Image & Media, Friedrich Str. 20, 41061 Monchengladbach, Germany
Amesbury@t-online.de
The translation of hard data into visual images has always played an important role many areas of research, not lastly in disciplines such as paleontology. If generated accurately, this imagery not only illuminates subtle and opaque relationships, but also the inherent aesthetic presence in a wide variety of systems and sub-systems in virtually any given situation. In order to take advantage of the Internet for exploring the work of graphic artists working in the areas of paleontology, archaeology and anthropology, this issue of the PaleoNet Forum contains examples of some of my recent work that, I hope, illustrate this interface between science and art. For the purpose of viewing these images, the Forum pages have been arranged to represent a gallery exhibition, which I call "Ghost Dance."
Although I'm originally from California, I have been living and working in Germany for about the last twelve years. During that time I've been exploring the use of a wide variety of media in my work; laser, video, experimental sound-tracks, oil paintings, drawings etc. Most recently, this work has focused increasingly on the areas of tangency between the sciences and art. For most people these are two very distinct and disparate areas of endeavor. In my view, however, they are both part of the same thing, like the two poles of a sphere that requires both to rotate.
For the last five years I have employed various 3D imaging software to reconstruct the topography, artifacts and fauna found in various archaeological sites around the world. I don't regard the archaeological reconstructions I generate as "artist's renditions." They are much more a visual translation of archaeological data into graphic form. All topographies, caves, artifacts, occupation sites etc. have been generated from actual data, and often the active participation of a researchers who are investigating these material and/or sites. For this reason, I usually try to select items that are very well preserved and documented (so that I have to do as little interpretation as possible). My images are as close to looking exactly like the originals as present research allows. Nothing has been added or exaggerated for the sake of making it "look better.² I find this to be much more thrilling than inventing my own loosely interpreted scenarios. The only thing that limits the accuracy of my imaging is the accuracy of the data that I have to work with.
At the moment I am working on an animated flight through the Paleolithic cave of Lascaux and its environs. Several stills from this animation are included in this exhibition. I hope you enjoy it.
Michael Amesbury
And now, a word from the PageMaster...
As always with the PaleoNet Forum, the mode of the material's presentation is as much as an experiment as the material itself. In designing the code for this PaleoNet Forum I've tried to organize the site to simulate a visit to a virtual art gallery in order to place Mike's work in (what I believe should be) its appropriate context. Thus, the collection of images is organized into thematic "galleries." I've also tried to overcome the inherent problem of download time by including three versions of each image: a small thumbnail-sized image (17-26K), and medium sized image (51-145K) and a full-sized image (111-655K). These sizes should be modest enough to give reasonable download times, even for the larger versions. However, they are arranged such that you will encounter the smaller-sized images first and then be presented with the option of downloading higher-resolution versions or moving on to the next image and/or gallery.
Enjoy.
N. MacLeod
Click Icon to enter the Ghost Dance Exhibition
