O T
M E T
Claudine Gisèle Fernández
T O T E M
FIRST EDITION Photgraphy © 2013 by Claudine G Fernandez. Text © 2013 by Blake Beaver Felice Feit Amanda Lee Onyebuchi Udorzorh Hayward Leach Supreeti Sharma Dan Fethke Dominka Fiona Evan Sumortin Natalia Maymi Jose Samuel Clair King John Pascual Camille Coy Pilar Garcia Brown & Claudine Fernandez All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conditions. Edit and Design by Claudine G Fernandez.
TOTEM Meet me in the wild
Claudine Gisèle Fernández
P R O J E C T
P R E F A C E
(A.K.A. WHAT WAS I THINKING?) Totem came about from my adoration and respect for nature. It was truly one of the greatest sources of joy in my life when not much joy was to be found elsewhere. Just as it helped me, I wish to help it in the little ways I can even if that means making silly photographs of my face-painted friends. I wished to unearth some of my friends’ own take on nature by physically making them identity with animals. I often find that our generation is plagued with branding animals as “cool”. They become an accessory on a t-shit, handbag, or facebook cover. More often than not, they do not want to hear about poaching or how these animals’ habitats are in danger or how they can help. But does it really make them apathetic to animals or more interested in them? I wanted to find out. This was my fun little experiment. And my friends were my guinea pigs. Initially leaving it up to my only too excited participants to choose their own spirit animal, I realized that their selections were biased in terms of the animal’s physicality. I found a website that linked each individual person’s birthdate to a specific animal and provided an analysis of that person’s “spirit”. Choice was eliminated and fate came into the picture. My bad.
The results were spectacular. This new approach initiated a process of acceptance in the spirit animal the person was given. With a questionnaire, I discovered that some were unhappy with the animal they received but remarked it was very accurate. Others did not even question it. And yet others, such as myself, were pleasantly surprised with the animal they received in light of what they thought they could be. In metamorphosing part of their face, they were able to reconcile with their animal’s form as well as what they establish about their personality. Every person’s unique approach to the questions I gave them was even more satisfying. They provided me with a wide array of my contemporaries’ thought processes on wildlife. It gave me food for thought. This blurring of the species allowed for my friends and myself to get in touch with our inner child, our inner animal, our inner spirit...
QUESTIONNAIRE: • How would you describe your interest in animals and nature in general terms? • What was your initial reaction to your receiving your spirit animal? • What are specific descriptions or quotes from the Spirit Animal analysis that were accurate for you? Which ones were not? • Have you ever heard of or were familiar with any facts about your animal before? Is it an endangered species? • When you found out your spirit animal did you go and look up a photo or facts about your animal? What did you find out? Or was it less about the facts but more about the physicality of your animal? • Do you enjoy wearing or making animals a topic of social media? • Do you think that this “commodification” of animals desensitizes yourself and/or others to what an animal actually is and the reality it faces daily that is largely ignored (despite them being represented everywhere)?
• Do you tend to believe or think that endangered species or issues with the environment are second to issues concerning humans such as politics, the economy, or human rights? • What is your resulting sentiment towards your spirit animal after all this?
WE’RE ANIMALS. WE’RE BORN LIKE EVERY OTHER MAMMAL AND WE LIVE OUR
W H O L E L I V E S A R O U N D D I S G U I S E D A N I M A L T H O U G H T S - BARBARA KINGSOLVER
CHEETAH
• BLAKE BEAVER • MAR CH 2,1992 • KANSAS CITY, MO
At home, I have lots of puppies and horsies and cows. When I was in the fifth grade I raised two bucket calves for an entire year and bottle-fed them every morning and afternoon. I’d say I love animals a very fair amount. Classic. Of course I’m the fiercest, severest animal in ze jungle. [The website analysis] was more or less accurate (as general and vague as it was). The part about children cheetahs preferring the company of adults rather than children was incredibly correct. I wasn’t able to socialize with people below the age of 30 until college. My generally ability to polarize myself and those around me is even more apt; I’m about as black and white as they come. I definitely have difficulty adapting to and fitting in with groups of people. I’m absolutely the “anonymous role-player” in the analysis. It’s safe to say [in agreement with the analysis] that I am MUCH better at friendships than at relationships. Honestly, my sole thought was: “Of course I’m the scary/intimidating/fierce animal.” Yes, cats are everything. If you’re not obsessed with cats in social media, socks, and other clothing items, you are irrelevant. Yes and no. I think the deification of the human central to Western democracy and humanism is a harmful and toxic conceptual logic, but I’m not about to put an animal’s security before my own. I love cats even more now.
