Developing the Human's Response-ability(Assemblage Thinking) in "Environmental Architecture" into a

O-human

NewunderstandingofHuman1:HumanasVibrantmatter

NewunderstandingofHuman2:HumanasAnimal

Theassemblageasephemeralenvironmentalarchitecture

O-Human’sEvolution:Response-abilityinEnvironmentalArchitecture

Cultivatingresponse-abilityPracticeSkills

Listening-to-the-tell Re-awakeninganimality Empathy NewLanguage

O-human(Experimentation)

Ecologicalperformance

AssemblagesinExperimentation

Experimentation1:Adialoguewiththeforest

Experimentation2:Adialoguewiththehumanworld

Experimentation3:Adialoguewiththezoo Performance:Evolution

Conclusion

Bibliography

Astheimpactofhumansontheplanetbecomestoogreattoignore,fromexternalenvironmental destructiontothecrisisofhumanperception,itbecomesespeciallyimportanttocreatean alternativeperspectiveinsociety,whichrequiresustoreconsiderourrelationshipwiththe environment,non-humans,andourviewofbeinghuman.Arewehuman?Whatarethedifferences andsimilaritiesbetweenhumansandnon-humans?Thisthesisintendstoconfrontanthropocentrism byquestioningourlong-establishedperceptionsofnon-humansfromtheperspectiveofourclose humanrelative,theorangutan,beforetransitioningtoothernon-humansintheecosystem, recognizingthattheyhavethesamevalues.Thisthesismakeuseoftheoriesof‘kinship’and‘Vitalist Materialism’todiscoverwhathumanshaveignoredfromapesandhowtoseelife(othernonhumans)better,andproposeahypothesis:ThroughthecultivationofAssemblageThinkingor Response-abilityinourmindandbody,humansmaypaymoreattentiontoandrespondtothe differentnarrativesofotherspeciesornon-humans,leadingtochangesinhumanintentionality, behavior,andaculturalratcheteffectthroughcooperationandculturallearning.Thispromotesmore ‘EcologicalSensitivity’inbodyandmind,whichislikeanabstractevolutionthatcanhealandbalance ourfragmentedworldview.Throughthisproject,IchoseEcologicalperformanceandsome Experimentationstotranscendmyownlimitationsofperceptiontoachievemoreecological sensitivityanddevelopmyAssemblageThinkingtorespondtootherentities,documentingthe processthroughdrawingsandfilms.

Fig.1, HierarchicalStructure,DW,2021.

Fig.2, AreWeHuman?,DW,2021.

Fig.3, PhotographyofOrangutan,SepilokOrang-utanSanctuary,Borneo,2010.

Fig.4, Tulp’s“Orang-outang”,Tulp,ObservationesMedicae,1640.

Fig.5, Illustrationofan“oran·ootan”, DanielBeeckmaninAVoyagetoandfromtheIslandofBorneo,1718.

Fig.6, Camper’ssketchofthelarynxofanorangutan,Camper,1770.

Fig.7, Camper’sengravingofthefacialangleinatailedmonkey,anorangutan,anAngolan,anda“Kalmuck”, Petrus Camper,1749.

Fig.8, Thecomponentsoforangutan’snest,DW,2021.

Fig.9, Exeter’ChangeMenagerie, H.BeardPrintCollection,VictoriaandAlbertMuseum,London,1812.

Fig.10, JennytheorangutanattheLondonZoo,ZoologicalSocietyLondon,1837.

Fig.11, DrawingofanorangutanfromtheRafflescollection, BritishLibrary,RafflesCollection.

Fig.12, Wallace’sdepiction,captioned“Orang-UtanattackedbyDyaks,gavetheimpressionratherofDayaks attackedbyaferociousorangutan,Wallace,TheMalayArchipelago,1869.

Fig.13, ArthurRackham’s1935illustrationoftheorangutanin“MurdersintheRueMorgue”, TheBritishLibraryBoard,1980.

Fig.14, Joopexamininghisreflection, JulesVerne,L’Îlemystérieuse,1916.

Fig.15, Jockoperformance,HoughtonLibrary,HarvardTheatreCollection.

Fig.16, Orangutanmaskfromthe2001PlanetoftheApesremake, ProfilesinHistory.

Fig.17, Thebabytradetorturingorangutanstoextinction,Jan,2018.

Fig.18, Orangutanfilmedtryingtofightoffdiggerdestroyingitsjunglehome,June,2018.

Fig.19, OrangutanMotherTorturedByVillagersForTryingToFeedBaby,2010.

Fig.20, Remainsofpalmfruiteatenbyanorangutan,HUTANKOCP,2016.

Fig.21, Muti-Speciesmeeting,DW,2021.

Fig.22, BuenosAiresZoo,Argentina,2014.

Fig.23, Sandra’sWritofHabeasCorpus,2014.

Fig.24, TheoriesandTransition,DW,2021.

Fig.25, Screenshotof‘AssemblageThinking’,DW,2021.

Fig.26, O-Human,DW,2021.

Fig.27, PracticingSkillsDrawings,DW,2021.

Fig.28, Empathy,DW,2021.

Fig.29, PracticingSkillsDrawings,DW,2021.

Listofillustrations

Areyouhuman？

Props:Orangutanmask,milk,eggs,rawmeat,pottedplants,knives,humanclothing,envelopes, rubbishbags,tablesandchairs,signshangingfromchests,cigaretteswithashtrays.

Thefilmneedstocreateanincongruouseffecttoprovokesomehumansandmakethemquestion, Aretheyhuman?

HonorableHumanMembers!Iamthemaincharacter,acreaturetrappedontheedgebetween humanandnon-human,youandcomputer.Thefilmfollowsaperiodandspacesharedbyhumans andmyself,wheremyconsciousselffindsitselfinthiswearynaturalworldandconstantly questioningtheabsenceofmyownperception.

Iaminfrontofthecamera:arrogant,nervous,blank,hollow,expressionless,indifferent, inexpressive,numb,deadpan,high-pitched,aggressive.

Saystheesteemedmemberofthehumanrace!

Formorethan20years,myanimalsensescontinuedtoshutdown.Iwasnotfascinatedbythe shapes,thegesturesofthebeingsaroundmebecausetheirimportanceinmyeyessimplydidnot comparetomine;Iwasusedtoroughingupthesesoftnon-humansandkillinghadlongsincefailed tostimulatemynerves,whileforallthethingsIlovedIbeganamassivecollectionandconstantly appropriatedthethoughtsofothers.

StraightawayonedayIheardmeatscreaming.

Iwenttothefamouspsychiatristhere,wholookedlikeme,andhewasglowing.

Psychiatrist:Whyareyousittingontheground?Forusprimates,sittinginachairisasignof civilization,likeIoftendointheforest;getasfaroffthegroundaspossible!

Me:Doc,letmetellyousomething,andyoucantakeitasajoke!Thechairunderyourasswill eventuallykillyou;hejusttoldmehisplan.

Psychiatrist:Areyoukiddingme?Hahahahahahaha.

