluhrer Park, and head for the shore at the south end, just north of Metalcraft Marine. Look around until you see the sign of the fish. Open the app on your mobile device and allow your camera to be used. When you aim your mobile device at the sign, you will see animated content.
This app features animated photogrammetry of fish that once populated this area, including some textures of specimens from the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard. The artists world like to thank DigitalLife3D for their generosity in making their models available for creative and non-profit use (Pumpkinseed Fish, American Eel, and Largemouth Bass).
About the Artists
Jenn E Norton is an interdisciplinary artist who often uses animation as a starting point in her studio practice. Norton's recent works are interactive as a means to explore physical and virtual forms of communication, as seen in her kinetic sculpture, augmented reality apps, and particularly in her multimedia installations. Her videos and installations have been exhibited nationally and internationally and have won multiple awards. Norton is an adjunct lecturer and Post-Production Technician in Film and Media Studies at Queen's University.
For bios of Matt Rogalsky, Laura Murray, and Dorit Naaman, see here.
Related Links