Batfrog Habitat

The Batfrog Habitat Art Installation

The Batfrog Habitat Art Installation is an immersive experience. It is both visual and sonic.

The visitor enters a 6’5″x 6’5″ tent that has been completely transformed into a cave-like habitat. Inside, all the elements are handmade with various fabrics. It is a serene and meditative environment. A place of reflection and a reminder of our deep connection to nature.

History of the Batfrog

The Batfrog became the symbol of the musical duo Frenchy and the Punk (Samantha Stephenson and Scott Helland) back in 2006.

Both Samantha and Scott are avid proponents of protecting the environment and for the protection of animals. The symbol of the Batfrog was first designed by Scott to combine Samantha’s love of bats and his own love of frogs. The Batfrog was used on the band’s merchandise, tshirts, patches, pins and stickers. As the years went on the Batfrog started to have a life of its own.

In 2013, the duo started thinking about making an art installation of a Batfrog Habitat and Scott created a diorama as a maquette for the project.

Samantha had already designed and produced art installations while living in New York City in the 1990s. At the time she was part of an artist community in an art space in Long Island City, Queens that had ample space for her art projects. The space housed 11 artists from 7 different nations; France, Japan, Mexico, Venezuela, Germany, Korea, and Italy. In 1999 the studio closed and so she lost her studio space. A more involved music collaboration with Scott followed and the Frenchy and the Punk project started to take off in 2005 placing the visual art projects on hold.

Working on the leaf and vine elements of the habitat. Leaf drawings by Scott, color, design and sewing by Samantha.

In late 2016 Frenchy and the Punk  found themselves at home base and off tour for a few months with time to work on the idea that had been waiting for their attention and the Batfrog Habitat was created. In February 2017, it made its first public viewing at the Glimmerdark Festival in Princeton, NJ to rave reviews and has traveled as far as Canada.

Interested in having the Habitat at your event? Contact Samantha and Scott by following the contact link in the menu bar.

Thank you.

Testimonials:

“Very peaceful, like hopping into a scene from Pandora (the world from “Avatar”)” Bianca S.

“I loved it! The atmosphere was quiet and soothing and I loved the idea of it all. It was very comfortable too! Definitely served the purpose of whisking you away from the outside hustle and bustle.” Tamara C.

“This was a great experience. I was not sure at all what to expect. I felt like I was transported to another world. It was a beautiful peaceful place to be. I wish I was back there now. ENCHANTING!”  Kate I.

“My daughter Willow would live there if she could, she didn’t want to leave and cried to go back.” ‪Dani N.

“I took a turn in the Batfrog habitat. It was like an isolation tank, with a gently suggested hallucination. Batfrog itself was intense, and I found myself unable to meet its gaze. Was it judging me? Studying me? I lost myself in the soothing chirp of the habitat until I felt I was impinging on another’s time. A unique experience!” Alex I.

“It was soothing!” Felix E.