Me:Hesaidhewouldjoinforcesandtrytobringmealongtoo,countingmeasanally.Psychiatrist:I understandyourconditionnow:rememberwearehumanbeings,superiorhumans.

Thepsychiatristbegantonourishandkilltheplantinfrontofhim,usingaknifeandmilk.Itwasall verycommonplace,butmyinsidesbegantostruggleandfearbecauseitwaspreciselythesameas theplanthechairhadjusttoldmeabout.

Theliquidfromtheeggbegantoflow,andmythoughtsdriftedbacktotheactionsIhaddoneinthe past,andIkeptquestioningmyself,tryingtogetridofthispowerfulforce,butitwouldn'twork!Still flowing,theeggplayedaperfectmatchwiththechair,whichfellover,andtheknifestuckinthe flowerpotkilledthedoctor.

Me:Idon'twanttobehuman.

Iamanesthetized,butIstillhavetoactlikeahumanbeing.Iwanderthroughthecity,peoplekeep lookingatme,andIforgetthatIhaveasignonmychestthatsays,Arewehuman?

Acrisisof‘perception’

Ultimatelytheseproblemsmustbeseenasjustdifferentfacetsofonesinglecrisis,whichis largelyacrisisofperception.Itderivesfromthefactthatmostofus,andespeciallyourlarge socialinstitutions,subscribetotheconceptsofanoutdatedworldview,aperceptionofreality inadequatefordealingwithouroverpopulated,globallyinterconnectedworld. 1

——FritjofCapra,TheWebofLife

Thisout-of-controlerabeyondourcomprehensionisalsocalledtheAnthropocene:"Theeraofmanmadeenvironmentaltransformationanddestruction."2 JustlikebacteriatransformedtheEarth(our oxygen-richatmosphereisjustaproductof'bacterialby-products',whichTimothyMortoncallsthe 'oxygenationcatastrophe',meaningthatwecanonlybreatheduetobacterialexcrement)3 the impactofhumansontheenvironmenthasalsobecometoogreattoignore:humanshavenotonly provedtheirexistencebuthaveevenbecomeageologicalforce.4 Bydrivingchangesin'numerous' complexecosystemsandexertingsuchavastrangeofinfluences,ourthinkingabouthuman imaginationandresponsibilityhasundoubtedlyexpanded,astheforcesofmodernhuman industrialisation,capitalismandcolonialismhaveledtomanyinterrelatedsystemicproblems,such asenvironmentaldegradation,ethnicconflicts,poverty,etc.5 Indeed,theseactivitiesofcolonialcapitalisthumansocietiesarecontributingtothesixthbiologicalextinctionoftheplanet.6 Ifwelook backinhistory,therapidcoolinganddryingofEastAfricaduringthelastpreviousiceageproduced newhabitats,andourspeciesevolvedtoprovidethenewbipedalhominidswiththeopportunityto succeed.Whatwillhappenthistime?Ifonefocusesonlyonhumansandtheenvironmentaldamage theyhavecaused,itremainsananthropocentricstory.

Howdidhumankindstepintothispresentsituation?Thisanthropocentrismisunderpinnedby dualisticthinking,andthesetraditionscanbetracedbacktotheChristianBible：

AndGodblessthem(humans).AndGodsaidtothem,‘Befruitfulandmultiplyandfill theearthandsubdueitandhavedominionoverthefishoftheseaandoverthebirds oftheheavensandovereverylivingthingthatmovesontheearth.7

Here,humansarenotonlyinnatelyseparatefromtheearthanditscreaturesbutarealsopositioned aboveitinahierarchicalrelationofpower.Inthe16thcentury,theCartesianworldviewofscientific materialismwasadoptedby"modern"society,promptingustoviewtheuniverseasavastmachine composedofseparate,externallyrelatedparts.Thismechanizationofmindandbodycontributedto thefragmentationofourcognition.AsDavidSkrbinawrites,

1.FritjofCapra, Theweboflife:Anewsynthesisofmindandmatter, (London,Flamingo,1996),p.34.

2.PaulCrutzenandEugeneStoermer, TheAnthropocene, (Berlin,Heidelberg,2006),p.17-18.

3.TimothyMorton, Beingecological, (MitPress,2018),p.196.

4.SeSHome, AnimalsintheAnthropocene:criticalperspectivesonnon-humanfutures,(SydneyUniversityPress,2015),p.166.

5.DonnaHaraway, StayingwiththeTrouble:MakingKinintheChthulucene,(Durham:DukeUniversityPress,2016),p.313.

6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z79NNHuklY (accessed15March2021).

7. EnglishStandardVersion, HolyBible (London:HarperCollins:AnglicisedESVBibles,2008),p.2.

Themechanisticworldviewisdeeplyembeddedinourcollectivepsyche.Forseveral hundredyearsthedominantorthodoxyhasimplicitlyassumedthatinanimatethings arefundamentallydevoidofmentalqualities.Thisviewhasbecomeintegratedinto ourscience,ourliterature,andourarts.Ultimatelyithasincorporateditselfintoour deepestsocialvalues,andthusbecomereflectedinourcollectiveactions.Wetreat natureasanimpersonalthingorcollectionofthings,withoutspontaneity,without intrinsicvalue,without“rights”ofanykind.Naturalresources,plantandanimal specieshavebeenexploitedformaximalshort-termhumanbenefit.Suchmindless entitiesaredeservingofnoparticularrespectormoralconsideration.Theyexisttobe collected,manipulated,dissected,andremade.8

So,itisthisChristian-capitalistworldviewthathasdevelopedahierarchicalstructureand distinguishesbetweenwhatislifeandwhatisnot;whoishuman,andwhoisnon-human.This hierarchicalstructurestatesthatthefurthestthingfromdivinityisthatwhichismadeupentirelyof matter;thatis,rockshavenoagencyorexperience,lichensareslightlyhigherinthehierarchy,plants haveslightlymorelife,"lower"animalsaremoresentient,and"higher"animalsaremoreconscious. Atthetop,humans,theonlyoneswhoaretrulyintelligent.Thisordering,basedonanabsolute distinctionbetweenmatterandspirit,justifiesourdominationofnature(Figure1).Inotherwords, whenhumansarefascinatedbysomething,itiscommonpracticetocaptureandcolonizeit.Andso itisalongthehistoricaltrajectoryofcolonialismthatthisoutdatedworldviewhasspreadglobally. However,thisnotionisdetrimentaltothelong-terminterestsofhumanity.Externally,itdrivesusto treatnaturearounduscallously,tocutdown,dam,andmine.Thestrictdistinctionbetweensubject andobjectcutsoffhumancontactandcommunicationwithothershapesoflife.Inthefuture,we won’tevenbeabletoimaginewhatitisliketobefacetofacewithothernon-humanbeings,but onlymakestiffexclamationsinnaturemuseums,wheretherowsof"morgues"becomeappropriate placesforustolearnfromthem.It'snotjusttheextinctionofspecies;it'smoreliketheextinctionof imagination!Andwiththepassageoftimeandalonghistoryof‘goodhabits’,thereisalsoachange inourinnerbeing,whichwecancallacrisisof‘perception’,“thathumansnolongerreadilyseethe patternsandsystemsthatrevealourdependenceandinterconnectionwiththenaturalworld.”10 This crisiscanleadtoaseriesofself-centeredbehaviorsinhumans(specifically,thoseincolonialcapitalist-extractivistsocieties)9,wherethedestructionaroundushasnotproducedaninstinctive heartacheorshock.Theinheritedconceptsofmanythings(definitionsandexplanations)reduceour intimacywiththeunfamiliar.Techno-capitalisthumanconsciousnessgravitatestowardstatisticsand abstractions,awayfromourcreaturelysensations,placingourhopesintechnologiesthatnolonger requirephysicalabilities.

