Proposal revised MRF

Your topic?  

Zoo institutions are targeted towards the audience of a child, the ultimate goal being to retain their attention. Amongst the feelings of joy, entertainment, and awe, zoos provide a certain level of empathy for animals as well, as it becomes one of the few places where man can really feel immersed amongst the exotic species that are presented to them here. Amongst learning educational facts, I feel that one of the main goals of a zoological institution is to integrate this feeling of incredulous wonder. It is with this point of intrigue that really enhances proactive movements towards conservationism.

Citing Hancock’s opinion when he states that “we are conserving zoos, not their natural habitat”, is my center of focus. I would like to take this comment and exemplify it by creating stuffed animals. I plan to print images of different critically endangered animal species at the zoo. The belly will also have a QR code, where the viewer has to scan it to hear the noise. There will be a four of these animals, (location TBA, perhaps scattered throughout, or in front of the most endangered animals). The noise will be the animals in their natural habitat and the noises they make.

“Break the chain. Conserve animals in their natural habitats now, or risk their absence.”

I am thinking of this more as an art piece/installation in the open public. My intention is not to have the sound be debilitating if a spectator does not have a smart phone to scan the code, rather to equally be as powerful with its silence and accumulation of animals. Ultimately, if they do have the opportunity to hear it, this is great, but if not, I think it could work without sound, and carry it with them as a reminder.  

Why is the topic a good one for general visitors?

I feel that visitors who go to the zoo already have an appreciation for animals. But I do believe we get side tracked forgetting that different species are critically endangered, and how easily it can be to lose them if we don’t do something about it. I want this piece to serve as a reminder that we have to listen to the animals, and not just watch. Hopefully, perhaps by the display/illustrations/colors of the stuffed animals will entice the crowd to further investigate what type of animal it is and become eager to try and help conserve them.