Keywords
interspecies art
animal creativity
How to Cite
Abstract
ABSTRACT
This article explores how the image of animals—specifically the octopus—has shifted in contemporary art from passive symbol or exotic spectacle to creative agent within the framework of the Chthulucene. Drawing on animal studies, ethology, and evolutionary aesthetics, and guided by theorists such as Deleuze, Haraway, and Morton, among others, the paper advocates for animal’s expression as a form of art. The octopus, known for its intelligence and unique physiology, is central to artworks that challenge anthropocentric views. Case studies include installations and performances by Pascal Marcel Dreier, Hörner/Antlfinger, Shimabuku, Laitinen, and Madison Bycroft, which engage in interspecies communication and relational aesthetics. These artistic practices invite sensitive, non-linear, and empathetic ways of knowing that destabilize binary and positivist thinking. Recognizing animal creativity is proposed as both a political and ethical act—one that expands the field of art and repositions the human.
KEYWORDS
Tentacular aesthetics, Interspecies art, Animal creativity
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