8.DavidSkrbina, PanpsychismintheWest (Cambridge:MITPress,2017),p.265.

9.Iamdifferentiatingbetweencountriesandcultureswhohavepracticedtheseoppressionsandcountriesandcultureswhohaven’t(suchasIndigenouscommunities aroundtheworld),recognizingthatthisisaproblemoriginatingin‘Western’countries,orthosefrom‘theGlobalNorth’, DonnaHaraway, StayingwiththeTrouble: MakingKinintheChthulucene,(Durham:DukeUniversityPress,2016),p.73.

10.ThomasB,RachaelCH, TheNewWorldOrder:AnthropoceneAnxiety,ClimateGrief,Solastalgia, GlobJArch&Anthropol.2018;5(1):555655.DOI:10.19080/ GJAA.2018.05.555655.

Orangutan

Howdidweevolve?Andwhatarethepossibilitiesforhumans?Ratherthanstartingdirectlywith humans,Iwilltakeanotherrouteanddiscusshumansintermsofape-orangutan(Fig.3).Itisa creaturethatlivesonthelargeequatorialislandsofBorneoandSumatra,withthetitleof"person oftheforest"(inMalay,thelinguafrancaoftheIndonesianarchipelago,orangmeans"person"and utanorhutanmeans"forest")11.Thismaybebecausetheyarealmostasbigashumansandthey relyonlongarmsandsoftjointstomovebackandforththroughtheforestcanopy,searchingfor fruits,insects,bark,andtreessuitablefornestingsites.

Accordingtomyenvironmentalarchitectureprofessor/lecturerattheRoyalCollegeofArt,Christina Geros’descriptionofacloseencounter,"Lookingdirectlyinto[theorangutans']eyescreatesthe illusionthatthisisahumanbeing!"12 Theydoindeedhaveaspecialappearanceandpersonality:in additiontotheiruniquefacialflanges,theirfacescanexhibithuman-likecomplexemotions,suchas curiosity,sadness,intelligence,melancholy,etc.Becauseofitsstrikingresemblancetohumans,the orangutanhasaspecialplaceinpeople'simaginations.Byreviewingandcomparingthecultural historyofhumansandorangutansandtheirpresent-daybrokenrelationship,itiseasytoseethe ecologicalopeningforinterspeciesintimacyandenvironmentaljustice.AsDonnaHaraway explainedinhergroundbreakingbookPrimateVisions,"Apsesinhabitedtheblurryandmurky borderbetweenanimalsandthehumanrace"13,whichleadsustotakeafreshlookatthe "trouble"14 thatoccursintheentanglementofhumansandOrangutan–akindofhuman ‘threshold’15 –constantlyinteractingwithintheblurryboundariesofthehumanspecies.Withinthis rangearetheinterlockinglabelsofclass,humanoid,wildman,perception,evolution,language, tools,race,colony,indigenous,feral,rapist,andsoon,promptingustorethinkorredefineideasof thehumanandnon-human.

ACulturalHistoryoftheOrangutan

Forfourcenturies,scientists,philosophers,writers,anddramatistshavestruggledtodeterminethe natureofthedifferencesbetweenapesandhumans.16 Focusinginitiallyonphysicalformandlater turningtobehavior,ancestry,biochemistry,emotionalresponses,andcognitiveabilities,orangutans havebeencollected,observed,hunted,imagined,represented,abused,and,rarely,protected.

11.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aqsKU2QrDw (accessed21March2021).

12.FromthedescriptionofEnvironmentalArchtecture’sTutor,ChristianGeros.

13.Haraway, PrimateVisions,(NewYorkandLondon:Routledge1989),p.10.

14.IamindebtedtoHaraway'stext StayingwiththeTrouble forthisterm.

15.EyalWeizman,‘AreTheyHuman?’, e-fluxarchitecture,(October2016) https://www.e-flux.com/architecture/superhumanity/68645/are-they-human/(accessed21 March2021).

16. RobertCribb,GilbertHelen,andTiffinHelen, WildManfromBorneo,(UniversityofHawaiiPress,2014.),p.250.

Theyhaveengagedinsocial,ecological,behavioral,andcognitivepracticeswitheachotherand withhumans,andhavebroughttolifeinterspeciesrelationshipsandpossibilitiesthroughvarious artformssuchasstories,novels,andfilms.Thiskindofworkisdifferentfromadrysummaryof physicalcharacteristics;itismoreofaplatformwherethesocial,cultural,andpsychological influencesofthesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenapesandhumanscanbeexplored.As professorofAsianHistory, RobertCribb writes,

The‘truth’ofaculturalhistoryoforangutansliesnotinbiologicalorbehavioral‘facts’ alone,butinrecordingthevariouswaysinwhichorangutanshavebeenperceivedand representedinanumberofdisciplines,discourses,anddomainsofpractice.17

17.RobertCribb,GilbertHelen,andTiffinHelen,

WildManfromBorneo,(UniversityofHawaiiPress,2014.),p.8.

Fig.3, PhotographyofOrangutan,SepilokOrang-utanSanctuary,Borneo

MythsandEvidence

Beforethe19thcentury,orangutanwasmorewidelyperceivedandimaginedinsocietyasahalfmythicalcreature,anotherformofhumanbeing,mostlyfromthewrittendescriptionsand paintingsofthefewpeoplewhohadseenOrangutan.In1641,theDutchanatomistNicolaesTulp firstdescribedapesscientificallyinabookentitled ObservationesMedicare(Fig.4):

Thissatyrhadfourfeet,butbecauseofthehumanappearance[gedaante]itshows,it iscalledOrangOutangbytheIndians,orforestman,andbytheAfricansQuoias Morrou.Itisastallasachildofthreeyearsandasstoutasoneofsix.18

Inaddition,theorangutanwasdescribedbyearlycolonialistsasan‘Indianwolf’anda‘drunkard’, whosebehaviorisvividlydescribedbyCaptainDanielBeeckmanonatriptoandfromBorneoin 1718(Fig.5):

HewasagreatThiefandlovedstrongLiquors;forifourBackswereturned,hewould beatthePunch-bowl,andveryoftenwouldopentheBrandyCase,takeoutaBottle, drinkplentifully,andputitverycarefullyintoitsplaceagain.Hesleptlyingalongina humanePosturewithonehandunderhisHead.Hecouldnotswim,butIknownot whetherhemightnotbecapableofbeingtaught.IfatanytimeIwasangrywithhim, hewouldsigh,sob,andcry,tillhefoundthatIwasreconled[sic]tohim.19

Fig.4, Tulp’s“Orang-outang,”1640(Tulp, ObservationesMedicae,271)

Fig.5, Illustrationofan“oran·ootan”by DanielBeeckmaninAVoyagetoandfrom theIslandofBorneo(1718),37.

