Dancing With Cats
Burton Silver and Heather Busch Related animals: Cat, Human Related Website: The Museum of Non-Primate Art"Of course it is a hoax, but all art is a hoax. Every art movement starts as a joke or a sham and then becomes a serious occupation or revelation." (Melamid about his work on painting with Elephants, a very real project.)
While this book is written as a joke, it is more interesting to read as a "revelation". Nice descriptions and pictures of humans and cats dancing together.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]Review by csh (04/18/06 15:05:18):
Although this book was a presentation to bring the artistic aspects of collaboration with cats, the fact that the book states in the beginning, “We will probably never know for sure why cats dance with us…” had me as a skeptic from the very beginning. The book begins with a Preface, telling readers how the book almost couldn’t come about. It seemed to state that getting the cats to dance in public or in front of the cameras was a difficult task, and almost led to the hypothesization that cat dancing was only done in private. Luckily, Arija (pronounced Aria) and her cat was able to put on a show for the authors/ producer’s lens.
The book notes that the earliest written records of cat dancing dated back to 1692, and the practice of cat dancing was “alluded to” in nursery rhymes such as Hey diddle daddle.
Pros
• Lovely photos, of humans and animals in artistic expression.
Cons
• The book does not really attempt to signify or utilize any scientific experiments, observations, or evidence, as to why cats are provoked to dancing with humans, and their simple release of energy.
When I went through reading and studying the images and text, I found it a bit hard to piece up everything, since little evidence or studies proved that cats were dancing and collaborating with humans. The fact that the book had mention its desperation and its encounter with lack of cooperation of participants, led me to some skeptical conclusions:
• The images could be highly well photoshoped, due to desperation, pictures of cats in explosive energetic poses could have been taken, and humans then staged to imitate that cats sporadic movements.
• The book also states that the cat’s response was not only to human interaction, but the combination of the aforementioned and music. The beat, frequency, or melody, could have been a major contender as to why dancing with cats is possible. I remember I’ve tried doing poses with my pet cat when I was younger, but he would always just sit and watch me curiously. He gave me a responsive look (as if I was dumb or something) instead of a responsive action.
These are just a few of the things I noticed and questions that came to mind. The whole idea of dancing with cats just might be very well be fake. Or they could re-title it as Cat Beat: The Energetic Movements of Feline Dancer.
Politics of Nature - How to bring The Sciences into Democracy
Bruno Latour "...establishes the conceptual context for political ecology--transplanting the terms of ecology into more fertile philosophical soil than its proponents have thus far envisioned....proposes an end to the old dichotomy between nature and society--and the constitution, in its place, of a collective, a community incorporating humans and nonhumans and building on the experiences of the sciences as they are actually practiced"
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Orcas Greatest Hits Jim Nollman and others Related animal: Orca Related Website: Interspecies.com"During the 1980s, Interspecies sponsored over 100 musicians to attempt communication with orcas off western Canada."
It really sounds like collaboration...nice...
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home
Rupert Sheldrake Related animals: Cat, Dog, Human Related Website: Rupert SheldrakePresenting research on pets ability to find their way home, knowing things about their owners etc. and trying to explain how it works partially through his idea of morphic fields.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]Review by tash lloyd (06/22/06 11:36:09):
This Book was an excellent source for insight into a dog's "sixth sense." With chapters specializing in several different areas of dog (and even other species') talents, the author utilizes actual stories and scientific evidence to prove his point. And that is merely this- Dogs most definitely have abilities to sense things humans cannot. Whether it be unseen diseases, an owner coming home, or even an upcoming death- there are several accounts of dogs detecting things ahead of time. Also, there are chapters focused on dogs who are trained to help people. Other than the well-known seeing eye dogs, there are dogs who specialize in serving diabetic owners- barking when they detect the human's blood-sugar is dangerously low. This book was fascinating and easy to read. I reccommend it to anyone who has ever owned, or even known a dog who they knew was special.
The Companion Species Manifesto : Dogs, People, and Significant Otherness
Donna J. Haraway Related animals: Dog, Human A nice little book about the relationship between humans and dogs, or with companion species in general. Haraway, who is most famous for her "cyborg manifesto" continues to break down the culture/nature distinctions.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]Review by carita (04/16/06 18:50:36):
This short manifest explores the companion species relationships between humans and other signifcant others, focusing on dogs as the significant other. The introduction is very philosophical, and talks of issues of cyborgs, of which Harraway is most famous, feminism, naturecultures, all in within the context of the signficant other. She continues with the manifesto by telling different stories of dog/human relations, including evolutionary stories, training stories, agility stories, love stories, and breed history stories. The whole manifesto is a good tool for understanding the relationship of dogs and humans existence and evolution together. In the end Harraway quotes Helen Verran's stating "It's about... 'getting on together", dog and human, living as companion species.
Talk To the Animals: A Short Comment on Wolfgang Welsch's "Animal Aesthetics" Stefan Snaevarr (Contemporary Aesthetics)Can animals feel aesthetic pleasure?
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]Review by Squid (04/18/06 11:36:12):
Stefan Snaevarr responds to Wolfang Welsch's "Animal Aesthetics" by bringing up two concerns that would possibly disprove Welsch's idea of the possibility of animals being able to feel aesthetic pleasure.
The first concern deals with the epistemological concept. Snaevarr asserts that animals do not have a system like language to express whether or not they feel aesthetic delight nor is there any real means of expressing through body language (as opposed to humans being able to use hands, mouth, eyes, etc. to create gestures and facial expressions).
The other concern is the conceptual kind. Snaevarr explains about the difference between a sensation and a feeling. A sensation refers to physical space and often deals with the body (ie: pain). A feeling, as Snaevarr puts it, has no localized space. But in order to show feelings and emotions, we derive and link their identity (anger, happiness, sadness, etc.) partly from an intentional object. He explains that the intentional object could be something that exist in physical space, be it tangible or not. The author claims that animals cannot make this link between emotions and objects because they do not have a language system like humans.
Interesting read. Considering Koko thinks her painting is toilet.
Zoontologies: The Question of the Animal
Cary Wolfe (Editor) Several essays examining the human nonhuman separation and issues stemming from that separation.
"...from Jurassic Park and the "horse whisperer" Monty Roberts, to the work of artists such as Joseph Beuys and William Wegman; from foundational texts on the animal in the works of Heidegger and Freud, to the postmodern rethinking of ethics and animals in figures such as Singer, Deleuze, Lyotard, and Levinas; from the New York Times investigation of a North Carolina slaughterhouse, to the first appearance in any language of Jacques Derrida's recent detailed critique of Lacan's rendering of the human/animal divide"
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Animal Rites
Cary Wolfe Interesting book comparing varoius standpoints on "the question of the animal", with discussion on Derrida, Wittgenstin, Animal Rights an much more.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]Review by markb (05/18/06 16:44:23):
The book "Animal Rites", by Cary Wolfe, examines the application of theory from Derrida, Lyotard, Cavell, and others, onto animals while dealing with humanism and ethics. Topics of race, sexuality, animality, and colonialism are applied to our understanding and interaction with animals.
The Beluga Cafe
Jim Nollman Related animal: Beluga Related Website: Interspecies.comNollman describes his journey to the Arctic to play music with beluga whales.
