Rickie Lea Owens, 1 may, 2013.
By nature or by arf is a two-channel video installation. In one projection, a series of dog video portraits play, in the other, the artists’ reenactment. Owens is inspired byevolutionary biology, especially domestication and the co-evolution of dogs and humans.
One aspect of dogs’ success as companion-animals is their ability to read the human face and their awareness of human gaze. By nature or by arf reverses the burden of interpretation from dogs to humans, rethinking human dominion over other species. If our physiology determines our philosophy, by nature or by art is also about learning through the attempt at mimicking anothers’ posture and perspective.
About the artist
Rickie Lea Owensis an artist and technologist who creates toys and animated images for the public consideration of play and power. Her work has been exhibited across Canada, and screened in American and European theatres. She lectures and teaches workshops for people of all ages on the subjects of interactivity and animation and also works professionally as an animator, programmer, installation technician, and consultant specializing in new media. She lives an works in Montréal, Québec, Canada.