18.EdwardTyson,“APhilologicalEssayConcerningthePygmiesoftheAncients”, InEdwardTyson, Orang-OutangsiveHomoSylvestrisor,theAnatomyofa PygmieComparedwiththatofaMonkey,anApe,andaMan,(London,ThomasBennet,1699),p.1.

19. Daniel Beeckman, AVoyagetoandfromtheIslandofBorneointheEast-Indies, (London,T.WarnerandJ.Batley,1718),p.37.

Humanornon-human

Duringtheperiodofthe18thand19thcenturies,peopledefinedorangutans’humanityprimarily inphysicalcharacteristics(anatomical)andtheirowncharacter(humanintelligence),mainly throughdirectevidencefromeyewitnessesandanatomistsexaminingspecimens,bothlivingand dead.20 Bythesecondhalfofthe18thcentury,theDutchanatomistPetrusCamperfinally confirmedthatorangutanswerephysiologicallydifferentfromhumans,andhisresearchonthe larynxandbonestructureoforangutansshowedthattheydidnotspeak,inaddition,thestructure oftheorangutanshowedthatitwasnotfittowalkupright.21 Heinsistedthattherewasalsoahuge gapbetweenhumanandOrangutanappearance.Heplacedtheskullsofdifferentspeciesinwhat hecalledthe"gezichtshoek”22 orderandconcludedthatthecloserthefacialangleistoavertical one,thehighertheintelligence.Ashewrites:

Theyhaveagreatsimilaritywiththecaninespecies,particularlyrespectingtheorgans ofgeneration.Thediversitiesobservableintheseparts,seemtomarktheboundaries whichtheCreatorhasplacedbetweenthevariousclassesofanimals.23

Fig.6, Camper’ssketchofthelarynxofanorangutan, 1770(Camper,“AccountoftheOrgansofSpeech,” facing158)

Fig.7, Camper’sengravingofthefacialangleinatailedmonkey,an orangutan,anAngolan,anda“Kalmuck”.

ThisexperimentfromafacialperspectiveprovidedthescientificbasisforthebeliefthatAfricans andAsiansareanatomicallysimilartoapesandinferiortoEuropeans,enablingracial discrimination.

20.RobertCribb,GilbertHelen,andTiffinHelen, WildManfromBorneo,(UniversityofHawaiiPress,2014),p.28.

21.PetrusCamper, TheWorksofthelateProfessorCamperontheConnexionbetweentheScienceofAnatomyandtheArtsofDrawing,Painting (London:C.Dilly,1794), p.32.

22.‘Gezichtshoek’ishistheoryofanglesofvision:anangleisformedbydrawingtwolines:onehorizontalfromthenostriltotheear,andtheotherperpendicularfrom theadvancingpartofthemaxillatothemostprominentpartoftheforehead.

23.PetrusCamper, TheWorksofthelateProfessorCamperontheConnexionbetweentheScienceofAnatomyandtheArtsofDrawing,Painting,(London:C.Dilly,1794), p.32.

Europeanphilosophers,however,hadlittleopportunitytoseeorangutans.Still,theytookthe evidenceandthestoriesoftravelersseriously,suggestedthathumansmightacceptorangutans,and arguedthattherewasnocleardistinctionbetweenspeciesandthatthetransitionfromapeto humanwasagradualone.24 TheFrenchphilosopherJean-JacquesRousseauinhis1755Discourseon theOriginofInequalitydescribedwhetherornotorangutansarehuman,

Itisnotclearinthesepassageswhythewriterwithholdsthenameofsavagemen fromtheanimalsinquestion,butonemayreadilyguessthatthereasonistheir stupidityandalsothefactthattheydidnotspeak—poorreasonsforthosewhoknow thatalthoughtheorganofspeechisnaturalinman,speechitselfisnotnaturaltohim, andwhorecognizehowmuchhisperfectibilitymayhaveraisedthecivilizedman abovehisoriginalstate. 25 Nestfoundation

specialfeatures.

Fig.8, Thecomponentsoforangutan’snest,DW,2021

Rousseau'sargumentforthehumanaspectoforangutanisnotbasedonphysicalandbehavioral similarities,butratherontheideathatapessharewithhumansacertainresilience;theabilityto learn,improveandrefinethemselvestomakea"civilmanabovehisoriginalstate."26 When,for example,Rousseaureferstowhatorangutanerectsinthetreesas'akindofroofwhichkeepsthem coveredfromtherain.'27,this'design'(Fig,8)isdescribedasifithadbeenmadebymanatthe beginningofcivilization.Ifthehumanthresholdisindeedelastic,thenhumanbeings’conditions, possibilities,andofcoursevaluesystems,areabletoslipbackagainintotheborderand"become animals."28 24. RobertCribb,GilbertHelen,andTiffinHelen, WildManfromBorneo,(UniversityofHawaiiPress,2014),p.35.

25. Jean-JacquesRousseau, DiscourseontheOriginofInequality,(Indianapolis,HackettPublishing,1754/1992),p.104.

26. Ibid.p.44. 27. Ibid.p.45.

28. GillesDeleuzeandFelíxGuattari, AThousandPlateaus,(MinneapolisandLondon,UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1987),p.232.

OrangutansonDisplay

Sincethe19thcentury,theOrangutanhasincreasinglyappearedbeforetheWesternpublic,andas humansbecamefascinatedbyitsfeatures,theybegantocaptureorcolonizeit.Inadditiontosketched imagery,thepubliccouldseespecimensorsoon-to-bespecimensinplacessuchaspavilionsorzoos andbeamazedandinspiredtothinkaboutthem.29 ItisclearthattheOrangutan,likeotheranimals, wasalsokeptincaptivityforhumanentertainment.In1837,therewasan"animalstar"calledJenny, afemaleorangutaninazoo(Fig.10),describedasan"Asianprincess",30 becausesheworealongsleevedcoatandpantsandreceivedattentionandcare:

ThepersonagewhohaslatelyarrivedatthegardensoftheZoologicalSocietyinthe Regent’sPark,andisnowthe‘observedofallobservers’,isofthesoftersex,andvery young.ShereceivescompanyintheGiraffe-house,andappearsamiable,thoughofa gravityandsagedeportmentfarbeyondwhatisusualatheryears.31