OSTRICH
• FELICE FEIT • APRIL 29,1991 • POUGHKEEPSIE, NY
I think I’ve always been concerned about animal rights, but I don’t necessarily feel in tune with animals’ lives. I do sometimes feel this connection with nature as a whole, and when I do, it helps me escape stress. At first I didn’t think that it [the ostrich analysis] fit, but I grew to like it. It’s just misunderstood.
“Those born under this sign are charming and sociable and enjoy being part of like-minded groups. They may disappear from time to time when they find a new challenge, but for the most part Ostriches like getting attention. Members of this sign have a hard time trusting others and can even be a bit too self-involved for their own good.” “Members of this sign must find and take their own path in order to find balance and happiness.” I did think it was ugly at first (you know…) but it grew on me! And once I read the description it was less about how it looked. Indifferent about hipster culture -- it’s definitely better than UO cultural appropriation (e.g. Native American headdresses). I think that it [animal commodification] is a possibility. But I also wonder if it makes people more curious about and interested in animals. It also depends on the nature of the commodification, (e.g. a t-shirt with a kitten vs. a mink coat.) I guess naturally we’re more inclined to think about humans. However, I think it’s more useful to see these two issues as one, and to look at global oppression as a whole. Both oppressions rest on the establishment and the way in which our society functions. I identify with the ostrich as someone who is determined and wants to stand up to challenges.
IGUANA
• SUPREETI SHARMA • JULY 7,1993 • SYRACUSE, NY
Although I prefer an urban lifestyle, I appreciate the tranquility of being in nature. I grew up in rural Virginia surrounded by farms and trees and there are few places as peaceful as my home. I think all animals are fascinating but I have a preference for mammals (sorry, iguana). In my mind I thought “lol wtf ewww” and I probably made a sad face. I was hoping to be a penguin because they’re so cute. A lot of the character descriptions were fairly accurate, but this is unfortunate because the writers didn’t put iguanas in the most positive light : “Well-intentioned yet blunt, stoic yet overly emotional, stylish yet simple, this is indeed a sign of contradictions....” The career recommendations were light years off. “In rural settings, many Iguanas enjoy careers as farmers,” or “It’s not unusual for an Iguana to join the military, usually a naval-based arm.” NOPE. Definitely not me.
Initially I expected [iguanas] to look brown and dirty but in fact they look really beautiful and have cool spikes and coloring. I can’t deny that I love most things involving cats. I love any buzzfeed article that has cats in it, I love cat sweaters, I love all things cat. Other animals I’m not so sure…I would consider buying an iguana mug but I just don’t think it would be as cool as a cat mug. I don’t see anything wrong with using animals in prints and graphics as long as they aren’t harmed in the process of making the media or products. I believe [human and animal rights] are equally important. We can’t have a functioning society without a functioning planet.
DOLPHIN
• HAYWARD LEACH • FEBRUARY 11, 1992 • BR OOKLYN, NY On fall days, I enjoy the solitude of nature, the ways in which I feel enveloped by the trees along a wooded path. Early on, when the trees towered even farther over my head, I used to pull my parents off the path, into the brambles. Standing in the middle of Prospect Park in Brooklyn, crouching between the trees, I could transport myself away. I would squint my eyes to blur the apartment towers surrounding the park and I would cup my ears to muffle the sound of cars ripping the silence open a few feet away. Animals remind me of my humanity but nature reminds me of my basic existence. Dolphins are slippery and rubbery, I wanted to be warm and furry. Now I’m a cold mammal with a loud mouth.
