FARMINGTON — Dan DenDanto has an intimate knowledge of the largest creatures on Earth — whales — and the Emery Community Arts Center is bringing his expertise to the UMF campus with the interactive exhibit “Dan DenDanto and Frank DenDanto: BUMP,” from Dec. 20, 2013-March 3, 2014. The exhibit is free and open to the public and on display in the Emery Flex Space Gallery.

This science-based art installation exhibits the bones from three different whales. Most likely the casualties of collisions with ship propellers, the whales are displayed as separate bones, each individually suspended at eye level.

Brothers, Dan — a whale articulation specialist, and Frank — a project manager and designer, work as a team to create the visually-stunning exhibit. Set to the sound of whale songs, their hands-on exhibit invites the audience to touch the bones of these magnificent creatures, which one can imagine, appear to move with the tide.

Dan DenDanto has been cleaning, articulating and restoring whale skeletons professionally since 1993. Installations of his work are on display at educational centers throughout the eastern U.S., including the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science, the New Bedford Whaling Museum, the Whale Center of New England and Harvard University.

He is the director of the Fin Whale Catalog and a senior scientist at Allied Whale; a Research Associate at College of the Atlantic, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Maine’s School of Marine Sciences and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of CETOS Research Organization. Throughout his career, he has been involved in research on the genetics, life history, population, phylogenetics and culture of whales in the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

In addition to the gallery exhibit, Emery’s downstairs area will feature the work of Nora West, Kingfield artist and painter, from Dec. 20-March 3. West will be exhibiting A Plein Air — summer — oil paintings from Monhegan Island to Katahdin and home again, along with larger local landscapes of the western mountain area. Kelly Ellerbrook, UMF assistant technical director, will also exhibit the paintings from her book, “The Perfect Christmas Egg” on Friday, Dec. 20.

An opening reception for the Emery exhibits will take place from 5-8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 20. “Walking with Horses,” featuring musicians Seth Wegner, Lena Kendall and Zak Kendall, will perform in the Emery Performance Space with a suggested admission donation of $5. A cash bar will be available.

Emery Flex Space Gallery hours during UMF’s winter break from Dec. 17-Jan. 2, are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Emery Community Arts Center will be closed from Dec. 24-Jan. 1, for the Christmas holiday.