Marquee:
Overview
This series of animated films explores carbon and plastic materials in our environment. By documenting and transforming material experiments into animation, the works reveal how substances are shaped, altered, and circulated in our world. The exhibit invites viewers to consider the hidden relationships between carbon, plastic, and the environments they inhabit, highlighting the material origins and ecological impacts embedded within everyday substances.
Plastic Ecosystem:
Plastic Ecosystem follows the journey of “new marine life” in the oceans. Millions of tons of plastic litter the oceans, and we study them: the journey of a school of plastic spoons, the behavior of plastic bottles, the moods of plastic knives. This mockumentary captures a few surprising behaviors of plastic bags and forks that mimic natural wildlife. Split up into three different segments with the use of different lighting, this film is a vignette of the rich variety of “life” in this plastic ecosystem.
Carbon Traces:
Humans were once in harmony with nature but now exploit its resources. Overconsumption in all forms has led to an imbalance. As humans grow more disconnected, they face an existential crisis and strive to restore the balance.
About the Artist
Stefie Gan is an Asian American filmmaker, animator, and educator. She combines her cultural roots with a passionate concern for the planet’s future. Her work amplifies unheard voices, challenges norms, and advocates for equality. Her films have won awards and recognition at Oscar-qualifying festivals the Odense Film Festival and Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival. Her films are distributed by PBS and Kanopy, and she’s a recipient of the Voices with Impact Grant.
Stefie received a BA in Architecture from Barnard College, Columbia University, and an MFA in Animation and Digital Arts from the University of Southern California. She currently teaches digital imaging at Santa Clara University.