INTERSPECIES COLLABORATION GUIDE By Natasha Lloyd Tyler Beckert (05/09/06 13:33:27)
In order to attempt a collaboration with a member of another species, there are several questions which must first be answered:
- What species do you plan on collaborating with?
Chosing an appropriate species is essential to conducting your collaboration. What resources you have available, as well as your own capabilities, must be taken into account.
- What form of art (if any) will you be attempting to create?
Decide what medium you plan to use (paint, music, digital, etc.) during your collaboration.
- Why are you attempting to communicate with this particular species?
Does this species possess any capabilities that would lend themselves to a particular method of collaboration? Any prior knowledge or experience with this species could be helpful.
- What method of communication will you be using to collaborate with this animal?
Different species interact and communicate in a variety of ways. Have you selected a method of collaboration this is realistically feasible?
- What supplies/permissions/etc. will you need to begin?
Determine if you will require any specialized equipment or permits prior to collaborating with another species. Access to exotic or endangered animals is often restricted.
Once you have these primary questions answered, you are ready to begin your collaboration. When starting work with another species, keep these 5 principles in mind:
- Patience is essential. The obvious communication barrier between yourself and another species will require time and effort to overcome.
- Respect for the animal and its habitat are of primary importance. In order to conduct an ethical collaboration, nature and the animal itself must not be harmed or disturbed in any way.
- Organized methods of collaboration and data collection will be crucial to a successful project. Since you are exploring a new and unpredictable field, any records you retain during collaboration could prove useful.
- Research your subject prior to collaboration. Past observations or scientific studies may yield new possibilities for your collaboration. If others have collaborated with this animal in the past, what methods have proved successful?
- Equal contribution between yourself and the other species will provide for the most interesting collaboration. Third party observation of another species could hardly be considered a collaboration, whereas a conscious interaction will open a whole new range of possibilities.
During our own collaborative efforts, we have encountered many difficulties and obstacles. Based on our experience, here are some helpful hints to remember during the collaboration process. Included are real-life accounts of problems that were encountered during an interspecies collaboration.
- Flexibility of your ideas, process, and timeframe are important when collaborating with others. Be prepared for cancellations, compromises, possible disagreements, etc..
o “When attempting to collaborate on a photography project with a chimpanzee, I soon learned that flexibility would be the most important virtue. The owner has given me three dates to arrive at the training facility and all three have been cancelled 1 day prior to the event. Keeping an open schedule and allowing for these set backs has prevented me from having to cancel the collaboration.”
- Communicating with others, even those who are not involved in a similar project, can yield new and interesting ideas. Talking to friends and family about what you are working on can provide new insight.
o “Before I opened my project up for conversation I only had a basic outline of what I wished to accomplish with the chimps. After hearing several ideas and interpretations of my collaboration, I arrived at new and improved ideas and possible means of communication with the chimps.”
- Have a backup plan in case something goes wrong. Interspecies collaboration is often unpredictable, and situations may arise where a planned course of action may prove impossible or insufficient. A new location, method of interaction, or even a new species may be necessary in order to successfully collaborate.
o “As previously mentioned, the dates for the chimpanzee collaboration have been a problem, so I developed a backup plan. I am now working on a different project using dogs which I have ready access to. The chimp project is “on hold” while I work on a separate collaboration. This backup plan is key in allowing me to continue in collaboration while waiting for my original project to actually occur.”
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