“Balance is a difficult act for the Dolphin. They have all the potential in the world to be great when they are focused, but too often second-guess their own natural intelligence and their world ends up crashing down around them.” I don’t like animals on clothing. Reminds me of elementary school. And I’m not super into puppy videos. Kinda creep me out, honestly. I don’t think that we appreciate the irony in buying clothing featuring animals which may or may not have directly affected the lives of those very animals. At the same time, I am more concerned with the desensitizing affect of cultural appropriation in the commodification of cultural symbols/signs. I actually don’t think that they [human and animal rights] are mutually exclusive— there are enough people and resources on this planet to work on both issues simultaneously. I hope that moving towards a more economically and politically egalitarian society would allow us to focus on issues of the environment. In the end, the world is not worth living in if people do not enjoy basic, human rights.
GORILLA
• KING JOHN PASCUAL • MAY 11, 1992 • PHILIPPINES
I love dogs and animals that have a kind, loving disposition. I prefer to interact with animals that don’t require a lot of effort to make them like me. It was off-putting at first after finding out I was a gorilla because it’s not exactly the most glamorous or fascinating animal to most people. However upon learning more about its characteristics, I grew to be proud of my spirit animal. Some descriptions that truly resonated with me include being proud, confident, assertive, and ambitious. I didn’t look up facts about my animal nor did I look up photos because I already had a vivid image of my animal in my mind. I was very disconcerted quite frankly when I was told my spirit animal was a gorilla but the qualities and characteristics that gorillas depict make me really proud to be one. Never thought of it that deeply. In my opinion, it may actually have both a desensitizing and sensitizing effect depending on the person. I am slightly more sympathetic.
FLAMINGO
• DOMINIKA A. FIOlNA • SEPTEMBER 20,1991 • NISKO, POLAND I love being in the outdoors and consider myself environmentally conscious, but it is more of a side interest or a hobby than a primary activity in my life. I felt slightly dichotomized on how to interpret it… it is a beautiful, exotic, colorful bird, but also… for some reason or another it does make me think of public houses and stripclubs. Actually, come to think of it there is a sort of a place like that in my hometown, and I would bet a dollar or two that its name is “Flamingo”.
“Most Flamingos will find their purpose in serving others” I dislike animal print in my personal clothing. Strongly. Haven’t and won’t owned an animal-print piece, ever. I think there are a lot of themes that look cute/quirky with entire animals printed on clothing or their parts. Sure, it can be tasteful and nice. Yes, I do put human rights before animal rights. However, environmental issues are so closely related to human activity, produced and nurtured by it, that for me there is not thinking of betterment of the human life without the betterment of the environment. I’m also not too into astrology type things.
FERRET
• NATALIA MAYMI • JULY 22,1992 • SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
I don’t know many people who love animals quite as much as I do. I spend an unhealthy amount of time looking at pictures of my dog (Oso) and cats (Blackerto VanDuskin and Maxxine) on Facebook (yes, they each have their own Facebook). When I’m at school, I miss my animals more than I miss my sisters, but I reassure myself that it’s only because I am able to talk to my sisters regularly. But, my love for animals is not limited to these three heavenly creatures. I love all animals, and the only reason I have never considered a career as a veterinarian is because I can’t bear the thought of animals suffering. I suppose I’m also pretty into nature as well, as long as that means minimal interaction with bugs and insects (I don’t like those). I LOVE ferrets! I’m super, super pleased with my spirit animal. Ever since watching Along Came Polly, I’ve always wanted a pet ferret. “They are led by their hearts, but are also easily hurt and offended by rejection. They simply cannot understand how everyone else cannot love their fun and quirky personality. Luckily they move on quickly, but will hold an everlasting grudge against those who have deeply and intentionally hurt them.” I know that I have to work on not holding grudges against people who have hurt me
in the past. While it’s something that I am aware of, I find it very difficult to trust people who have given me a reason not to trust them in the past. I’m pretty into animals being on social media; if you don’t believe me, just Facebook friend my animals. I’m also really into animals being on sweaters and home decoration. I just bought a sweater with a huge chicken wearing a beret on it, and there’s a cat shrine above my bed (read: huge cat/rabbit hybrid poster and cat stickers all over the place). We were talking about agency and animacy in one of my senior seminars yesterday, and some of my classmates were trying to make the point that some “inanimate” objects – such as lead, or a hurricane – can be said to have agency. I completely disagree with this; how can we justify moving into post-humanism when we haven’t even gotten humanism right? So, I guess what I would say to this question is that human rights come first to me, with animal rights coming in a close second. I don’t think people pay as much attention to issues such as endangered species as they should, but I also can’t justify thinking about animals before humans.
