Progress vs Sunsets: Reformulating the Nature Documentary

Melanie Bonajo’s video installation Progress vs Sunsets: Reformulating the Nature Documentary is the second work in a trilogy focusing on the effects of technological advances on vulnerable, marginalized groups. While the first installation in the series concentrates on the elderly, Progress vs Sunsets invites children to consider the ways that viral animal photos and videos have redefined the relationships between humans, wildlife, and the environments they share. Bonajo asks which voices are ignored during processes of growth and development, and draws attention to the extinctions and casualties that are the inevitable side effects of innovation. She approaches her work from an intuitive, feminist point of view, emphasizing the importance of process over product, and casting doubt on narratives of progress.