Chris Doyle (artist)

In an interview with Patricia Maloney,[6] Doyle refers to a painting series called The Course of an Empire, by Thomas Cole. From this painting series, which delves into how our understanding of our relationship with the environment has created a sense of menace. Doyle was intrigued by the cyclicality of civilization and created a series of animations, beginning with the "fulcrum moment of disaster," in his piece Apocalypse Management. In the original painting series, Cole depicts a brief rise to glory and followed by a sudden and dramatic collapse and overtaking by nature. This could be interpreted as an allusion to a situation quickly and without warning getting out of control.[7] Likewise, Doyle also focused on how quickly something can get out of control, but also how it rebuilds. In his interview with Patricia Maloney, he discussed his interest in how our relationship with nature is constantly changing in a cyclical form, and he wanted to focus on the cultural interpretation of nature rather than nature itself.[6][8]

In an interview with 21c Museum, Doyle goes into further detail about his view on the interaction of man and nature.[9] Doyle says that he does not believe in "the duality between man and nature," and that everything we make, including all of our trash and pollution are just an extension of nature. He believes that we have been taught to think of ourselves as separate from animals and nature, and his pieces such as Bright Canyon are meant to connect people and make them feel whole with nature. These pieces psychologically could have a very positive effect on the viewer. According to the Journal of Environmental Psychology, even small exposure to "nature-related stimuli" can decrease anxiety, and even help one stop dwelling on persistent thoughts.[10] Doyle's piece reconnected Times Square to the natural environment it had been before the city had been built, exposing any passer-by to the positive effects of being connected to nature.

In 1996, Doyle created the piece Commutable with the Public Art Fund in New York. The piece was $7,500 of 22k gold gilded on the stairway and bike path on the Manhattan side of the Williamsburg Bridge. As people used this path, they in turn tracked gold flakes throughout the surrounding areas. This piece was different from his usual work because instead of creating a piece that was for people to look at or walk around, he "wanted to do something people could use."[11] He wanted this piece to bring attention to an area that was seemingly abandoned by the city after construction was halted on the bridge. Even though he knew the bridge would one day be demolished, he explained that it is not about making a monument, but about transforming a place at a specific time. Like other art exhibits that make use of a community or area, this piece was greatly appreciated by pedestrians walking and riding along the bridge.[11] According to Joshua Guetzkow in his article "How the Arts Impact Communities", art pieces such as this help communities "build social capital by boosting individuals’ ability and motivation to be civically engaged, as well as building organizational capacity for effective action."[12] By creating a venue that brought people together and brought attention to this "benighted" area, as Doyle calls it, he was able to make a positive impact on residents and quite possibly a sight that will persist in their memories.

Hollow and Swell, Catharine Clark Gallery, San Francisco, CA The Fluid, Fulton Street Station, MTA Arts for Transit, New York, NY In the Labyrinth, University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, MI Presto!, Presented by Converge 45, Portland, OR Dreams of Infinite Luster, 21C Museum Hotel, Durham, NC

Recent Animation and Work on Paper, Texas Contemporary, Catharine Clark Gallery, Houston, TX Apocalypse Management, RL Window, Ryan Lee Gallery, New York, NY Union, Collaboration with The Louisville Ballet and The Louisville Symphony Orchestra, Louisville, KY

Animations from The Lightening. an outdoor projection at the Miami Project, Dec 1–6, 2015, Miami, FL The Lightening, 50th Anniversary Project for Wave Hill, Riverdale, New York, April–May, 2015. (cat) Landscape Fictions, Glyndor Gallery at Wave Hill, Bronx, NY (cat)