Chiroptatrope

Chiroptatrope (Bat in Flight), 2022, Mixed Media

Special thanks to Alex Unruh of T&J Studios

The zoetrope, a form of early animation, was first invented in China around 180 A.D. The inventor Ding Huan created a device which spun sequential paintings through the rising heat from a lamp. They appeared to move when viewed at the right speed. He called it “The Pipe Which Makes Fantasies Appear.”
The cylindrical zoetrope was invented in 1834 by William Horner, who originally called it the Daedalum—the wheel of the Devil. It became popular some thirty years later when it emerged under a new patent and name, from the Greek words “zoe—life, and “tropos”—turn. (1)
A major barrier to bat conservation is persecution, as many people fear bats. Bats are fast flying creatures active at night which makes them hard to see. The Chiroptatrope is intended to help dispel this fear by showing a bat in flight paired with designs that showcase how essential bats are to the environment. Each of the outside panels of the zoetrope depict different ways in which bats are crucial:
 Bats protect crops such as wheat, corn and coffee from harmful insects.
 Fruit bats distribute seeds which help re-populate forests.
Bats pollenate many species of plants by feeding on the nectar of flowers which bloom at night.
Insectivorous bats keep insect populations in check by consuming flying insects such as mosquitoes and flies which spread harmful diseases such as malaria. One bat can consume on average 1000 mosquitoes an hour.
#batsarentscary #pollinators #seeddispersal #keystonespecies

(1) Kumar, Julie. “The Wheel of the Devil - the History of the Zoetrope from Ancient China to Pixar.” Thalo, Thalo LLC, 1 June, 2012, https://www.thalo.com/articles/view/343/the_wheel_of_the_devil_the_history_of_the. 

Chiroptascope

Chiroptascope, 2022, Mixed Media

Special thanks to Alex Unruh of T&J Studios

 Chiroptascope, complete outer design

The Chiroptascope, takes a whimsical approach to the world of a bat. A kaleidoscope which features bats on the outside and a variety of ever changing designs on the inside. Each interchangeable wheel design affords the viewer a different perspective on bat species to counteract negative and exaggerated myths.
#batsarebeautiful #savethebats #batvocate #helpthebats

Looking inside the Chiroptascope

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