Wecanhardlyimaginewhatkindofmoodtheyarein,thoughwecanseefromtheillustrationsthat thisiscompletelydifferentfromtheirstateinthewild,andhumansareseekingtoentertain themselveswithoutregardforthefeelingsofotheranimals.Inaddition,NaturalistCharlesDarwinhad ameetingwithJenny,anditwashisfirstsightofanape.ThisexperiencereinforcedDarwin'sviewthat humanbeingswere"createdfromanimals"32 andhewroteinhisnotebook,

LetmanvisitOuranoutangindomestication,hearexpressivewhine,seeitsintelligence whenspoken[to];asifitunderstandseverywordsaid-seeitsaffection.-tothoseit knew.-seeitspassion&rage,sulkiness,&veryactionsofdespair...33

Fig.9, Exeter’ChangeMenagerie(H.BeardPrintCollection,Victoriaand AlbertMuseum,London),1812

Fig.10, JennytheorangutanattheLondon Zoo,1837(ZoologicalSocietyLondon)

29. RobertCribb,GilbertHelen,andTiffinHelen, WildManfromBorneo,(UniversityofHawaiiPress,2014),p.58.

30.LimbirdJ,“MirrorofLiterature,AmusementandInstruction”,https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hw28to&view=1up&seq=9,January13,1838.

31. WilliamBroderip, RecreationsinNaturalHistory—No.VI.MonkeysoftheOldContinent,(NewMonthlyMagazineandHumourist,January–April,1838),p.88.

32.Anonymous,“PortraitofJenny”, https://www.zsl.org/blogs/artefact-of-the-month/portrait-of-jenny,(accessed10November2021).

33.lbid.

DangerousOrangutans？

Inthe19thcentury,Borneowasconsideredadangerouslocationduetoitsheat,densevegetation, andlargenumbersofsmallpredatorssuchasspidersandleeches.34 Duringthistime,tradefacilitated conflictbetweenOrangutansandhumans,who,inadditiontolosingtherichfruittreesofthetropical jungle,becameasourceoffoodandtradeinthemselves,wereoftencaptured,sold,andhunted.35 In 1811,forexample,thesultanofSambasgavetwolivingorangutanstotheBritishgovernorofJava, StamfordRaffles,inwhatwasundoubtedlyadirtydeal,anexampleofhumanstreatingwildanimals asgiftstosatisfytheirowndesires.36

Inaddition,theOrangutan’simageintheforestbecamemorediverseasmoreandmoretravelersand naturalistscontactedandreportedonhim.Inthe1850s,AlfredRusselWallace'sillustration,"OrangUtanattackedbyDyaks"(DyaksreferstotheaboriginesofBorneo)fromhistravelsintheEastIndies showsthattheorangutanlookingbothviciousanddangerous,whichisquitedifferentfromwhat Wallacedepictsinhisbook,ashedescribesindetailhowheshoteachofthe16orangutans,tobesent toEuropeintheformofskeletonsorskin.37 Suchreportsanddescriptionsindeedillustratehowwe havetreatedtheminthepast.Humansseeorangutansasunruly,unreasonable,andevenfoolishto demonstratetheirdifferencefromorangutans,whilereinforcingthepowerandstatusofhumansin thebiosphereandthusfurthercontributingtoanthropocentricdevelopment.

Fig.11, DrawingofanorangutanfromtheRaffles collection,BritishLibrary,RafflesCollection,NHD 49.31.

Fig.12, Wallace’sdepiction,captioned“OrangUtanattackedbyDyaks,”gavetheimpression ratherofDayaksattackedbyaferocious orangutan.(Wallace,TheMalayArchipelago, 1869).

34. RobertCribb,GilbertHelen,andTiffinHelen, WildManfromBorneo,(UniversityofHawaiiPress,2014),p.100.

35.ReedLWadley, HistoriesoftheBorneoEnvironment:Economic,PoliticalandSocialDimensionsofChangeandContinuity, (Leiden,KITLVPress,2005),P.23.

36. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2009/jun/04/gallery-raffles-ark-redrawn,(accessed12August2021).

37. AlfredRusselWallace, TheMalayArchipelago:TheLandoftheOrang-utan,andtheBirdofParadise;aNarrativeofTravel,withSketchesofManandNature, (New York,Harper,1869),p.46.

ImaginingOrangutans

Intheearlystagesofthe20thcentury,orangutansappearedinlargenumbersinfictionalworkssuch asplaysandnovels,whichweremoreabletoattractreadersthantheconstantlyupdatedscientific research.AmongtheculturalelitesofWesternEurope,therewasageneralawarenessofwhatthe orangutanrepresented:theysawinthesimilaritiesbetweenapesandhumansanopportunityto explorethehumanconditioninnewwaysand,occasionally,tousetheirbehaviortoilluminatethe negativefeaturesprevalentinWesternsociety.38Oneofthemorefamouscharactersisthefigureof JoopportrayedbyJulesVerneinTheMysteriousIsland(1875),whosupportedtheEuropeanviewat thetimethatanOrangutancouldbeahelpfulservant.Joop'santhropomorphismintermsofcharacter andintelligencealsoreinforcedtheintimaterelationshipbetweenmanandape.Aswritteninthe novel,

Hewasanorang-utanandassuchpossessedneithertheferocityofthebaboon,nor theheedlessnessofthemacaque,northeslovenlinessofthemarmoset,northe impatienceoftheBarbaryape,northefierceinstinctsofthecynocephalus.Thisrace exhibitsmanytraitsthatsuggestanalmosthumanintelligence.39 38. RobertCribb,GilbertHelen,andTiffinHelen, WildManfromBorneo,(UniversityofHawaiiPress,2014),p.107. 39.JulesVerne, TheMysteriousIsland,TranslatedbyJordanStump,(NewYork,ModernLibrary,2004),p.104. 40. RobertCribb,GilbertHelen,andTiffinHelen, WildManfromBorneo,(UniversityofHawaiiPress,2014),p.146.

Anotherdetectivenovel,EdgarAllanPoe's MurdersintheRueMorgue (1841),providesastark contrast.TheOrangutanisdescribedasastrong,ferocious,pureanimalwithoutanyhumannature andasametaphorofwildnessinhumansociety,anontologicalreflectionbetweenmanandape.40It canalsobeinterpretedastheinevitablerepressionofthe"animal"soulwithina"civilized"man.Inthe novel,thereisagruesomeandviolentscene:anOrangutanthathasescapedthesailor'scustody breaksintoanapartmentwheretwowomenliveandtrytoimitatetheactionofthesailor'sshaving andgraboneofthewomen'shair.Intheend,thedetectivediscoversthatthemurderwasnotcaused byahuman,butbyanon-human!

