Animal Instinct

The diversity of animal imagery in Animal Instinct reveals the wide-ranging roles animals inhabit in an anthropocentric world. From wild beasts to loyal companions, artists help viewers reflect on their connections to animals and the myriad roles that various creatures play in our lives. Several of the works tap into the human desire to anthropomorphize creatures in order to better understand them, while others explore the endearing emotional bonds between humans and animals. From Kate Javen’s (American, b. 1959) poetic painting of a bison named for a historical anarchist to Alen MacWeeney’s (Irish, b. 1939) majestic photograph of a white horse in Donegal, Ireland, this exhibition offers a chance to reflect on our relationships with animals and how they are an intrinsic part of our lives.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website