Brendan Fernandes, Rachel Hellner, Kelly O'Dette, Kenneth Raddatz | Pack Moves

Curated by Brad Isaacs

Opening Reception: September 5, 7-9:30pm
Supercrawl: September 13 and Saturday September 14, 12-11pm
Kidscrawl: September 13, 11:30am-3:30pm

Pack Moves, a meditation on human-animal relationships, addresses the notion of the individual versus the pack. The “packing” of animals performs a protective social function. However, in terms of taxonomies, thinking of animals as a species rather than as individuals affords them little in the way of self-determination. Grouped scientifically, animals are reduced to a physical description and a list of characteristics. Alternately, “unpacking” could be theorized as an animal being singled out from the group, as when hunted, or when recognized as an autonomous entity. The term also invokes the more literal, visceral reality of animal dissection, in addition to philosophical inquiry. What happens when animals are singled out? What lies in the resultant tense area of vulnerability and agency? The works in this exhibition, produced by Brendan Fernandes, Rachel Hellner, Kenneth Raddatz and Kelly O'Dette, gesture towards the implications of these problems, both for animals and for ourselves.