nhmexpedition_sailing2_iker.jpg

The Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum (NHM) is an art-activist project whose mission is to highlight the socio-economic forces that shape the natural world by including the harsh realities that museums tend to exclude.  Originally conceived to oust David Koch from the Board of the American Museum of Natural History, the NHM is responsible for helping catalyze the #FossilFreeCulture movement dedicated to liberating public cultural institutions from the fossil fuel industry.  From 2013-2016, I acted as a core collaborative member of Not An Alternative, an arts nonprofit engaging the border of arts and social practice, cofounding the NHM project.  In addition to help with strategy, I managed general operations and production for the Museum's exhibitions, actions, and expeditions, conducted outreach, and acted as chief photographer, assistant videographer, digital archivist, and website manager.  Under pressure, David Koch resigned from the Board of the American Museum of Natural History in 2016.  The New York Times included Not An Alternative in The Best in Art of 2015.

The Natural History Museum bus outside the Queens Museums for its inaugural exhibition in 2014.

exhibitions

I facilitated the logistics and production of The Natural History Museum's 2014 Grand Opening exhibition at the Queens Museum and a self-titled exhibition at the 2015 American Alliance of Museums Conference in Atlanta, GA-- one of the largest NHM exhibitions to-date, covering 100 sq ft.  To see images for my Observing the Gaze photography project, which was on display for the Queens Museum exhibition, click here.

2015 NHM action appealing to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC to in regards to the problematic Koch sponsored exhibition "Hall of Human Origins".

actions

I photographed and shot live video during actions* to create content for social media and press releases as well as collaborated on the production of props, structures, and other Museum related visuals that were used during these events.   
* strategic public displays of dissent that can be performative

Mon leading a 2014 NHM expedition traveling down the east coast of the US and across the Gulf of Mexico with the TellTales Sailing Collective.

expeditions

In order to promote The Natural History Museum as an active public cultural institution with radical educational programming, I staged expeditions over land and sea featuring the NHM branding identity.  
Much thanks to the TellTales Sailing Collective for helping make these expeditions possible.

 

Initial concept for the NHM by former NAA member ange tran.
NHM bus, billboard, signs, and banner designs by Josh Yoder.
NHM logo design by The Public Society.

learn more about the natural history museum.