Dancing Molecular Landscapes, SJ Okemow
A molecular depiction of four pathogens Epstein-Barr Virus, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, SARS-CoV-2 Virus, and the Influenza Virus displayed over the colours of the medicine wheel yellow red blue white. Each pathogen ungulates subtly.
Photo credit: Luke Ge Lu
Title: Dancing Molecular Landscapes
Artist: SJ Okemow
Date: 2025
Medium/Materials: Animation
Dimensions: 00:03:00
Form/Genre: Digital Art
Key Terms/Subject/Tags: Chronic illness; Indigenous ways of knowing; Decolonial; Medical imaging
Déclaration de l'artiste :
For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples have known that the land is a mirror into our bodies. Across Turtle Island, Indigenous communities have faced systemic violence through the killing of the buffalo, forced relocation, bans on hunting and gathering, forced farming practices on infertile land, reliance on rations from Indian agents, and the disruption of traditional food systems. The Indian Act was a direct attempt by the Canadian government to disenfranchise and assimilate Indigenous peoples, causing illness and disease throughout our nations. Today, Indigenous peoples bear the brunt of extractive capitalism’s fallout. Many reservations find themselves in close proximity to oil pipelines; extractive capitalism pollutes our Land, which includes our water and air.
Dancing Molecular Landscapes is a 360 animation which pulls the audience into the unseen world of viruses and bacteria. Using molecular visualization techniques, four pathogens are shown on screen, each molecule placed like beadwork into the final animation. At different stages of SJ Okemow’s life, she has lived with each pathogen: Epstein-Barr Virus, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, SARS-CoV-2 Virus, and the Influenza Virus. Her work brings Indigenous philosophies into relation with biomedical science by following the Medicine Wheel and the four directions teachings; each of the four pathogens represents a quadrant of the Wheel through life stages, elements, colour choices, and textural layers added into the render. Okemow hopes to engage the public in new ways of thinking about science, as well as the links between health and Land, digital art and Indigenous ways of knowing.
Contexte culturel / Histoire derrière l'œuvre :
Responds to personal health experiences over the course of Okemow’s life each direction of the medicine wheel representing a stage of her life and a specific pathogen that affected her during that time.
Droits relatifs à cette image :
Cette image numérique est soumise à la licence CC BY-NC 4.0. Vous êtes libre de la partager à des fins non commerciales, à condition d'en mentionner l'auteur.
En savoir plus :
Instagram: @sj.okemow