"The book tracks the entire excursion from Nollman's efforts to get funds for the trip, believing that his desire to play underwater music is as deserving of a grant as other scientific methods"
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]Review by britt (04/11/06 15:39:22):
Some of the challenges addressed in this book about doing interspecies collaboration...
The animal might not respond to your approach to collaborating.
The animal could respond in a negative way to your approach.
You might not like the way the animal approaches you.
You might respond in a negative way to the animal's approach.
Trouble-shooting...
Be aware of the environment in which you are moving. If this is not your stomping grounds, then you need to be sensitive to the habits of the ones who live there.
If the animal responds negatively to you, withdraw your efforts and reconsider your approach. Are you trying to incite a specific reaction from this animal or are you allowing them to act creatively and with freedom. If you approach the animal with an agenda, most likely you will come away unsatisfied with the results.
If the animal approaches you in a way that is not satisfying to the piece in which you are aspiring to collaborate on, allow this to be an opportunity to learn and to be inspired. What can you take away from this experience? What reaction were they trying to incite from you? How can you use this in your future collaboration?
In your collaborative process, you could find the manner of the animal negative or intimidating towards you. This is not a beneficial situation and the best thing to do would be to withdraw. If you try to collaborate with anyone who has negative intentions, this will adversely affect your piece (unless, however, your art is based on an underlying theme of tension and struggle, then by all means, have a go at it).
Related Website: Interspecies.com
The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals
E.P Evans "an amazing assemblage of court cases in which animals have been named as defendants" Originally published in 1906. Interesting how animals used to be tried in courts while they were/are not considered having souls or free will etc.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]Review by Mandingo (04/25/06 12:59:52):
The book gives an interesting historical background to the idea that animals would be independantly capable of commiting crimes. The text is actually a reproductions of medieval case studies of lawyers who defended animals in matters of excommunication and pestilence. The pests are duelly warned to leave town in most cases and to quit neighboring areas, then if the pests do not leave they are warned of their fourthcoming prosecution. In one case, a town in France charged and found guilty the eels of a particular lake and warned them that if they did not vacate the lake or stop depleting it of it's fish resources, they would be excommunicated from the church as well as condemned to a plague by God and thus, be smited. It's interesting to see the mix of religious dogma and the way they use it to punish the convicted as well as to prove that the creature did willfully intend to harm the lands around them. Both entertaining and highly thought-provoking I would fully recommend a person takes this one chapter at a time to enhance their day. This book really scews the beliefs we have today in our supposedly "enlightened" era of understanding when it comes to our animal neighbors.
Timbuktu
Paul Auster Related animals: Dog, Human A story about a dog who lives with a homeless guy who is working on an art project for the dog. A quite unusual perspective...dog telling a story about being the audience of art..
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Grizzly Man Werner Hertzog Related animals: Grizzly Bear, Human Hertzog's subjective representation of Tim Treadwell who was working on a film about his relationship and work with grizzly bears in Alaska when he got killed by one of the bears. At first it's enjoyable but when one realizes Hertzogs hate towards Treadwell and everything he represents it gets annoying. Hertzog then seem just like the lead defender of the culture/nature split of western culture, not adding anything new to any discussion. It's more interesting to look at "craziness" and ask what is revealed in it, than to say that craziness is crazy (and should be punished!).
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Play as an Aesthetic Concept Hilde Hein (The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism)Mainly about "a play theory of art" but it touches on how play can function aesthetically in both humans and animals.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Attention, Cows: Please Speak Into the Microphone Douglas Heingartner (NY Times)Related animals: Dog, Human Related Website: Interspecies.com A review of the BowLingual
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]Review by Brose (04/16/06 19:03:05):
An article essentially about devices produced to communicate with dogs and cows. Bowlingal, made by a japanese manufactorer, is commercially sold to interpret what a dogs bark means. The device records the bark and then translates it into text for a human to read. Researchers in Germany have developed a similar device that records a cow's moos that is geared more towards a farmer. With its accuracy being 90%, it is said to be most effective to determine the prime mating time for the cow, which could benefit a farmer significantly when breeding cows. The article also briefly explains Jim Nollman's process when he communicates with orca whales.
Related Website: Interspecies.com
Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior
Temple Grandin & Catherine Johnson Related animals: Cow, Dog, Horse, Human Temple Grandin has been known to crawl through slaughterhouses to get a sense of what the animals there are experiencing. An autistic woman who as a child was recommended for institutionalization, Grandin has managed not only to enter society’s mainstream but ultimately to become prominent in animal research. An associate professor at Colorado State University, she designs facilities used worldwide for humane handling of livestock. She also invented a "hug machine" (based on a cattle-holding chute) that calms autistic children. In Animals in Translation, co-authored with science writer Catherine Johnson, Grandin makes an intriguing argument that, psychologically, animals and autistic people have a great deal in common—and that both have mental abilities typically underestimated by normal people. The book is a valuable, if speculative, contribution to the discussion of both autism and animal intelligence, two subjects on which there is little scientific consensus. (from Scientific American)
Submitted by godwin [Write Review]
Implications of Human-Animal Interactions and Bonds Kathryn Bayne (ILAR Journal Online)Related animals: Ape, Dolphin, Gorilla, Human, Mice, Monkey The essay explains how relationships and bonding between non-human and humans can develop through proper interaction, attention, and recognizing signs. Bayne argues that these interactions can contribute to animal well-being.
Submitted by Squid [Write Review]Review by lhyatt (04/28/06 09:51:03):
This was in interesting if not strange article on the bond which may form between humans and the research animals on which they perform tests. The author gave some basic scenarios regarding what is a necessary enviornment suitable to forming bonds, and though I see this as being able to happen in a labratory, i found it if nothing a little critical. how can a true bond occur when one of the species is being used solely for the other's benefit? I just dont find that possible.
Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill Judy Irving Related animal: Bird A squatter/musician in SF tells his tales of friendship with a flock of wild parrots. He describes the real 'personalities' of each member of the flock and how the birds give his life meaning and direction.
Submitted by nicholevb [Write Review]
Electric Animal Akira Mizuta-Lippit Since animals do not have language, they cannot reflect on their own mortality. It is a human capacity only to imagine nothingness, non-being, or death. Through an analysis of Western philosophy, Lippit reveals that animals cannot die. The lack of language “prevents animals from experiencing death; this in turn suspends the animal in a virtual, perpetual existence. The figure of the animal determines a radically antithetical counterpoint to human mortality, to the edifice of humanism” (73). The modern era, through scientific and technological advance, enforces a severance from direct contact with nature and animals, and therefore this counterpoint has been weakened. Through the separation from nature and the animal, the very definition of humanity has begun to falter, and humanity becomes dehumanized.
Submitted by nicholevb [Write Review]
The Conscious Carnivore: The Ethics Of Eating Meat Tanith Tyrr (Bay Gourmet)"Accepting and acknowledging that you take life when you eat meat is, I believe, healthier and more ethical than trying to hide your head in the sand and live in denial of the consequences of your dietary habits. If this is not something you feel comfortable doing, then vegetarianism may be the best conscious choice you could make..."
