Abstract:

The main concept behind Nunavik : A Land, Its People was to create an educational website whose methodology would combine the spontaneity (and uncertainty) of field photojournalism and standard practices of creating a museological virtual exhibit.

A voyage of discovery of Eastern Arctic Canada and its Inuit population, this online exhibit was developed in partnership with the Virtual Museum of Canada (VMC), an initiative of the Department of Canadian Heritage, and my University of Montreal research unit.

The web site was mostly a one-man project, since my professional experience over the past 15 years has led me to take charge of most aspects of creating educational interactive media: from concept to graphic design, photography, videography, audio and Flash/HTML integration of the finished product. I also wrote most of the contents, with the important exception of sections requiring the contribution of an archaeologist.

The idea behind the product was to create, through a virtual mosaic of this vast region and its people, an educational tool that seeks to promote the Inuit’s respect for the environment, their culture and their deep sense of community. Nunavik: A Land, Its People is intended for the general public as well as a learning resource for school programs.

Amongst the many challenges that I faced were to collect part of the material during several trips in the Canadian Arctic. Asides from the obvious climate, cultural and day-to-day logistical hurdles to be overcome, a greater part of the contents would reveal itself during field work, through interviews, photographic expeditions and, more often than not, chance encounters.

This is why a photojournalistic approach was chosen in order to provide material required by the site's predetermined structure. The final product has, in my opinion, a feel of spontaneity that is typical of travel / adventure publications (such as Geo or National Geographic Magazine) and distinguishes itself from the usual museological approach to building an educational project. Virtual media enabled me to break down the walls of the traditional physical museum, by adopting an almost exclusive in situ approach.

My presentation would demonstrate how I approached the logistics of this type of project, by using a constant back-and-forth methodology between the production's stages (breaking the usual linear workflow of interactive design), and by harnessing uncertainty as the main driving force behind the virtual exhibit.

Nunavik : A Land, Its People (flash version recommended):

http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Nunavik

Portfolio:

http://www.lucbouvrette.com

Keywords:

Virtual exhibit, photojournalism, interactive design, in situ, Canadian Arctic, Inuit.