An introduction to the exhibition in the Museum's main gallery displayed facsimiles of pre-cinema optical devices that in the 19th century capitalized on the principle of the persistence of vision and were commercialized as optical toys. Their activation elicited a tactile, intimate experience in those playing with them. [ ... ] As Dr. Veras' article in this catalog explains, the exhibition incentivated animation students to create works of art based on these devices.
Once the exhibition opened to the public, the program of educational activities invited the local public to engage in the creation of micro animations using some of the most traditional animation techniques, which take advantage of fine arts and craft practices and materials to create profilmic materials that are recorded as a moving image form.
The practice of techniques that involve motor skills and touch is especially important at a time when most of society consumes digital, networked, and miniaturized moving images through transmedia viewing platforms such as computers, phones, and game consoles.