Of lions and men
Design and creation of mediation devices for the exhibition “Of Lions and Men: Feline Mythology, 400 Centuries of Fascination”.
The exhibition “Of Lions and Men: Feline Mythology, 400 Centuries of Fascination” (from April 6 to September 22, 2019) tells the history of felines and their relationship with humans across the four continents which they have cohabitated for centuries: Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa. The exhibition explores the relationship that humans have maintained with these animals and the multitude of symbols and myths surrounding them.
Felines are thus represented through various artistic media, through a themed exhibition highlighting humans’ fascination with the animal in the animist and pagan cultures of prehistoric civilizations.
With the goal of merging natural and human sciences, this multi-disciplinary exhibition also presents the zoological history of these big cats. A more scientific mediation was therefore required in order to introduce the five largest cat species and their individual characteristics, such as their physical features, evolution, habitat and behavior (ethology). Reciproque was responsible for the design and production of an animated film presenting the characteristics of the five big cats and the associated tactile-visual plaques on display throughout the exhibition.
Broadcasted on a curved screen in the middle of the exhibition, the 8- to 10-minute film presents a 1.5- to 2-minute sequence on each of the big cat species. The audiovisual device outlines the specific features of the big cats that have been observed by man throughout the ages: the cave lion, lion, tiger, jaguar, and panther. The soundscape that accompanies the visual depiction creates a sensory experience and supports the observational attitude fostered by the stylistic representation of the felines through artists’ observational illustrations. For each species, four to six specific natural scientific facts are presented in conjunction with the artefacts on display in the exhibition. The five tactile-visual plaques scattered throughout the exhibition echo the five animated film sequences.