Submitted by nicholevb [Write Review]
Why Paint Cats (the ethics of feline aesthetics) Burton Silver, Heather Busch Related animal: Cat Artists who paint cats; some interesting assertions that made it seem as more of a collaboration than simply "using" the cats as canvasses. A few such desings: a wallpaper pattern to help a shy cat feel more comfortable in its environment; a dog shape painted on a cat to protect it from a neighborhood dog; a priest's white collar on a priest's cat to give it status and moral sway. possibly a photoshop hoax; if not, it's pretty neat.
Submitted by wbeck [Write Review]
Last Chance to See Douglas Adams, Mark Carwardine Related animal: Human exploration of some of the world's endangered animals, and their relationships with/treatment by the humans who exist in their environments.
Submitted by wbeck [Write Review]
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Jared Diamond Related animals: Ape, Bird, Cat, Cow, Coyote, Dingo, Dog, Elephant, Gorilla, Grizzly Bear, Hippo, Horse, Human, Monkey Diamond's book subtitled, "The Fates of Human Societies" attempts to shed light on how and why human societies arose the way they did in prehistory. Of particular relevance to our coursework are chapter 9: Why were most big mammal species never domesticated, and chapter 11: the evolution of germs.
Submitted by godwin [Write Review]
King Solomon's Ring
Konrad Z. Lorenz a book written by a 1950's naturalist. the subtitle alone is significant, "the human side of animals delightfully described." it is fairly amusing to read the outdated ideas on how animals percieve things (the ability of ants to follow a trail, for example, is ascribed to their incredible memory.) there are still some fairly advanced ideas about animals, including one chapter titled "why we laugh at animals," which attempts to examine how humans frame the activities and lives of animals in their own frame of reference.
Submitted by wbeck [Write Review]
Dogs Do Good Nicola Finch Related animal: Dog More information about dogs detecting cancer, warning their owners 15-20 minutes before a diabetic attack and more. Good outside resource collaborating with the book "Dogs That Know..."
Submitted by tash lloyd [Write Review]
Eggheads Invent Tele-Petting Lakshmi Sandhana (Wired News)"You walk into your office, where a hollow, chicken-shaped doll sits on a mechanical positioning table close to your computer.The doll whirs to life as soon as you switch on the system, duplicating the motion of a real chicken in the backyard whose movements are being captured by a webcam. Fondling the doll translates into touching the real fowl."
Submitted by nicholevb [Write Review]
Dolphin DREAMTIME Jim Nollman Related animals: Dolphin, Human Interesting chapter about one of his projects with dolphins off the coast of Careyes, 100 miles South of Puerto Vallerta along the pacific coast of Mexico.
Submitted by Brose [Write Review]
Animal Language Michael Bright Mostly about the type of communication animals use with each other. Seems to be focused on auditory senses.
Submitted by Brose [Write Review]
The Cognitive Animal Marc Bekoff, Colin Allen, & Gordon M. Burghardt Contains chapters about the cognitive mind of animals such as ground squirrels, ravens, dolphins, pigeons, parrots and jumping spiders. The chapters go into detail about experiences with specific animals.
Submitted by Brose [Write Review]
Animal Play Behavior Robert Fagen Defines play behavior in mammals and birds. Chapter about play strategies and affects of play in correlation to the age of the animal.
Submitted by Brose [Write Review]
The Genesis of Animal Play Gordon M. Burghardt Behavioral play in animals. From birds to reptiles and vertebrate play. Emphasizes on 3 types of plays: Locomotor, Object, and Social. Tables and charts explainning which animals participate in the types of play described by the author. It also rates the overall play behavior of animals from 1.0 (lowest score) to 3.0 (highest score). I found this to be extremely helpful in deciding which animasl I might be able to collaborate with for projects that could actually be successful.
"Recall that exploration is a response to novelty itself; animals manipulate objects to test them and gain information. Play occurs only when the animal repeatedly engages and interacts with the object in order to "see what I can do with it." Exploration of a given stimulus habitutates quickly; even if the stimulus is removed and reintrodced later, it evokes little further response. This distinction between play and curiosity is particularly important in evaluating object play in birds" (Burghardt, 248).
Submitted by Brose [Write Review]
Animal Play
edited by Marc Bekoff and John A. Byers Talks about play behavior with certain animals as well as the interworkings of how and why animals play.
Submitted by Brose [Write Review]
The Dolphins of Hilton Head Cara M. Gubbins Related animals: Dolphin, Human Observations of dolphins, as well as how they communicate with humans and other dolphins is explained in this book. The book also talks about the intelligence and behaviors of dolphins.
Submitted by Brose [Write Review]
Art in Review; Michael Joo GRACE GLUECK (The New York Times)Related animals: Caribou, Wolf I was told about a project by Michael Joo in which a video camera was placed in the body of a dead caribou and recorded the wolves who gathered around the body to feast, bits of flesh and blood flying. It was funny discover through this article that the 'legend' of this project was much different than the actual piece.
caribou body with video of wolf "...a lone wolf and scavengers dining on a dead caribou's innards (but the caribou has been taxidermied and the carnivores are actually feasting on bought meat)." |
Submitted by nicholevb [Write Review]
Dolphins in the Wild PBS Related animal: Dolphin This movie, hosted by Robin Williams, is a comic and informative documentary about dolphins in the wild. Dolphins are incredibly curious and social animals, so communication with them in the wild occurs more frequently than it would with other wild animals. Each dolphin has a strong sense of its own individuality and its relationships with other dolphins. They have highly sophisticated communication amongst themselves. We've learned to communicate with them as well; they can understand over 2000 sentences. When we study them in captivity, they come to the observation window and appear to study us as well. Dolphins have a larger brain to body mass ratio than humans, and I believe that they are much more intelligent than humans.
Submitted by carita [Write Review]
A Boy and his Dog LQ Jones (director) a science fiction movie that centers around Vick, a young man, and Blood, a telepathic dog with the unique power of locating women in a post-nuclear-holocaust world. while the film is grounded entirely out of reality, the symbiotic relationship between boy and dog is relevant in the study of interspecies relationships and collaborations. other issues of species hierarchy and friendship are brought up as Vick recieves a rare invitation to join a pristine, idealistic society where dogs are not welcome.
Submitted by wbeck [Write Review]
MacGregor Was a Dog Diane Redfield Massie Related animals: Dog, Ostrich after reading about/posting the website about Stalking Cat, i was reminded of another instance of one species emulating another; this one in the form of a children's book i remember from my childhood. the book starts out, "Macgregor was a dog; who wanted to be an ostrich..." and unfolds the tale of macgregor's surprising success from there. a fascinating way to introduce young children to interspecies relationships!
Submitted by wbeck [Write Review]
Wanderlust: A History of Walking Rebecca Solnit This is Amazon.com's review:
The ability to walk on two legs over long distances distinguishes Homo sapiens from other primates, and indeed from every other species on earth. That ability has also yielded some of the best creative work of our species: the lyrical ballads of the English romantic poets, composed on long walks over hill and dale; the speculations of the peripatetic philosophers; the meditations of footloose Chinese and Japanese poets; the exhortations of Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman.
