Animals: Art, Science and Sound
British Library, 2023

An exhibition about how documenting the animal world has resulted in some of humankind’s most awe-inspiring art, science and sound recordings. The exhibition is a centuries-long journey through sound recordings, manuscripts and artworks.

The introduction wall displays a multiscreen video of modern natural history films - typically the way we experience Animals today. Following this the visitor encounters four different Animal habitats.

The first is “Darkness”- a cave-like space constructed of strips of black fabric like striated rock, culminating in an high opening through which we see a projected night sky with animated bats, owls and foxes.

Next “Water” - twisted paper strips evoke sunlight penetrating deep water, or kelp forests. Beyond this “Land’ which is evoked through suspended overlapping skies forming a layered misty-mountain effect.

The setworks are minimal and lightweight with a low environmental impact, comprised of multiple paper-like or fabric strips suspended to fill the space and evoke a series of explorable and very different habitats.

After Land we move through a forest of tree trunks - made form suspended black ribbons - where Birds are exhibited in the “Air” section.  Fine fabric voiles emerge from between the trees like wind currents and are gently animated by fans, fluttering over the final area of insects.

The objects are displayed with printed backgrounds which create different landscapes, water or air and flying effects which are composed from tiny details taken from the animal drawing within the books on display. Bubbles in water are in fact suckers from octopus tentacles, rolling hills are the haunches of horses from the Stubb’s drawings.