Animalia

Humans have always exhibited a fascination with animals. Cave art throughout the world, for instance, illustrates how animals have played a significant role in human culture for thousands of years. The term “animalia”, almost always used in scientific contexts, refers to a grouping which encompasses all animals – including humans. The aim of borrowing this term to denote this year’s KKNK visual arts theme is to create a focus on various forms of human-animal relationships.

Throughout history humans have displayed an interest in and connection to nature, forming relationships and eventual bonds with animals. It is likely that the first interactions with animals were centred on humans obtaining resources from them, such as meat, bones and skins. However, as humans continued to coexist with other animals, humans found similarities between themselves and the animals they encountered. Animals were eventually included in cultural ceremonies through worship, sacrifice, and symbolism. The increased interaction with animals eventually led to anthropomorphising or ascribing human characteristics to animals.

Visit this exhibition from 23 to 30 March until 18:00 and on 31 March until 14:00

While early human-animal relations were more utilitarian, the role of animals changed, evolving to include companionship. However, links between animals and humans are ever-evolving. Today, relationships with animals vary greatly, ranging from non-pet animals used in service and production (i.e. for clothing, food, entertainment and research) to the most beloved family pet.

While many of these connections might be positive (think of humans’ love for pets, or rehabilitation and conservation), others might be problematic. Artists and curators are encouraged to interpret the topic in any way they see fit. This might include exploring the human-animal bond or human-animal dependency. The various similarities between animals and humans might also yield fascinating results, as would an inquiry of differences. Such examinations might touch upon additional themes such as human dignity and humanness. Negative attributes in human behaviour, especially violent and impulse-driven conduct, are branded as animalistic. On the other side, positive attributes in animal behaviour are often anthropomorphised. Are these shared attributes an indication of a superficial divide maintained between animals and humans or are they merely isolated and incidental similarities?

Another avenue worth probing is the symbolic meanings often attached to different animals, as seen in fairy tales, various mythologies as well as animal iconography visible throughout the history of art. However, exhibitions do not focus on animals per se. Explorations of human centred issues, characteristics and ideas also add to the overall theme.

Humans have complex and multifaceted connections to animals and the consideration of these relationships might be particularly illuminating for discovering what it might mean to be human.