Rebecca Solnit, a thoughtful writer and spirited walker, takes her readers on a leisurely journey through the prehistory, history, and natural history of bipedal motion. Walking, she observes, affords its practitioners an immediate reward--the ability to observe the world at a relaxed gait, one that allows us to take in sights, sounds, and smells that we might otherwise pass by. It provides a vehicle for much-needed solitude and private thought. For the health-minded, walking affords a low-impact and usually pleasant way of shedding a few pounds and stretching a few muscles. It is an essential part of the human adventure--and one that has, until now, been too little documented.
Written in a time when landscapes and cities alike are designed to accommodate automobiles and not pedestrians, Solnit's extraordinary book is an enticement to lace up shoes and set out on an aimless, meditative stroll of one's own. --Gregory McNamee
Submitted by lhyatt [Write Review]
From Here to Ear Celeste Boursier-Mougenot Related animal: Zebra Finch Related Website: 70 Zebra Finches Rock Out On Electric Guitars At The Peabody Essex"In From Here to Ear, the artist creates a sound environment featuring 40 zebra finches, taut harpsichord strings, wire coat hangers and an amplification system. With these materials, Boursier-Mougenot transforms the gallery into a customized aviary where audience members affect the activity of the birds, which in turn create a variety of sounds by interacting with the harpsichord strings and hangers."
Submitted by nicholevb [Write Review]
Augmenting the Animal Kingdom Lakshmi Sandhana Check out the images -
"Auger envisions animals, birds, reptiles and even fish becoming appreciative techno-geeks, using specially engineered gadgets to help them overcome their evolutionary shortcomings, promote their chances of survival or just simply lead easier and more comfortable lives."
Submitted by nicholevb [Write Review]
Pet Animal Behavior: How Dogs Think William E. Campbell (Dogworld Magazine)Related animal: Dog This article could be considered a bit of a "bubble-buster" for dog lovers. Campbell describes that dogs, contrary to popular belief, cannot actually for original thoughts or ideas. Instead, he believes the dog "Imagines" images to put thoughts to together, such as food on a plate or a leash, symbolizing a walk. In this sense, he believe a dog's primary communication is based upon sight, and not upon distinctive memories.
Submitted by tash lloyd [Write Review]
Making Peace Between Dogs and Cats Vicki DeGruy (Dog Owners Guide)Related animal: Dog With a house of two dogs and two cats, I found this article quite interesting. I know there are several people out there owning both dogs and cats who strugglewith the co-existance. In this article, De Gruy gives a detailed explanation of how to teach the two to co-inhabit one home. With commands such as "NO! Leave It!" She says persistance and patience are key in training a dog to leave a cat alone. I also found it interesting that she neglected to talk about the possibility of a CAT chasing a DOG, as is often the case in my home. :)
Submitted by tash lloyd [Write Review]
MIss Glamour Puss Not Given Related animal: Cat Oh My Goodness- This website struck me as quite an ironic counterpart to my Reverse-Fashion Project. While I am interested in seeing what types of clothing and fasion a cat is interested in and then putting it on- this website does quite the opposite. The humans here have chosen the clothing and accessories and dressed the cats up in them. Some may call it animal cruelty, some may just call it tacky. I definitely have mixed feelings, but can't help but chuckle when they ask "Is your cat a Julie Andrews or a Joan Crawford?"
Submitted by tash lloyd [Write Review]
Talking Birds Richard B. Ogalvie (Forest Preserve, Cook County Illinois)Related animal: Bird This is a very detailed page explaing a subject I have always been fascinated with- talking birds. The page gives all the information one could want including what type of Birds are best and where they can be found. Not very colorful, but quite informational.
Submitted by tash lloyd [Write Review]
Bowerbird Bower Art?Bowerbirds aesthetic ability and interest is quite fascinating. The males spend a huge amount of time to decorate their bowers which are not nests, but structures used just to get the attention of females. Are they making art?
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
I Like America and America Likes Me Joseph Beuys Related animal: Coyote Joseph Beuys spent five days with a coyote in a gallery. He describes the project as collaboration.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
ANIMAL ESTATE regional model home 4.0 Fritz Haeg Related animals: Peregrine Falcon, Quail, Salamander, Sea Lion "The on-going Animal Estates initiative produces events to consider the animals that we share our cities with, and creates dwellings for animals that have been unwelcome or displaced by humans. As animal habitats dwindle daily, Animal Estates proposes the reintroduction of animals back into our cities, strip malls, garages, office parks, freeways, front yards, parking lots, skyscrapers, and neighborhoods. Animal Estates intends to provide a provocative 21st century model for the human-animal relationship that is more intimate, visible and thoughtful."
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Art By AnimalsThis was really interesting because it had different types of animals making art to sell to the public. The money raised is used towards fund raising.
Submitted by leonachen [Write Review]
Dolphin Bubbles: An Amazing BehaviorRelated animal: Dolphin Watch the dolphins at SeaWorld Orlandos Dolphin Cove as they artfully create and play with underwater bubble rings and hear what SeaWorlds trainers, educators and guests have to say about this fun and fascinating behavior.
Submitted by leonachen [Write Review]Review by LisaJ (04/09/09 19:37:15):
Really amazing! Beautiful dynamic interactive sculptures!
Dog, Cat, and RatRelated animals: Cat, Dog, Rat What is really interesting about this man and these animals is that they are santa barbara residents. You can find them in downtown santa barbara.
http://www.bestpeacesign.com. Anyone who would like to donate to the animals can do so at bestpeacesign.com.
Submitted by leonachen [Write Review]
Husky and KittenRelated animals: Dog, Kitten Too cute! An adult husky playing with a kitten.
Submitted by Ash [Write Review]
Artist Killing Animals For'Art' Animal News.com A small article discussing about animals being killed in the name of art.
Submitted by Ash [Write Review]
Our Furry Felling Friends
Submitted by hannah [Write Review]Review by LisaJ (04/03/10 14:47:55):
Great text...some really important points..for example
"Recently, though, many in the scientific community have begun to rethink the human/animal divide. 'All vertebrates,' says Gay Bradshaw, an animal psychologist at Oregon State University's environmental sciences graduate program, 'are basically functioning with the same mind and psyche.' The 'differencing model' of human identity, she argues, doesn't just mistakenly characterize the natural world as something for humans to rule and exploit; it also inhibits scientific understanding."
(Gay Bradshaw)
Amy Stein Photography: Domesticated Series Amy Stein A series of interactions between human and animals inspired by local news, examining our new natural history and our relationship with ‘the wild’.
Her statement is as follows:
My photographs serve as modern dioramas of our new natural history. Within these scenes I explore our paradoxical relationship with the "wild" and how our conflicting impulses continue to evolve and alter the behavior of both humans and animals. We at once seek connection with the mystery and freedom of the natural world, yet we continually strive to tame the wild around us and compulsively control the wild within our own nature. Within my work I examine the primal issues of comfort and fear, dependence and determination, submission and dominance that play out in the physical and psychological encounters between man and the natural world. Increasingly, these encounters take place within the artificial ecotones we have constructed that act as both passage and barrier between domestic space and the wild.
The photographs in this series are constructed based on real stories from local newspapers and oral histories of intentional and random interactions between humans and animals. The narratives are set in and around Matamoras, a small town in Northeast Pennsylvania that borders a state forest.
