My essay focuses on human and animal relationships. In particular Homo sapiens dominance over the rest of the animal kingdom. I investigate and approach the topic through the postmodern and evolutionary perspectives. I focus on the theory that it is Homo sapiens advanced language skills that allowed them to communicate in larger Homo sapien bands and communicate ideas that do not literally exist which belong under the term 'shared myths'. An example of a shared myth is Christianity or corporations like Apple. It is this ability to communicate in large sapien bands and believe in shared myths that allowed them to work together in order to dominate over other species, e.g. work as a team to round them up and catch them, to farm them, to slaughter them; shared myths created animal deities in order to please and offer sacrifices to the threatening animals they were fearful of and to create shared social norms of what animals are non threatening and thus suitable as pets such as domesticated cats and dogs.
Why did I not attempt to create a post modern animal?
I actually find the idea of the postmodern animal a very controversial one. I don't think personally that it is ever possible to create a postmodern animal in the regards that it will always be a humans interpretation of the animal; it will never be a true representation of the animal itself. However in some opinions the postmodern animal is something that acts as an obstacle. In this case my work will be a postmodern animal, as it aims to confront and intercept into the ongoing discourse about the Homo sapiens relationship with animals. My work will do this because it will display human portrayals of an extinct make-believe animal, the animal will incorporate many of the characteristics such as horns and fur that Homo sapiens kill animals for. It will show off the amazing garments and tools that the animal was used for that helped aid in the survival of the Homo sapien and how Homo sapiens killed the mothers to take the cute babies of the species as pets. It will also show the threat of the adult, almost like how we feel about dragons, and the magic of the animal, like how we feel about unicorns. However we do not have museum collections based on unicorns and dragons like we do on dinosaurs. I don't want this to have a sci-fi feel I want it to be more looking into the evolutionary perspective on human dominance over animals. To look into our psychology, individual and as group, and how we are the biggest threat as a species to the rest of the animal kingdom. It is not animal rights, as this itself is a shared myth!!
It is actually just social documentary about how Homo sapiens are in reality, even though I am doing this through using a make-believe fictional animal! The themes and actions of the Homo sapiens are not make-believe or fictional though, we do this to animals every day!
Relevent information from the previous post concerning the important books I will be using:
Title: Stuffed animals and pickled heads: the culture of natural history museums.
Author: Asma, Stephen T.
Why: I want to create a make-believe animal but create human 'evidence' for the existence of this animal. We rely on human evidence heavily to suggest history of both ourselves and animals and nature. Be this folk tales, artwork, jewelry or garments. A cabinet of curiosities is the type of collection I want to make but I will investigate more into this particularly through research in this specific book. The made up animal will be incorporating animal elements such as horns, fur and feathers, that humans take from the dead animal to use for their own aesthetic or tools. I also wanted to show the main theory of why Homo sapiens are so powerful; language/communication but in particular the ability to believe in shared myths. Shared myths range from religion to corporations like Green Peace. The imagined animal I create will be a shared myth... the evidence will be jewelry and garments showing how we take from animals, but also wall paintings showing the history and threat of the animal, plush toys of the baby animal or photographs with the baby as pet. and artwork/shrines to the animal as a deity, that show the power of shared myths and thus the power of humans.
Title: Finders, keepers: eight collectors.
Author: Purcell, Rosalind Wolff; Gould, Stephen Jay
Why: Collections; this book will also be really helpful regarding my made-up animal.
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