Down Stream [Appalachia]

Down Stream [Appalachia] is an immersive, interactive art installation that addresses themes of ecological preservation, conservation, and connectedness—illuminating the precarity of imperiled freshwater species in the Appalachian region. The exhibition is composed of reflective, refractive sculptures and underwater video footage, surrounded by fully-immersive spatial audio. Both the audio and visual elements react to audience presence and proximity. Species highlighted are the Candy Darter (Etheostoma osburni); the Cumberlandian Combshell (Epioblasma brevidens) and other freshwater mussels; and the Eastern Hellbender Salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis). This paper examines the context and content of this installation, its progression and influences, and themes of ecology and the environment in the Southeast United States.