Abstract

The physical gap between species is closed, even if only for a moment, when they touch, and can be important for how we physically and psychologically relate to that which we perceive as other. This is central to the research in ‘Licking Dogs,’ a single screen video projection, that analyses the patriarchal notion that women are more social and animal than men, and how this becomes apparent when seen to physically engage with a non-human animal species.
A concern was to explore acceptable and appropriate relations between a female human and four dogs, marked aggressive or anti-social by their breed characteristics. The implied danger presented by the dogs (who are considered to possess dangerous or anxiety provoking mouths) reflects back onto the woman positioned as agitator to provoke questions regarding her status. The canine and human mouths exchange licks, which challenges appropriate levels of intimacy across socio-biological boundaries. A collision of animality and humanity is engaged, which raises questions about the parameters of each participant. An analysis of each participant is presented and preconceptions challenged. Through this it becomes possible to question the appropriateness of my action as the human, and supposedly more ‘social’ being, and about the preconception of dogs as biting, aggressive animals.
Art and Language and Raster Gallery selected me as one of twenty-five artists represented in East International 2009 (submission 1,028; 8,965 visitors), East Video, and East Discourse. ‘Licking Dogs’ was one of four works selected by Magdalena Kownacka for East Goes East, Bunkier Sztuki, Krakow. The research has also shown at The Future Can Wait London 2008, Animalism at National Media Museum 2009, The Animal Gaze (London 2008; Plymouth 2009; Sheffield 2011), V Kunst at Galerie Schuster 2009 and 3 Worlds in 1: London International curated by Edward Lucie-Smith at KCCC, Klaipeda, 2011.