Solid teal-colored background.

February 2021

Celestial Bodies

Group Exhibition // Aleksandra Dulic & Miles Thorogood with UBC Graduate Students Jacen Dennis, Amberley John, and Emerald Holt

Illustration of Greek mythology scene featuring a ship sailing on turbulent waters with various mythological figures, including a man with a crown, a figure playing a musical instrument, a bird-like creature, and winged deities, set against a fiery orange and yellow sky.

Celestial Bodies is a multicultural creation of animated media that tell ancient astrological stories, exploring the belief systems that make up Canadian and Indigenous society’s diverse fabric.

Abstract digital art featuring an orange line drawing of a bird with long tail feathers and wings, surrounded by glowing star shapes, undulating lines, and a star-shaped ornament against a dark, textured background with green and blue hues.
A digitally created African village scene with traditional-clothed people, vibrant attire, and a decorated hut, set against a natural background with trees and a blue sky.

The multimedia projection shows animated images of star stories— alongside world-class cross-cultural music.  

The artists have re-interpreted the cosmological stories and oral histories from their own cultural heritages — Greek, Chinese, African, and the Indigenous Haudenosaunee culture — exploring the meeting of cultures in their collaborative process with community members, where unique stars signifying individuals’ heritage were made. Each story is connected to a season, and characters from the heavenly world travel through time and space as the night unfolds, highlighting diverse cultural beliefs. 

Artistic depiction of two women dressed in traditional kimono-style clothing, engaging in a dance or performance under a full moon with a starry sky background and pink and purple abstract floral elements.
Decorative space-themed design with a rhinestone star, star-shaped ornaments, snowflake-shaped decorations, a white bear silhouette, a turtle illustration, and star and planet motifs on a dark background.

Research Team & Partners

Media Artist and UBC Okanagan faculty Aleksandra Dulic and Miles Thorogood with UBC Graduate Students Jacen Dennis, Amberley John, and Emerald Holt created a multimedia presentation of animated images.

  • Aleksandra Dulic, Ph.D., a media artist, is an Associate Professor in Creative Studies and Director of the Centre for Culture and Technology.

  • Miles Thorogood, Ph.D., a media artist, is an Assistant Professor, composer-performer, interaction designer, and audio producer. Aleksandra’s and Miles’ collaborative creative practice explores the use of technology to enable media performances and installations rich in aural, visual, and cultural nuances.

  • Jacen Dennis acted as lead animator and coordinator.

  • Indigenous artist Amberley John tells and illustrates the story of the Three Brothers and Giant Bear.

  • Lan Tung told a Chinese tale and composed music for this section.

  • Comfort Ero told the African narrative

  • Emerald Holt animated and composed sound for this story.

  • Keith Hamel composed music for Greek Section.

  • Frazer Sundown’s composition “Season Change” was used in the Haudenosaunee narrative.

  • The animation and illustration team also included UBCO undergraduate students: Ardanna Semeschuk, illustrating the Greek heroes; Dianne Schnieders, illustrating the Weaver Woman story; Cassidy Mckenzie animated and illustrated African story, Sarah Polak and Charles Landa, providing animation; with additional drawings by Taiwanese artist Li Tung. 

Community Partners: Lightup Kelowna, Arts Council of the Central Okanagan, Museums Society, Rotary Centre for the Arts, Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society, Kleos Open Learning, UBC Okanagan 

Communication Assistance: Rosaleen McAfee, & April Liu

An artistic depiction of the Greek myth of Odysseus and the Sirens, with a boat sailing among turbulent waters, a man playing the lyre, and mythological creatures including Sirens and a bird with a human face, set against a fiery orange sky.
A digitally illustrated fantasy scene with glowing stars, swirling waves, a diamond star with unicorn horn, and an orange outlined winged horse against a cosmic green background.
Decorative glass surface featuring a star-shaped rhinestone decoration, a paper cutout of a bear, a drawn turtle shell, and small skeleton-style insects and animal figures, set against a dark background with sparkling details.
A collage of traditional African children dressed in colorful clothing, holding various objects, with a background featuring African cultural elements and a hut.
Illustration of a woman dressed in traditional East Asian clothing and a man in historical attire, with a starry sky and moon in the background, surrounded by pink leaves.