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Submitted by aglaser [Write Review]
Series of Art/Design Works With or About AnimalsNOTCOT.ORG is a "visual filtration of ideas + aesthetics + amusements" chronicling the best in art and design on a regular basis. I chose to simply type "animal" into the search box to see what kind of stimulating and fresh ideas have surfaced in the realm of artistic efforts to collaborate with and gain inspiration from animals. The link gives over 5 pages of animal related art and design, many of which are thought-provoking and visually inviting.
Submitted by aglaser [Write Review]
Parrot massages cat's head gaybird7 Related animals: Cockatoo, Parrot This is a video of an (I believe) Umberella cockatoo giving a pet cat a massage on the head. It was too cute to be ignored. It's quite interesting that two species that would be considered enemies (predator and prey) be able to have such a close bond with each other.
Lately I have been interested in birds, especially in parrots and have been searching through the net on what type of pet birds and parrots there are, what they are like, how they sing or talk, how to train and more. I even went to PetSmart and got pamplet on certain parrots.
Submitted by Ash [Write Review]
Dr. Dolittle 1967 film "Dr. Dolittle" Anthony Newley Related animals: Camel, Cow, Elephant, Ostrich, Parrot A song from the 1967 film "Dr. Dolittle." This song is called, "Dr. Dolittle" sung by Anthony Newley with a mixture of animal noises and Dr. Dolittle's macaw "singing" along.
This is one of my inspiration of animals during my childhood. This film has had a strong influence on me to want talk and work with animals and expand my imagination on the possibilities to do with animals.
Submitted by Ash [Write Review]
Chimpanzees exchange meat for sex Asia-Pacific Europe Middle East South Asia UK Bus (BBC News)Related animals: Camel, Chimpanzee An article showing new research that reveals long-term sexual relationships between chimps based on exchanges of meat.
An article showing new research that reveals long-term sexual relationships between chimps based on exchanges of meat. |
Submitted by mlifshin [Write Review]Review by mlifshin (04/14/09 16:43:36):
In this article I was interested in the ideological evident in the scientists interpretation of their results. They use clinical language to cast the relationship in a very utilitarian light, almost like prostitution, by talking about how the behavior increases chances of fertilization and increases evolutionary advantage. To me the description of the relationship seems no different than human marriage, or other similar long term arrangements. I think the reluctance to view the relationship from an emotional perspective is again reflective of human's desire to distance our own behaviors from that of animals.
An Elephant Crackup? Charles Siebert (New York Times)Related animal: Elephant An in-depth article describing the breakdown in elephant societies that results from human encroachment, and the social problems that accompany this breakdown. It contains fascinating information about the complexity and depth of elephant society and culture.
An in-depth article describing the breakdown in elephant societies that results from human encroachment, and the social problems that accompany this breakdown. It contains fascinating information about the complexity and depth of elephant society and culture. |
Submitted by mlifshin [Write Review]
Cockatial singing a birthday song amitylin Related animal: Bird The owner's pet cockatial sings the birthday song with its video self.
Do you think the bird knows it's singing with a video copy of itself singing or does it think it's another bird singing with it?
Submitted by Ash [Write Review]
Animal Talk: Interspecies Telepathic Communication
Penelope Smith "Have you ever wondered what you cat or dog or horse is thinking? Animal Talk presents tired-and-true telepathic communication techniques developed by the author that can dramatically transform people's relationships with other species on all levels -- physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It explain how to solve behavior problems, how to figure out where your animal hurts, how to discover animals' likes and dislikes, and why they do the things they do. You can learn the language that will open the door to your animal friends' hearts and minds. In addition to teaching people how to develop mind-to-mind communication with animals, Animal Talk discusses freedom, control, and obedience; understanding behavior from an animals' point of view; how to handle upsets between animals; tips on nutrition for healthier pets; and the special relationship between animals and children. "
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Bobcat FamilyRelated animal: Bobcat This video shows a structure of branches and debris built by bobcats to cover and store their prey.
Submitted by shanti [Write Review]
Snowball DancingRelated animals: Cockatoo, Parrot beautiful dancing by cockatoo! And an interesting article about the connection between voice mimicry and sense of rhythm.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Allospecific Referential Speech Acquisition in Grey Parrots (Psittacus erithscus Irene M. Pepperberg ) Evidence for Multiple Levels of Avian Vocal Imitation
This was an article in the book, Imitation in Animals and Artifacts.
It is a scientific research article about the imitation of parrots. Pepperberg test her research on a Grey parrot by the name Alex that went beyond what was expected. He could recognize colors, objects and more and at the end of his life he said to his owner, 'Be good. I love you.'
Submitted by Ash [Write Review]
Pot Bellied Pigs, What to Expect Lianne McLeod, DVM Related animal: Pot-Bellied Pig According to this website, hundreds of pot-bellied pigs are abandoned every year by people who didn't know what to expect. I think that everyone should thoroughly research any animal they plan on taking care of before actually purchasing the animal. Taking care of an animal is a commitment and shouldn't be taken lightly! They are living beings too.
Submitted by svasquez [Write Review]
Mended Spider Webs Nina Katchadourian Related Website: Undreaming (Framed Spider Webs)I think Lisa may have already showed this in class (or was it from her 7D class?)... Anyway, I could not find a link to it so here it is. Nina mends broken spider webs using thread. A lot of care and patience is required for such a task, but according to many articles, the spiders reject her work and move on. This makes sense, because she is using a bright color, where as their webs are clear and almost invisible. Again, I wonder if this hurts the spider, because it is forced out of its home, or was it going to leave its home anyway (since the web was broken)?
Submitted by svasquez [Write Review]Review by svasquez (05/10/09 17:20:09):
Also see
http://www.purselipsquarejaw.org/2008/04/mended-spiderwebs.php
Catherine Chalmers Catherine Chalmers Take a look at Catherine Chalmers's art work! She works with all the creatures that the typical human being tends to be afraid of - cockroaches, rats, insects... She uses these animals together with themes that may make some uncomfortable (like death, sex, executions, and genetic engineering).
Submitted by svasquez [Write Review]
Modoc Ralph Helfer Related animal: Elephant "Spanning seven decades and three continents, Modoc is one of the most amazing true stories ever told. Raised together in a small German circus town, a boy and an elephant formed a bond that would last their entire lives, and would be tested time and again: through a near-fatal shipwreck in the Indian Ocean, an apprenticeship with the legendary Mahout elephant trainers in the Indian teak forests, and their eventual rise to the circus stardom in 1940s New York City. Modoc is a captivating true story of loyalty, friendship, and high adventure, to be treasured by animal lovers everywhere."
Submitted by cori [Write Review]
Ants! Nature's Secret Power Bert Hoelldobler Related animal: Ant FASCINATING DOCUMENTARY into the world of ants.
Description from wikipedia: "Bert Hoelldobler, friend of world renowned scientist Edward Wilson, is a world authority on these amazing animals. He has dedicated his life, travelling around the world, to understand these. Through his eyes and his words we will be transported into the world of the ants. A world more wonderful and bizarre than any science fiction. "Ants" will reveal this alien world for the first time, in the company of a true authority and enthusiast."
This particular clip shows the excavation of a plastered nest of a colony of ants, described by the narrator as a "secret megalopolis" or "city-state."