PELICAN
• CAMILLE COY • SEPTEMBER 30,1993 • NEW YORK, NY
While I’ve always liked to think of myself as more of a city person, I did grow up in the country and whenever I spend more than a few days in a city I find myself desperately looking for a park. I wasn’t even sure what a pelican looked like exactly, but I knew it was some kind of fish eating bird that isn’t known for its intelligence. Accurate: -I like to be surrounded by people, but it is not necessary and I often do better on my own -I enjoy being alone though this does not mean that I’m not a social person -I am a bit of a perfectionist -My work life, social life, and personal life are all mixed together Animals are very pretty and I enjoy wearing images of them on my clothing ! Animal images and fashion have always gone nicely together. I like that it’s a more unusual animal because it reminded me that there aren’t only leopards and pandas out there, there’s pelicans and squirrels and chipmunks and they’re just as important.
HYENA
• EVAN SUMORTIN • AUGUST 10,1990 • LONG BEACH, CA Love at first sight. Like the hyena, I prefer to spend time in large groups of friends but I wouldn’t consider myself super energetic and outgoing (although I try to be!). I don’t necessarily feel the most comfortable leading but I have led and have grown to be more comfortable in that position. Also, like the hyena, I do tend to be pretty stubborn and self-centered, and I like when I get my way but I don’t usually let people know when I’m frustrated, much less throw a full-on tantrum. I knew that the hyena was a very misunderstood animal. I watched bits and pieces of adocumentary years ago about how hyenas are very social animals, they live and travel in packs, and are not primarily scavengers, like most believe (DARN YOU LION KING!!). Aesthetically, I do enjoy animals as a part of hipster culture mostly because I am really into prints and animals provide a lot of creative opportunities. Mass culture continues to be a site of exploitation. The proliferation of images (all images) has desensitized many aspects of modern life, including what an animal actually is. The authenticity of the original animal becomes an empty implanted memory. But not all hope is lost. We just need to be more aware of the contexts floating around us. Authenticity is up to the person. I’m so happy I got the hyena! I feel like I can whip out my alter ego that has “the ability to follow through on their promises and take what is theirs when necessary,” to be more outgoing, and confident as a leader. But also, it is a reminder to not let my own stubbornness get in the way of what needs to get done!
OCELOT
• DAN FETHKE • MAR CH 19,1993 • NEW YORK, NY
I love animals, and I had a ridiculous amount of pets as a kid (lizards, rabbits, snakes, you name it). I’ve always been a pretty outdoorsy guy, and am always happy to go on hikes and do some crazy trailblazing adventures. Amazing. Ocelots very much jive with my life rhythms. If only I weren’t allergic to cats… [The analysis] definitely got the nocturnal part, I’m very much a night owl. I’m very much a non-confrontational person, and I do at times prefer solitude to engage in creative tasks. But I think that the description might have emphasized the solitary aspects a bit much, since I’ve always thought of myself primarily as a people person. Overall, I’m okay with being the “dangerous” yet lovable companion. I’m almost certain that Ocelots are endangered, either that or they’re at risk of being endangered. They’ve popped up in more places than one – notably in the TV series Archer (hilarious). But my favorite example is that of Salvador Dali’s pet ocelot Babou, who shows up in some of his more famous candid photos (adorable). To me, Ocelots are the more unconventional of felines – perhaps because of my associating them with Salvador Dali. In any case, I knew they were adorable and I was excited to try radiating some ocelot vibes for the camera.