Fig.13, ArthurRackham’s1935illustrationofthe orangutanin“MurdersintheRueMorgue”(TheBritish LibraryBoard,12625.t.14,p.258)

Fig.14, Joopexamininghisreflection(JulesVerne, L’Îlemystérieuse,1916)

OrangutansonStageandScreen

Thefamoustheatreofthenineteenthcentury,constantlyreactingtocontroversialissues,founda vehicleforthe"human-monkey"characterthroughwhichthepublic'sinterestinthenatureand originsofhumankindwasengaged.Forexample,in1825,therewasayoungFrench"character dancer"withthecharmingandcomicalactionsofanape,mimickingthemovementofapesand monkeys.41 Itisbecauseahumanplaystherolethatthisimitationofananimalcanmoresubtly excitetheaudienceaboutthesenseofboundariesbetweenhumansandanimals.Anotherfamiliar filmfromthe1970s,‘PlanetoftheApes’,42 featuresanon-humanchimpanzeeandOrangutanas allies.Thisanthropomorphicrepresentationofanon-humancharacteralsoexplorespower,nuclear war,animalexperimentation,andspecieshierarchy.

Throughouttheorangutan'sculturalhistory,wefindthattheyhavealwaysbeenintertwinedwith humanity.Weareconstantlydiscussingthequestions:whatisahumanbeing?Whatisanonhuman?Continuallyblurringtheboundariesandcontinuouslymaintainingthem.Perhapsitistrue thatorangutansarenothuman,andmostordinarypeoplehavelearnedwhatorangutanscanand cannotdothroughthesestories,opinions,evidence,exhibitions,filmandtelevision,andother variousmedia.However,byanalogywiththeirbehavior,wecanobservemoreclearlythewaywe treatthemandourownuniquephenomena,ethicalcharacteristics,etc.Itisessentialtorecognize thatwhilewehavebeenexploringthenon-humanattributesoftheorangutanforfourcenturies,the orangutanhasinevitablyexploredhumanhumanityaswell.Theyareused,displayed,andabusedby humansaslaborers,prisoners,barbarians,andrebels.Buttheyareempathetic,experiencingan emotionallifeaswell.

41.

42.https://www.filmstories.co.uk/features/tim-burtons-planet-of-the-apes-reimagining-the-ending/ (accessed23August2021).

Fig.15, Jockoperformance,HoughtonLibrary,HarvardTheatre Collection.

Fig.16, Orangutanmaskfromthe2001PlanetoftheApes remake.

RobertCribb,GilbertHelen,andTiffinHelen, WildManfromBorneo,(UniversityofHawaiiPress,2014),p.156.

Thesemysteriousandintriguingstoriesareenoughtoshowthattheorangutanisnotamindless stimulus-responsemachinebutanactor,acreatoroftheplaceandhistoryofBorneo.Isthe Orangutanacloserelativeofhumans?Istheresomethingmorethanbiologythatcanconnectus better?Isthisareasonforustoworkhardertoprotectthem?Dotheyhaveasenseofmoralityand justice,and,inturn,doOrangutansdeservemoralconsideration?

Wherewearetoday

TheOrangutanseemstohavebecomeasymbolofdeforestation.InthetropicalregionofBorneo,the currentrelationshipbetweenhumansandOrangutansisnotfriendly,andtheirforesthomesareoften destroyedorsetonfirebyheavymachinery.Asaresult,Orangutansoftenstarvewithoutafood sourceorareforcedtowanderindangerousandisolatedareaswithinplantationsinsearchoffood andwater,makingthemvulnerabletopoachers.43 Theinternetandmediamainlypresentimagesof thehomelessorangutan,climbingbareandlifelesstreetrunks,scurryingthroughcutbranchesand bushes,fightingwithgiantmachines,44 lockedincageswaitingtobesold,etc.

43. PALMOIL:ADARKFUTUREFORORANGUTANS,https://www.thegreatprojects.com/palm-oil-a-dark-future-for orangutans?utm_source=The+Great+Projects+Newsletter&utm_campaign=c176ac13f3-&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a9e3cf0181 c176ac13f3-39467953&mc_cid=c176ac13f3&mc_eid=6f7c341950,(accessed24June2021)

44.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT5xSwdvi8E, (accessed11August2021).

Fig.17, Thebabytradetorturingorangutanstoextinction,Jan,2018 Fig.18, Orangutanfilmedtryingtofightoffdiggerdestroyingitsjungle home,June,2018

Takethisheartbreakingstory,forexample.In2010,onesoulfulpicturecapturedthepainfultorture thatindustrialagriculturecaninflictonorangutans:astheforestwasdeforested,oneOrangutan Mothertookherchildrenandwasforcedclosertohumanhabitationtofindfoodsandshelter.A groupofvillagersspottedthemotherandbegantothrowrocksatherandhitherwithsticks.Alarge crowdofpeoplegatheredaroundthecageandtookamusementintheirsuffering.It'shardto imaginehowthisbabyorangutanwillfeelwhenheseesthisscene.45

SomeOrangutanshavehaddifferentencounterswithhumans,becomingmore"daring"intheir reactionsthanrunningaway,survivingandthrivingonpalmoilplantations,saidAncrenaz,scientific directoroftheFrenchorangutanconservationgroupHutan:"Ithoughtatthetimethatthese animalsweredoomed",becauseitwasdifficultforthemtofindenoughfoodinsuchan environment.However,hefounditasurprisewhenhediscoveredaplantationwithanorangutan nestandediblepalmfruitshells.Conflictsbecamemoreandmorefrequent,however,asmany peopleinBorneosawtheseprimatesaspeststhatatecropsandchewedonoilpalmbranchesand thatthelifeanddeathoftheOrangutanwereunimportantcomparedtotheirproperty.46

Thesepicturesandnewskeephittingourimagination.Whilstitisobviousorangutansare experiencinganinvasionoftheirhome,theorangutansalsohaveagency,makingnewhomesin theircolonisedlands.Theyareinvolvedinanentanglementwithhumanbeings.So,whatcanwedo ashumanbeings?

45.AmeenaSchelling, OrangutanMotherTorturedByVillagersForTryingToFeedBaby, 2015,https://www.thedodo.com/orangutan-mother-tortured-babypeni-1384237478.html,(accessed03July2021).

46.ChrisBaraniuk, OrangutansAreHangingOnintheSamePalmOilPlantationsThatDisplaceThem, (February3,2020) https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ orangutans-are-hanging-on-in-the-same-palm-oil-plantations-that-displace-them/, (accessed11August2021).