Submitted by aglaser [Write Review]
Friskies Adventureland Commercial Friskies, unknown Related animal: Cat This is a really cute and funny commercial that combined film with animal performance talent (somewhat) to create. It is very silly, cute, and enjoyable. I just thought it was funny and should be posted on the site
Submitted by alliharrod [Write Review]
The Postmodern Animal
Steve Baker "In The Postmodern Animal, Steve Baker explores how animal imagery has been used in modern and contemporary art and performance, and in postmodern philosophy and literature, to suggest and shape ideas about identity and creativity. Baker cogently analyses the work of such European and American artists as Olly and Suzi, Mark Dion, Paula Rego and Sue Coe, at the same time looking critically at the constructions, performances and installations of Robert Rauschenberg, Louise Bourgeois, Joseph Beuys and other significant late twentieth-century artists. Baker's book draws parallels between the animal's place in postmodern art and poststructuralist theory, drawing on works as diverse as Jacques Derrida's recent analysis of the role of animals in philosophical thought and Julian Barnes's best-selling Flaubert's Parrot."
I have only read selected chapters so far but they are thought provoking and also functions as an overview of how artists have treated the subject of the human/non-human animal relationship.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Elephants Can Paint Too!
Katya Arnold Related animal: Elephant Children's book about elephant paining. Of course it is questionable if we can consider painting made by elephants or other non-humans directed by a human.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
CARTA: Aesthetics in Infants and Is There Animal Art? Daniel Povinelli Related animal: Chimpanzee Cue to 29:20.
presentation in CARTA's Evolutionary Origins of Art and Aesthetic Series.
Povinelli is very critical to the idea of non-human animals producing art. However his concept of art is very limited and uninformed. It is basically defined as a process dealing with beauty and resulting in an object such as sculpture or painting.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Animal/Human connectionRelated animal: Lion Besides the cheesy background music with this video, I found this to be an amazing story and video. It displays a very deep connection between different species and speaks to the possibilities of connecting with non-human animals that many may have not thought possible.
Submitted by jordenh [Write Review]
Are Animals Autistic Savants? Giorgio Vallortigara,* Allan Snyder, Gisela Kaplan Paper debunking Temple Grandin's claim that autistic people are similar to animals n terms of cognition. INteresting and interesting response by Grandin. What I don't get with Grandin is her insistence that humans think in language and that our memories are in language (while hers is not). Maybe i am also autistic, but my memories are for sure not in language (unless I recollect a discussion). And neither are my thoughts (except if I think about what I want to say). WHo is it that said we think in thoughts?
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Obey the Pure Breed Unknown This is a humorous website of an artist whose work mocks "authoritarian/totalitarian" propaganda by placing the faces of animals in the limelight as the fictional ruler that all are under. It is quite hilarious.
Submitted by alliharrod [Write Review]
Museum of Animal Perspectives Sam Easterson A series of movies created by attaching cameras to animals. Interesting because you really get a sense of what interests the animal. However the comfort of the animals is questionable, and it might be more of a use of animals that a collaboration with animals.
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Unknown Collaboration: Viruses Nathan Wolfe Related animals: Monkey, Viruses Nathan Wolfe studies the early interface of viral movement known as viral chatter. This is the idea that we can study the movement of viruses from animals to humans and, thus catches them before they become completely adapted human viruses. He goes into the field and studies populations that have constant contact with wild animals and monitor and identify the viruses in the animals and the humans and how these viruses move from one species to another.
Hunters are asked to collect blood from the Bush meat they catch and eat and Wolfe uses the specimens to map viruses. Bush meat is a huge issue where humans are eating animals that have viruses because of food instability and economic equality. Thus we cannot blame HIV on the Bushmen of central Africa who are bridging the viruses from animals to humans.
Now, 10 years later they have discovered that if you look in the right place you can monitor the viruses coming into humans. Logging roads have allowed these viruses to move into urban areas and expand out of the rural tribes. The Global Viral Forecasting Initiative casts a wide net to watch viruses to prevent new viruses from getting to blood banks, sexual networks, and airplanes.
I think this project if very interesting for our interspecies collaboration class because this type of collaboration enables a third party’s success. Humans eating wild animals allow viruses to move from one species to another. Unknowingly, humans and non-human species are continuing in a circle of life that creates new viruses that can cause unforeseen harm to a species. Though Wolfe’s work focuses on preventing epidemics in the human species, he is also helping other species because he is educating the public on the dangers of eating animals that have viruses that effect humans. His work may promote a world where humans are aware that eating a wild animal kills, hurts that species, but is dangerous to their health as well. In the end, predation, which our 130 class has talked about being a destructive interspecies experience, is collaborative for viruses which are also living organism and therefore could be seen as potential collaborators.
Submitted by serena [Write Review]
Potty Trained Pigs Keep Rivers Clean Chang Chung-tou Chan Chung-tou, a pig farmer in Taiwan, taught his hogs to use a litter box to refrain from polluting the river. He has also saved 50% more water and helped him avoid fines for pollution by environmental authorities. Other farmers are being encouraged to follow Chan's lead and train their own pigs. Potty training also helps the pigs because they naturally like to be in a clean environment and gives them something to do and learn.
Submitted by serena [Write Review]
Tera Galanti: Wings Tera Galanti Related animal: Silk Moth Tera Galanti, a local artist in Los Osas who recently showed at the Contemporary Arts Forum's 2009 Call For Entries Exhibition, works with animals in her art. In "Wings" she created environments where silk moths could return to their wild/original state so newer generations could fly again. http://teragalanti.com/home.html
Submitted by serena [Write Review]
Intelligent Design Exhibition multiple artists exhibition Artists in the exhibition collaborate with cockroaches, pigeons, dogs, cats, ants, bears, baboons, rats, spiders, trout, and other species, which may be domesticated, imaginary, laboratory, modeled, or wild. Curious about the animal's point of view, artists design their projects as a form of conversation or inquiry about the nonhuman world. Their artwork challenges the anthropocentric perspective of the world, placing human perception on par with other animals. Inspired by Darwin, the environmental movement, and species collapse, Intelligent Design envisions a paradigm shift in which human beings are no longer the center of the Universe.
The exhibition will also stimulate discussions about the differences and similarities of how the arts and sciences approach the world, animals as products, animal rights, conservation, and speciesism, as a form of prejudice against animals. Intelligent Design will be the first exhibition in the U.S. to explore interspecies art, coming on the heels of several exhibitions and conferences in the UK this year that explored the topic in light of this year's 200-year celebration of Charles Darwin's birth.
