Ancient Echoes – Keepers of the Sky dares to reimagine our growing disconnection from nature and aims to foster a renewed sense of connection with the cosmos. Presented here is a deep connection between bird song, acoustic recordings of other winged ones like insects, and sounds of space recorded by NASA and ESA spacecraft. By combining blended perspectives of Indigenous culture and Western science, we hold the ‘gift of multiple perspectives for the benefit of all’.

In the era of the Anthropocene, the real-time effects of global climate crisis and animal extinction are increasingly common. Plastic pollution, forever chemicals, ocean acidification, deforestation—the ever-growing list is enough to make anyone stop reading and walk away. Yet this is one of the most critical moments in all of history—not only a time of ecological devastation but also of human identity loss. For those who are willing to tackle the ultimate challenges of our western culture, where to begin?

Annette S. Lee’s exhibition, Ancient Echoes – Keepers of the Sky, explores the profound connections between sound, identity, nature, and the cosmos. Through immersive soundscapes and visual storytelling, the exhibit invites visitors to reflect on their place in the grand rhythm of the universe.

Before we could see, we could hear—sound is our first sensory experience, shaping how we process emotions and navigate the world. This exhibition embraces that deep sensory awareness, blending Indigenous knowledge and astrophysics to create an experience that transcends cognition and ventures into awe.

Birds have long been viewed as symbols of wisdom, resilience, and connection. In Lakota teachings, the Winged Ones played a crucial role in advocating for humanity’s “second chance”—reminding us of our responsibility to the natural world. Ancient Echoes – Keepers of Sky honors this sacred connection, weaving birdsong into its layered soundscapes to bridge the human experience with the rhythms of nature.

From both scientific and cultural perspectives, we come from the stars. The Lakota concept of Skan—the motion that defines life—guides this exhibition, illustrating the interconnectedness of stellar movements, seasonal cycles, and human existence. As we listen to the blended sounds of birds, space recordings, and meditative vibrations, we are reminded of our participatory covenant with the cosmos.

Ancient Echoes – Keepers of Sky encourages visitors to experience sound beyond cognition—to feel its emotional depth, its storytelling power, and its ability to connect us across time, species, and space. Through this exhibition, Lee offers a space to reflect, listen, and rediscover our relationship with the natural and celestial worlds.

Annette S. Lee is an award-winning artist-scientist who holds seven college degrees across Fine Arts and Science, including a PhD in Astrophysics, a DSc in Science, an MFA from Yale School of Art, and most recently a second MFA in Motion Media Design from Savannah College of Art and Design (2024). A uniquely talented individual in the world today, Annette connects ideas across seemingly impossible divides.

Annette is of Native American Lakota, Irish, and Chinese ancestry. Her communities are Ojibwe and D/Lakota. She has developed a multidisciplinary approach to art as social practice with a focus on digital interactive art, performance art, and data visualization. Her work is visual activism to re-center Indigenous ontologies and practices in the face of the Anthropocene.

After nearly two decades of success in higher education, including tenured full professor in Physics/Astronomy at St. Cloud State University, Lee recently stepped away from academia in order to work as a full-time freelance Artist-Scientist-Activist. Presently, she is the Executive Director & Founder of Native Skywatchers 501-c3 and a Senior Researcher on the OSPAPIK (Ocean and Space Pollution, Artistic Practices and Indigenous Knowledges) team based at the Université de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest, France.