THE ELEPHANT'S MEMORY
Located in Paleontological Museum, Accademia Valdarnese del Poggio Montevarchi, Florence 2018.
Video installation in mixed technique: live action, classic and digital animation, paper cut-out, botanic illustrations, watercolor
A video installation designed by MiraVideo to tell the story of this marvellous prehistoric creature, Mammuthus Meridionalis, and about the flora and fauna of that geological period. The aim of this project was to imagine how could be the Valdarno landscape over 1.500.000 years ago. It’s been conceived for Montevarchi Paleontological Museum new exhibition dedicated to the giant fossil for the archeological superintendence and cultural heritage. This project aim is to melt together both scientific and aesthetic research and divulgation to a wider public, with the purpose of evaluate a common good and make it an enjoyable experience for most of the people.
Frame from the film, a rielaboration of Valdarno landscape and the nocturnal atmosphere .
Some pictures from Valdarno landscape (typical geological conformation called Balze) where the skeleton was found, archaeological excavations of the Mammuthus fossil (fangs found), the restoration of the fossil
Some pictures of the giant fossil (fangs are long 340 cm long), image of graphic reworking of the Mammutthus, hip bone. Image below paleobotanical fossils and our graphic translation.
The film structure is circular. It starts from the present time showing the landscape of the Valdarno and, after discovering the fossil, a jump is made in time up to 1.500.000 years ago, when it was a living animal in its habitat, and then returned to the present.
The language is not didactic, it draws from the imaginary of the shadow theater and it builds with the help of oniric atmosphere an emotional dialogue between the fossil, the projection and the visitor. It creates continuous connections between the present and the prehistory, between reality and imaginary of atavic memory and strengthen the audience immersion in a natural primitive world, suggesting them the existence of an ancestral memory connected and shared by all living being.
To create the backgrounds of palaeoenvironment we have mixed digital and traditional cut out technique .
Starting from the scientific support of paleontologists, we have reinterpreted an environment similar to an African savannah. Animals that today it is incredible to imagine in Tuscany, like the ancestors of zebras, elephants, hippos, saber-toothed tigers, hyenas and giant deer.
Pachycrocuta brevirostris, giant hyena
Equus stenonis, ancestor of zebra
To reinforce this sense of wonder we have ideated a more abstract graphic reworking for animals, representing them as luminous silouhettes through which we can see the environment. This is to say that the fossil is a memory that illuminates the past.
To represent the paleoflora we used the collaboration of a paleobotanic that, with pollen fossil analysis has recovered the biodiversity of the geological phase. Starting from these studies we have designed with paper cut-out the dominant vegetation; always trying to mediate between the search for an original aesthetic style and the recognizability of the distinctive elements of each plant.
Credits video installation
A film by: MiraVideo
Concept video: Alessandra Atzori, Milena Tipaldo
Creative & Art Direction: Alessandra Atzori e Milena Tipaldo
Animation & cut out: Giulia Landi
Compositing: Salvatore Centoducati
Project Management: Massimo Ottoni
Sound Design: Alessandro Nepote
Credits
Accademia Valdarnese del Poggio: Antonella Aquiloni, Sara D’Anna, Fabrizio Fabbrini, Elena Facchino, Matteo Faraoni, David Franci, Francesco Papa, Paola Piani, Marco Rustioni, Lorenzo Tanzini.
Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio di Siena, Grosseto e Arezzo: Ada Salvi, Ursula Wierer
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell’Università di Firenze: Paul Mazza
Produzione:
Museo Paleontologico dell’Accademia Valdarnese del Poggio, Montevarchi
In collaborazione con: Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio di Siena, Grosseto e Arezzo e Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell’Università di Firenze.
Consulenza scientifica/paleobotanica/paleontologica: Adele Bertini, Paul Mazza, Marco Rustioni, Ada Salvi, Ursula Wierer.
Con il sostegno di: Regione Toscana