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Submitted by serena [Write Review]
Santa Cruz IslandRelated animal: Dolphin The weekend spent in Santa Cruz Island was wonderful! We were very lucky to have seen a diverse and wide variety of beautiful animals. Just as we left Ventura, we saw a pod of dolphins consisting of about 100-300! It was the first time that I had ever seen a wild dolphin and words cannot explain the feeling of witnessing something so beautiful in mother nature. We also saw about ten humpback whales through out the trip, which was just spectacular. When we were on our way to the island we saw hundreds of dolphins swimming through the sea. Then unexpectedly, a sea lion came out of nowhere and began to copy the dolphins! It was hysterical. Obviously the poor sea lion wasn’t as graceful nor as fast as the rest of his/her dolphin friends, but it was just precious to see this sea lion try to become one with the dolphins and he/she loved the attention that we gave him! Of course the most memorable moment of the trip was when the humpback whale was so close to us that when he opened his mouth, we could smell his or her breath! It was gross, but also quite amazing at the same time. I found myself collaborating with the plants and nature when we went on our hikes just as much as I collaborated with the non-humans of the island. I took some beautiful photo’s of the dolphins, humpback whales, interesting spiders and luckily a small, slightly blurry photo of a bald eagle right before we left the island on Monday. I did see quite a lot of foxes, but never was around my camera to capture the moment. But sometimes I think it is more important to just enjoy the moment while it lasts instead of stressing to find a camera to capture the image. Overall, it was an amazing trip. Spotting thousands of dolphins, nearly ten humpback whales, interesting spiders, little cute foxes (who steal socks) and last but not least a bald eagle! It was a great experience and I cannot wait to go back and visit all of my nonhuman friends ☺
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Submitted by tanasa [Write Review]
Dolphin Dreamtime : Jim NollmanRelated animal: Dolphin Nollman's work describes his encounters with orcas, whales, and buffalo, encounters in which he used musical instruments to create a dialogue. The book opens with the Australian aborigine concept of "dreaming," and in the final chapters reinforces that idea in a discussion of Nollman'sconcepts of intelligence, interspecies comradeship, and natural wisdom. The book conveys the author's joy and sense of brotherhood in communicating with animals.
Submitted by nusia [Write Review]
Leonard TwoRelated animal: Cat Number two of the best of the pieces made together with Leonard the cat this quarter.
Submitted by nce [Write Review]
Leonard ThreeRelated animal: Cat Number three of the best of the pieces made by me and Leonard the cat over the quarter.
Submitted by nce [Write Review]
Leonard FourRelated animal: Cat Number four in the best of the pieces created by me and Leonard throughout the course of the quarter.
Submitted by nce [Write Review]
Humpback whale from santa cruz islandRelated animals: Bald Eagle, Dolphin, Foxe, Humpback Whale
Submitted by tanasa [Write Review]
Built By Animals: the Natural History of Animal Architecture Mike Hansell Related animals: Beaver, Bower Bird, Butterfly, Camel, Caribou, Cat, Cheetah, Chicken, Chimpanzee, Chinchilla, Clownfish, Cockatoo, Cockroach, Conure, Corn Snake, Cow, Coy Fish, Coyote, Crab, Crane, Cricket, Crow, Deer, Desert Rabbit, Dingo, Dog, Dolphin, Domestic Pet, Dragonfly, Ducks (Mallard), Ducks (Not Mallard), Elephant, Ferret, Firefish, Fish, Flea, Fly, Fox, Frog, Frogs, Garibaldi, Giraffe, Goat, Gorilla, Green Mandarin, Grizzly Bear, Ground Squirrel, Hamster, Hawk, Hermit Crab, Hippo, Honey Badger, Horse, Human, Hummingbird, Hump Back Whale, Humpback Whale, Imaginary Monkey, Insect, Island Skunk, Kitten, Koi, Koi Fish, Ladybug, Lion, Lizard, Llama, Lovebird, Lyrebird, Macaw, Mallard Duck, Mice, Minature Horse, Mole, Monkey, Mosquito, Mosquito Eater, Moth, Mule Deer, Ocelot, Octopus, Orca, Ostrich, Owl, Parakeet, Parrot, Parrotlet, Pelagics, Peregrine Falcon, Pig, Pigeon, Polar Bear, Pond Life, Pot Belly Pig, Pot-Bellied Pig, Powder Blue Tang, Puffer Fish, Quail, Rabbit, Raccoon, Rat, Raven, Rockfish, Rooster, Salamander, Scrub Jay, Sea Lion, Sea Urchin, Seagull, Seahorse, Seal, Shark, Silk Moth, Skunk, Snail, Snake, Spider, Termite An emeritus professor of Animal Architecture at the University of Glasgow studies how animals shape their own environments from a distinctively human perspective on construction. He argues that less intelligent species can still create highly intelligent designs
Submitted by mreeves [Write Review]
A VIsual Reference to the Sounds of Bradley Baxter IIIFor my final project I have decided to portray a visual reference of the video I recorded of my dog, Bradley Baxter III playing the piano for the first time. I decided to use pen and ink for my interpretation. I listened to the one-minute video of Bradley playing the piano and closed my eyes. I wanted to portray a way to view the notes he was playing, how long he held each key, etc. I decided to go about this project by using the method of blind contour. I listened to the notes he played about twenty times and closed my eyes. Then I got a piece of paper, put my pen and ink to the page and with my eyes closed I began to move my hand across the page, up and down as I listened to notes he would play. By doing this, I exercised my ears to correspond with the movement of my hand (without the knowledge of my eyes) in response to Bradley’s melody. I found the video very interesting to watch how he reacted on the piano and the sounds he made, however I also wanted to specify the actual notes he played and how exactly he played them. The song tended to be based off of the lower tuned chords, which was interesting since of course those chords are the deepest and most dramatic of all. It was a bit difficult however interesting to make an art piece based off of the sounds of a dog on a piano for the first time. I demonstrated the blind contour drawing about six different times and each time when I opened my eyes after the song was done, I noticed a particular frequent pattern. As similar as the lines on the paper look, they are each unique in their own way. It was very therapeutic to portray art solely based off of the sounds of my pet. I felt a connection with him that I have never felt before. A deeper one, depicted by our senses of sound and art. The visual imagery was only unleashed after I opened my eyes each time. By using the blind contour method, I was able to completely focus on the sound and I simply let it take my hand wherever it decided to go across the page.
Submitted by tanasa [Write Review]
some pictures from KorkieRelated animal: Cat
Submitted by avid [Write Review]Review by avid (06/03/10 11:43:19):
The first or second day I got him. He was soooo tiny
"Thief in the Night"Related animal: Raccoon
Submitted by martincs [Write Review]Review by martincs (06/13/10 18:45:48):
"This is an image i painted remembering an interaction i had with a friendly neighborhood raccoon. he sat atop of a gazebo in the back yard and looked down towards me as i stood and chatted with him for a while. normally whenever a raccoon wandered into our yard, they tend to just ignore and run about their business, but this time there was a memorable collaboration."
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Submitted by avid [Write Review]Review by avid (06/03/10 11:42:20):
My bags are usually really heavy so a few pounds isn't really noticeable, BUT once my bag started moving around I noticed Korkie had invited himself out with us!
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Submitted by avid [Write Review]Review by avid (06/03/10 11:40:39):
He only plays with them, he has never tried eating them =)
Ducks Interacting with Each OtherRelated animal: Mallard Duck I just saw this video of two ducks on youtube and I thought it was interesting. I am so used to seeing mates of two ducks already together that it's funny to seeing the competition of picking a female.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9dfnEDcIYY
Submitted by mlinggi [Write Review]
Stealth CatRelated animal: Cat Although this is found on collegehumor, it clearly represents the sophisticated idea of working together with animals. Plus I couldn't stop laughing the first time I watched it. It's pretty cute.