I don’t harbor any particular resentment to the ways animals are portrayed in hipster culture, since most of their usage is purely representational. In my mind, images of animals on clothing or on posters function as decorative displays and have no directly negative impact on the animals themselves. I don’t particularly dislike the use of animals on clothing or in social media – much of these images I see as the innocent product of our society’s collective affection certain animals. We find cats and dogs cute, and as a result, they become Internet celebrities and start their own clothing lines. I honestly haven’t put too much thought into the exhibitioning of animals in modern culture, and perhaps that’s indicative of the way they’re portrayed as naturalized icons, mascots, “pets,” etc. But like I said before, most of it is purely imagistic and representational. As long as no animals are harmed in the process, it’s fine with me – and I don’t think the animals seem to mind being portrayed on socks and sweatshirts. If anything, I think I’ve grown a bit closer to my spirit animal as a result of considering it so much in the context of its association with my own spirit-self. Ocelots now have a special place in my heart.
AXOLOTL
• PILAR GAR CIA-BR OWN • OCTOBER 7,1992 • LOS ANGELES, CA
I’d like to think that I’m very animal conscious. I’ve been a vegetarian since the age of eight and refuse to buy fur and leather products. I also always had pets growing up—dogs, cats, fish, and parakeets—so I feel comfortable around animals and enjoy taking care of them.
I knew nothing about the axolotl before I looked up my spirit animal (though now, after perusing Wikipedia and other sites, I feel very informed)! Unfortunately, the axolotl is currently critically endangered.
When I first saw the word “axolotl” listed next to my birthday on the Primal Astrology website, I thought: “Isn’t that a type of weapon?” Turns out I was confusing it with the atlatl, an ancient spear throwing device. However, after clearing that up and reading a bit more about the animal, I was happily surprised. My reaction was along the lines of “Ahh it’s so cute!”
I feel relatively neutral to the use of animals in perpetuating a certain type of culture. In various cultures around the world, particular animals carry symbolic meanings and are therefore pictorially or otherwise represented in a way that reflects a culture’s logic or mode of understanding the world. In my opinion, as long as the use of animals in a particular culture isn’t excessively exploitative or harmful, there’s nothing inherently wrong with it.
Many of the descriptions offered about the axolotl center around its need for attention, self-absorption, and stunted growth. However, I personally feel that I’m more of an introvert and observer. I dislike being the center attention and often prefer to listen than speak.
While I don’t agree with 100% of the descriptions offered in the spirit animal analysis, I do enjoy being associated with the axolotl. Throughout this process I’ve learned a lot about a new species of animal that I one day may even like to own as a pet (apparently, it’s completely legal in all states except California and New Jersey)!
DUCK
• JOSE SAMUEL CLAIR • JUNE 30,1991 • APPLE VALLEY, CA I generally look at animals and nature in terms of aesthetics or perceived personal aesthetics. While I find conservation to be incredibly important, I think it would be unfair of me to say that I’m not mostly for it because of keeping natural beauty in the world. I’ve always thought of my spirit animal being a fox, but getting the duck was interesting, and I later found it to be captivating and true. “You would make a great mother, father, uncle, or aunt.” & “Ducks will do anything for their friends or family, whenever they need them, regardless of their relationship with them.” I’ve never really been that familiar with the duck. I mean…I know ducks. Any two year old knows what a duck is. But I’ve never really researched or thought about ducks and their relationship to the world or their relationship to other ducks. It [animals in meda and apparel] actually tends to annoy be a bit, but the photo of me as a duck- I love. And so does everyone on facebook. The more that humans think of animals as a commodity, the less we relate or really think about our natural relationship to animals. I don’t put animals on the same level as human beings which is really unfortunate and problematic, and I’m trying to rethink and unlearn those biases, but I’m more concerned about the welling being of human beings than the well being of animals. Ducks are incredible. I’m so happy that I am one and that the personality traits that they have match mine. Ducks represent everything that I’ve always cherished for myself and for my future self.
CENTIPEDE
• AMANDA LEE • MAY 25,1991 • TAIPEI, TAIWAN
I love being in nature - I find that it really calms me. And I love looking up facts about different animals in my spare time. As for interest in their survival, I think I sympathize with them most of the time, especially when they are maltreated by people. I’ve never been actively involved in animal rights campaigns or environment protection groups and I wish I did more than the basics (recycling, saving energy, cutting meat from my diet etc.). I was disappointed that it [spirit animal] was a centipede. I don’t know much about centipedes. “Members of this sign are great listeners and conversationalists, but they don’t reveal much about themselves except to those who are very close to them. They can be offended easily and then bottle it up inside, which can have a corrosive effect on friendships and relationships.” “While they don’t care if they look tough or not, Centipedes hate to look weak, afflicted, or in any other way not living the perfect life.” I think hipsters might use animal imagery flippantly but in the end, these images are so strongly associated with the activist scene too that hipsters may be unintentionally reminding us of animal rights by constantly presenting these images/talking about everything “animal” casually. I like the centipede more now. Though I suppose it’s a superficial “like”, cause I still don’t know much about the animal itself, just what it represents to me.
