Creative Direction & Story Development
I led the creative direction for the Green River Interactive Audio Gallery, shaping a multi-sensory environment where sound, illustration, and fossil interpretation worked in harmony. The goal was to transform the gallery into an experiential ecosystem—one where visitors could feel the presence of life that once thrived in the Green River environment.
To create interactivity, the exhibit designer and I designed a system in which visitors walking across animal-shaped gobo lights triggered 11 distinct sound effects embedded throughout the space. These audio cues included bird calls, bat echolocation, frog croaks, crocodile movement, and dragonfly activity. Each sound was intentionally paired with nearby fossils, creating a direct sensory link between the auditory experience and the physical artifacts on display.
This approach transformed the act of viewing fossils into an act of discovery—where movement through the space activated layers of ecological storytelling.
Soundscape Concept
To deepen the atmospheric experience, I collaborated with composer Jesse Solomon Clark to develop an evolving soundscape that functioned as the environmental foundation of the gallery. As guests explore the gallery, their movement activates sounds of ancient life. Birds call overhead, frogs echo through the space, crocodiles shift in hidden waters, and insects hum through the environment—layering together to reconstruct a world that once existed millions of years ago. Chicago artist Jay Ryan created a painted mural depicting Green River fauna, including crocodiles, birds, mammals, and frogs. To extend the mural beyond the wall, we integrated hidden speakers within the installation so that illustrated creatures appeared to come alive through sound.
This blending of visual art and audio created a seamless connection between illustration and environment, reinforcing the illusion of a living ecosystem. The result is an experience that encourages visitors to slow down, listen, and discover the interconnectedness of life across deep time.