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1830253
Submitted by mlinggi [Write Review]Review by LisaJ (06/14/10 15:29:22):
Very cute and funny! Not sure why it would be called college humor, maybe I have been "in college" for too long.
Ghoti Sounds Orange Juic, Creamsicle, Michael Martinez Related animal: Fish This a auditory map of my goldfishes movements during our art show opening
Submitted by MichaelM [Write Review]
Art by Animals Exhibit Related animals: Ape, Elephant, Gorilla, Monkey This is a video on the recent "Art by Animals" exhibit shown at the University College London. The paintings displayed were created by different zoo animals such as elephants, gorillas, and orangutans. The art was made when the handlers trained the animals to touch their brush to paper in exchange for a treat. The video brings up the question of whether this could be considered art, because it does not seem that the animals are using painting as a form of self expression, they are merely repeating a command that they have been taught. However, painting is a human invented form of self expression and maybe in the animal world they have their own methods, such as birds singing.
Submitted by croakn [Write Review]
Artist Animal
Steve Baker "Animals have always been compelling subjects for artists, but the rise of animal advocacy and posthumanist thought has prompted a reconsideration of the relationship between artist and animal. In this book, Steve Baker examines the work of contemporary artists who directly confront questions of animal life, treating animals not for their aesthetic qualities or as symbols of the human condition but rather as beings who actively share the world with humanity."
Submitted by LisaJ [Write Review]
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary David Sedaris Related animals: Bird, Cat, Chicken, Dog, Fox, Ground Squirrel, Human, Mice, Monkey, Squirrel, Tortoise A book written by famous, comic writer, David Sedaris. It contains a series of short stories about a variety of animals from dogs to owls. I think he does a good job of anthropomorphizing the animals while maintaining their inherit animal characteristics.
Submitted by Ttapscott [Write Review]
Insects and humans: a relationship recorded in visual art Barret Anthony Klein I found this article while trying to research the relationship that people have with insects. This article explains how insects were used in art hundreds of years ago and also the contemporary art that is being made today. It also explains different ways that people view insects
Submitted by marissa [Write Review]
Bird's Eye ViewRelated animal: Peregrine Falcon While we were on Santa Cruz Island someone wondered why no one had experimented with capturing what a bird sees while it is flying. I found this video a couple of weeks ago about a team of scientists who have developed a camera light enough to strap to the back of a peregrine falcon. The footage of the birds going through the forest really shows the type of agility necessary to glide through all of the trees.
Submitted by croakn [Write Review]
Some we Love, Some we Hate, Some we Eat Hal Herzog This book has been one of my all time favorite recourses on human and animal interactions. The book is composed of short allegories from various people in various situations involving animals, from working in a lab and experimenting on cats, to getting your first dog, to eating steak with your kids, to little boys who hurt ants with magnifying glasses. The author is a some-what progressive philosopher/professor and is NOT vegetarian, which makes it a less bias read. I found this book eye opening, easy to read, and I quote it all the time!
Submitted by mwanamaker [Write Review]
Why do 'single' birds dance? Jeremy COles Related animal: Bird It has been observed that all species of crane, at all ages engage in a sort of dance. This article discusses the possible reasons behind such dancing, since it doesn't necessarily correlate with mate attraction.
Submitted by vkittle [Write Review]
Thinking about Dogs as If They Were People: Is Anthropomorphism a Sin? Stanley Coren, Ph.D. Related animal: Dog This is an interesting article which discusses the issue of anthropomorphism in regards to how we think of dogs. The author of this article suggests that we view the behavior of dogs in a similar way that we view the behavior of very young children. He has received criticism for being too anthropomorphic in his view of dogs.
Submitted by vkittle [Write Review]
Interspecies Art ShowThis is a description of an art show that took place in 2009. The concept behind this show is very similar to the aims of this class. Its an interesting comparison.
Submitted by vkittle [Write Review]
Insects, Art, and IRelated animal: Insect This video is about an artist who incorporates Polaroid pictures of dead bugs he finds around his house into his art pieces. Super awesome.
Submitted by marissa [Write Review]
How to Build a Nest One Step at a TimeRelated animal: Bird This artist created a robin nest. He made one for each step that the robin uses to make them to show the robin's nest making progress.
Submitted by marissa [Write Review]
Humpback Whale FreedRelated animal: Whale Here's a video of a boat load of whale researchers working to free a humpback whale that has become trapped in fishing nets in the Sea of Cortez. After the whale was freed it thanked the researchers by putting on an hour long show of appreciation.
Submitted by croakn [Write Review]
Chimps Learn to Collaborate!Related animal: Chimpanzee This is an article about new research looking into the origins of collaboration and how animals pick individuals to work together with. Researchers developed a system where chimpanzees would get a treat only if two of them pulled on ropes at the same time. After a while the chimps picked up on which animals were the best to work together with and would always chose to be their partners. They would even chose to work with the more collaborative chimps over the alphas of their group.
Submitted by croakn [Write Review]
Animals made of ArtRelated animal: Spider Crab Here is a TED Talks lecture on the artwork of Theo Jansen. Using mostly piping and glass bottles he creates kinetic sculptures that resemble crabs and centipedes and he releases them onto beaches. They are able to move on their own using energy from the wind and can detect when they get too close to the ocean. His goal is to create new "species" of art animals that are able to sustain themselves on the beaches without his help. Watching his artworks move is incredible and is an amazing study of animal movements.
Submitted by croakn [Write Review]
Underwater Crop Circles Douglas Main Related animal: Puffer Fish When the issue of aesthetics among non-human animals arises, bowerbirds are generally the first name on people's lips. However, this recent discovery from 2013 shows that fish are capable of similar feats. The pufferfish not only make these beautiful radial patterns, but decorate them with shell and coral as well!
Submitted by monaluo [Write Review]Review by LisaJ (04/26/14 14:34:06):
Beautiful! had not heard about these before.
Could we speak the language of dolphins? Denise Herzing Related animal: Dolphin For 28 years, Denise Herzing has spent five months each summer living with a pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins, following three generations of family relationships and behaviors. It's clear they are communicating with one another — but is it language? Could humans use it too? She shares a fascinating new experiment to test this idea.
Submitted by rcfleming [Write Review]
How Wolves Change RiversThis video demonstrates the interspecies relationships created by the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone, as well as how these interactions can affect all forms of living and nonliving systems.
Submitted by montana [Write Review]
The Story of the Weeping CamelRelated animal: Camel For a more uplifting documentary than "Saving Luna" please consider "The Story of the Weeping Camel". It is a beautifully shot documentary recording a family out in the plains of Mongolia. A mother camel goes in protracted labor, eventually birthing a white camel baby. However, she refuses to nurse the baby. The family tries many ways to make the mother feed the baby, but she seems to want nothing to do with it. Eventually the family calls upon a musician to perform a special ritual. He plays on his instrument while a woman sings. The begins to weep, then finally allows the baby to feed.
It sounds strange and far-fetched, but it is an amazing and beautiful film. I have seen it four times and would not mind at all to see it again.
Submitted by monaluo [Write Review]
The cause of why bees are dying? Related animal: Bee http://www.vice.com/read/looks-like-the-leftist-fringe-was-right-about-whats-killing-the-bees
Submitted by luis [Write Review]