CATFISH
• ONYEBUCHI UDOZORH • MAR CH 23,1991 • NIGERIA
I think animals are okay. They’re cute for a little while but as long as they are not my own and I don’t have to take care of them. A little grossed out. Catfish(es) are bottom feeders and are not sexy. So I was a little salty about being matched to such a creature, but that reaction might just be my self-loathing manifesting itself. “Catfish are sensitive, and when their lives are out of order, they can be very emotionally unstable. They often show a false sense of confidence to others, because they care very much how they are perceived.” This is essentially my life. I like order and I tend to keep a lot to myself because I don’t ever want to be perceived as weak. I also value control and sometimes it’s very difficult for me to relax but when I do, magic happens. I don’t know anything about catfish(es), they’re not sexy. They are really good fried. I don’t care about the use of animals in hipster culture. I wear animal print socks everyday though. It’s not sexy but the characteristic attributed to me is all me. “They need to serve their sense of adventure as well as their creative side. They work best with a lot of independence, which is why many become artists”…See I was born to be an artist.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR PANDA
• CLAUDINE FERNANDEZ • NOVEMBER 10,1991 • MIAMI, FL
As mentioned in the preface, nature is very important to me. Without it, I find myself emotionally destitute. I’ve always been disconnected from my time and people in general. While on my leave of absence from Brown last year, I found a way to address that issue through watching documentaries on wildlife preservation, researching ways to save tigers and rhinos, or going to the beaches of Normandie and laying on the ground for hours just to breathe. I was even considering working with anti-poaching intelligence groups in Africa after I graduate. I’m a little crazy. If anything, being more in tune with nature made me more connected to the world I live in and to appreciate the people around me.
would cry like a madwoman and yell in my head how unfair it was that a horse had to die for people’s petty desires as the humans in the film fell like flies. My family dubbed me: “Marie Madeleine qui pleure une fontaine” (Mary Magdalene who cries a fountain : an expression for someone too sensitive). I chose the Primal Astrology site specifically because when I saw my own analysis, I had goosebumps. It said everything about me that I’ve only recently become self-aware. It may be because mine had a more thorough analysis than the others. I immediately went from thinking I had a lemur spirit animal to being the embodiment of the panda spirit.
I am clearly not your “hiking” kind of girl (at all...if you know me the thought of me hiking will probably make you laugh). But I don’t think it makes me any less connected to it. My sentiment towards nature is a mixture of a mothering wish to protect it and a humbled attempt to attempt to learn from it. Maybe that or the nosy Cuban in me needs to get involved....the other day I broke up a raccoon fight outside my window! Yes that’s a little much...
“In the animal kingdom, the famous giant panda is one of the most contradictory animals by nature. Members of this sign tend to be popular but loners, want to go with flow but have to feel in charge of their own destiny, long to relax but are always working on projects, are ambitious yet uncertain, want to do things that help others yet are often self-focused, and have creative minds that are often focused on success and achievement.” Welcome to Claudine’s indecisive and contradictory world.
I think my odd sensitivity towards nature was visible at a young age. I realize now that this is not necessarily right but in all honesty, I have always been more empathetic towards animals than humans. For example, watching any battle scene in a war film, I
“Rather than see things as they are, Pandas see the world in terms of how it affects them personally. They have a desire to improve the world around them, but their approach to doing so is a bit different from others.” (*cough*THIS PROJECT)
O U R T A S K M U S T B E T O F R E E O U R S E LV E S B Y W I D E N I N G O U R C I R C L E O F
C O M PA S S I O N T O E M B R A C E A L L L I V I N G C R E AT U R E S - A L B E R T E I N S T E I N
Thanks to everyone whose photo I took and who helped my indecisive self make design decisions.