Fig.19, OrangutanMotherTorturedByVillagersForTryingToFeedBaby, 2010

Fig.20, Remainsofpalmfruiteatenbyanorangutan,HUTAN KOCP

Fightforanenvironmentaljustice

Whentalkingaboutthepublic,onemightonlythinkofhumans,andincurrenthumanlaw,political systems,andculturalpractices,orangutansareseenasmereobjectsofuse.Sincethe1970s,animal rightstheoristshavearguedthatorangutansaresentientbeingsandshouldbeconsideredpartof themoralcommunity.47 Thismeansthathumanscan'tthinkonlyabouthowtotreatthem,butmust communicatedeeplyandlistentohowtheywanttolive.Evenorangutanscanbearepresentativein ‘Multi-Speciesmeetings’(Fig.21)todiscusshowtoshareourplanetandaskpeopletobeawareof theirspecies’existenceandhaveconcernforenvironmentaldisasters.Inthesemeetings,orangutans wouldsay,“Therearediscussionsabouthowhumansshouldtreatorcareforus,howtoshareour spacewithhumans,respectourdistance,andnegotiaterecentconflicts.Theyhighlighttheir importanceasakeyspeciesoftheBorneanrainforestandtheirsignificanceforthespreadofseeds, whichisalsointhebestpossibleinterestofhumans.Theyexplain:“Wemovethroughouttheforest, dispersingthevariousfoodsweeat,whichwillgreatlyhelptheregenerationofplantsandflowersin theforest.Inparticular,ittookmymothertenyearstotrainmeinwhichfruitswerewortheating, andwithoutsuchexperience,manytreespecieswouldhavebeenatrisk.Likewise,youhumans wouldbeingreaterdanger.”48

Fig.21, Muti-Speciesmeeting,DW,2021

47.SueDonaldsonandWillKymlicka, Zoopolis:APoliticalTheoryofAnimalRights, (Oxford,OxfordUniversityPress,2011),p.34.

48.DavidAttenborough, ALifeonOurPlanet, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfO-3Oir-qM, (accessed14May2021).

Ofcourse,humanshavehadtheirsayonbehalfofa30-year-oldOrangutanlivinginanArgentine zooin2014,whoactedinawaythatcausedhumanstothinkthatshewasusingapieceof hardboardtoprotectherselffromthepublicgaze.Inrecognitionofthis,visitorsandexpertsin primatecognition,theAssociationofProfessionalLawyersforAnimalRights(AFADA),filedalawsuit totreattheorangutanasasubjectoflawandreleaseher.Inthismeeting,thecity(whichownedthe zoo)arguedthatSandrawasmerelyanobjectandconsideredheritsproperty.Thecourtultimately decidedthatSandrawasahumanbeingwiththoughtsandfeelingswhowasunreasonablyconfined inthezoo.Sandraeventuallywonlegalstatusborderingon"humanrights"andwasofficially declareda"non-human".49 Thisvictorychallengeswhatweoftenforget:theOrangutanisan individualwithherownvalue,abeingwiththerighttoexerciseagency,butIequallybelievethat heractionsinthezoo(takingcardboardtoprotectherself)wascreatedinthisReality,inthe oppressiveenvironmentcreatedbythevisitorsandtheglasshouse;andthatbehavioralsoaffected thehumans.

Fig.22, BuenosAiresZoo,Argentina,2014

Fig.23, Sandra’sWritofHabeasCorpus,2014

49.EyalWeizman, ApeLaw, https://forensic-architecture.org/investigation/ape-law,(accessed21June2021)

FormOrangutantoOtherNon-Human

Soweneedanewattitude,anewmodeofperceptualthinking,andIwouldliketoquoteDonna Haraway'sideaof"Tentacularthinking,"inwhich"tentacular"hasitsrootsintheLatin tentaculum, whichmeans"feeler",and tentare,"tofeel"and"totry."50 Thiswayofthinkingismorelike "sympoieticthreading,felting,tangling,tracking,andsorting"withone'speers:ahybridstate.She believesthatwearecurrentlylivingintheChthuluceneera,ratherthantheAnthropocene.

AccordingtoHaraway,

Thiserainvolvesanon-innocent,risky,committed,exploratory,entangled attemptatbecominginvolvedineachother'slives.Itpromotesanapproach thatinvolvesbothstandingforsomething,remainingopen-ended,and continuouslycreatingnewpossibilities.51

SoHarawaysuggeststhatwecanimaginemore,infinitelyvariablefuturesthanjustproposingdenial asthesolutiontotheAnthropocenecatastrophe.

Tothinkabouthumansthemselvesandorangutansisalsotoopenupthisambiguityandconnecta kindofkinship.Thisexampletransitionstootherpartsoftheecosystem,othernon-humans,which areinseparableandhavethesamevalue;wecoulddiscussmembership,listen,proposeideas, negotiate,care,imagineanddesignnewwaysofbeingwiththeearthinanecologicalcommunityof similarcreatures.Iintendtousethetheoriesof‘Vitalistmaterialism’52 and‘kinship’53 toarticulate anddissolvethisboundarybetweenhumanandnon-human,life,andmatter,seeinglifeasan aggregateandencouragingsomeinstinctsthatneedtore-emerge.Thenanewunderstandingofthe humanbeingcanbemade,wherehumansnotonlyfocusonanthropocentricopposites,butalso valueandobserveothernon-humannarrativesandrespondtothem.Thiswouldenhancethe perceptionofconnectedness,thusawakeningourspiritualvisionandembodyingloveandrespect forallformsoflife.Howdoweseelife?Howcanwefindandawakenourancienthumanconnection totheapes?ReadingtheworkofJaneBennettandDonnaHarawayandweavingtogetherand creating,howdoweengagewitheachother?Howdoweunderstandourselvesinrelationtoother beings?Howcanviolenceandoppressionbeavoided?Canallbeingsbeseenasthesame?Icannot answerallthequestions,butIwilloffersomereflections.

50.DonnaHaraway, StayingwiththeTrouble:MakingKinintheChthulucene,(Durham:DukeUniversityPress,2016),p.71.

51.lbid.p.71.

52.JaneBennett, Vibrantmatter,(DukeUniversityPress,2010),p.28.

53.DonnaHaraway, StayingwiththeTrouble:MakingKinintheChthulucene,(Durham:DukeUniversityPress,2016),p.22.

Fig.24, TheoriesandTransition,DW,2021

Backtotheorigin

Kinship:Whatwehaveignoredfromapes

Isthereanabsolutedifferencebetweenhumansandotherspecies?Weseeourselvesasthemost importantbeingsintheuniverse,butaswelearnmoreaboutourselvesandotherbeings,wecan learnaboutoursharedperceptions,consciousnessandcognitiveabilities,individualandcollective preferences,andsomeuniquecharacteristics.Thissuperiorityisentirelyavoidable,andrecent studieshaveshownthatthedifferencesinlanguage,cognition,andculturebetweenhumansand nonhumananimalsaredifferencesofdegree,notofkind.54 HereI'mgoingtouse"kinship"to connectourdifferencesandcommonalitieswithapes,lookingatancestralanimism,Darwinian networks,tooluse,wildness,consciousbehaviorandperception,culturalevolution,etc.,todraw outsomekinshiporsomeofoursharedheritagewithgreatapesliketheOrangutanthatwehave overlooked.Oursharedheritageneedstoreappearatthistime.

We,humans,belongtotheorderPrimatesintheanimalkingdomMammalia.Amongprimates,we belongtoaspecial"branch"calledapes.Itisaprimatewithaverycomplexsocialandecological nature.55 Fromakinshipperspective,someofthesimilaritiesbetweengreatapesandhumansare obvious,asindicatedbythebilateralsymmetryofourlegs,ears,andeyes.Thiskinship,aswellas cognitive,socialactivity,andothercomplexsimilaritiesseemtoliebetweenothernon-primate speciesandhumans,makingitcrucialtounderstandthestatusandconnectionbetweengreatapes likeOrangutanandhumans.

Whatiskinship?"Kinshipcomprisestheintellectualandsocialrulesformakingsenseofyourplace toeveryoneandeverythingelse.Inshort,kinshipisorienting.Itdefinestheslotsintowhichpeople arebornandbecomesocial,symbolizingbeings."56 DonnaHarawayseesallourearthlingsaskinina deepsense,allcritterssharinga"flesh",57 ameansofincreasinghumanandanotheranimal flourishing,ofmobilizingenergyandpassioninadispersedworld.58 Humansneedtoexpandthe scopeofkinship,whichismorelikea"mutualityofbeingnatural",wherewearemembersofeach other.DonnaHarawayarguesthateverythingaroundusislikeahybrid,saying,"Stayingwiththe troublerequiresmakingoddkin;thatis,werequireeachotherinunexpectedcollaborationsand combinations,inhotcompostpiles."59 Idefinekinshiphereasthelong-neglectedhumaninstincts andintuitionsinrelationtonon-humans,andcorrectingthesecapacitiescanhelprecalibrateour relationshipswitheachotherandwithotherbeingsontheplanet.Weneedtorecognizethatbeing ahumancreatureisaplastic,cumulative,evolutionaryspecies,andthattherecalibrationof consciousness,emotion,andperception,orindeedthecreationofnewformsoflanguageand understanding,isnecessaryforourcontinuedvitalityasaspecies.Inthisway,itisamoreabstract evolution.

54.JonathanCrane, BeastlyMorality:AnimalsasEthicalAgents, (ColumbiaUniversityPress,2015),p.23.

55.JohnWylie, ApeMind,OldMind,NewMindEmotionalFossilsandtheEvolutionoftheHumanSpirit, (Bookbaby,208).P.114.

56.JonathanMarks, Talesoftheex-apes:howwethinkabouthumanevolution, (UniversityofCaliforniaPress,2015),p.12.

57.DonnaHaraway, StayingwiththeTrouble:MakingKinintheChthulucene, (Durham:DukeUniversityPress,2016).p.103.

58.lbid.p.139

59.lbid.p.4

Wewillfeeljoyandwonderwhenwehearthatcertainindigenouspeoplesandculturesbelievethat everythingisaliveandhavedevelopedanimism.Thistermreappearedinthe19thcenturyin EdwardBurnettTylor'sPrimitiveCulture,whichdefinedhow‘primitivepeople’aredistinguished from‘civilizedpeople’.Itwasusedtoshowhowfundamentaldistinctionbetween‘primitive’and ‘civilized’manismade.60 Tylorarguedthatanimismwasabeliefthatthesoulcanleavethebodyas avoidandbecomeaspiritualbeingforallkindsofotherthings,suchasrivers,stones,trees, weapons,andsoon.Inotherwords,indigenouspeoplebelievedthateverythinghadasoul. However,MāoriMarsden,disagreedwiththeearlyanthropologicalnotionsofanimism;he consideredanimismtobea'sacredstateorconditionofapersonorthing’,61 whichimpliesthatit doesnotmatterwhetherasoulexistsornot,butthateveryobjecthasalifeofitsown.Ashesaid, “primitivemanbelievedallnaturalobjectstobeanimatedbyitsownspirit”forMāori;“allthe createdorderpartook;Here'sahigherlevelofmauriora(life-principle).”62 SofortheMāori,thereis no"ontologicalseparationbetweenmanandobject",butrathera"thingthatisliketheselfinits mostbasicsense:itisimmediatelyconnectedtoeverythingelse",nolongeremphasizingthe agencyofthehuman"subject"butrathertheagencyofthese"objects",whichdonotnecessarily needasubjecttothinkaboutthem(buttheymaythemselvessummonorproduceselfand reflection).63 Soitnolongermatterswhetheranobjecthaslifeornot;whatmattersisour perceptionofitsspirit.Inthecaseofawaterbottleandapottedflowerinfrontofus,thereareno majorchangesintheirmovementstothenakedeye,andtheyevenseemtobejustabunchof ordinarysubstances.Doesthismeanthatwehavelostthisability?Evenifwehadthisabilityto empathize,denialwouldimmediatelystifletheprocess.Ithinkarenewedunderstandingof animismiscrucial,asDonnaHarawaydescribes,"Itisthatmodalityofexperiencetowhichthe humanorganismismostcloselyadapted,themodeofconsciousnessthathasmostdeeplydefined ourimaginationandourintelligence."64

60.DeborahBirdRose,“ValPlumwood’sPhilosophicalAnimismattentiveinteractionsinthesentientworld”,SkipNavDestination,RESEARCHARTICLE|MAY012013,p.4. https://doi.org/10.1215/22011919-3611248

61.MāoriMarsden, God,ManandUniverse:AMaoriView, (Auckland,ReedPublishingGroup,1992),p.121.

62.Lbid,p.123.

63.CarlTeHiraMika, TheThing’sRevelation:SomeThoughtsonMāoriPhilosophicalResearch, (WaikatoJournalofEducation,2015),p.67.

64.DavidAbram, BecomingAnimal:AnEarthlyCosmology, (MythicImagination,2011), p.198.

ConsciousnessandPerception

Watchingtheactionsofanimalsindocumentaries,Ioftenmarvelattheirrecklesspassion,their sensitivitytowhatisaroundthem;atraitthatsomepeopleseeasan"instinct"thatlacksthought andactsonpassion.Thisissharplydifferentiatedfromthe"intelligence"thathumanspossess.65 I preferDeVries'open-endeddefinitionofthiswildness,"somethingthattendstorelaxits connectionwiththeexistingenvironment."66 Ichoosetoseethiswildnessasaperceptualor consciouscapacity.Theyarguethatwecanneverhavecompleteinsightintotheemotionsand languageofanimalsbecauseweperceivetheworlddifferently.However,istherenoconnection?As apes,wesharethisabilitytogeneralizethephenomenareceivedbythesefivesensorymodalities–visual,auditory,tactile,gustatory,andolfactory,67 aswellasanabilitytorecognizeourselvesand becomeawareofoursurroundings–awarenessoftheenvironmentaroundus–consciousness.

Forbothhumansandapes,thisistheabilityfirsttoentertheworldofmaterialreality.Forapes,the presenceofperceptionandawarenessinthefaceofcomplexenvironmentalvariables:gravity, pressure,predators,pathogens,temperature,etc.,allowsthemtorespondappropriatelyand variablytophysical,biological,andsocialeventsandsignalsintheirenvironment.Fromthe Orangutan'sabilitytorespondtotheheightoftrees,nesttypeoftree,andthedistributionoffruit trees,itknowsexactlywhentomoveinordertofindshelterandfood,aswellastoavoid encounterswithaggressivemaleOrangutans.Forhumanstoday,findingfoodandshelterisno longernecessary.However,wetendtoignoretheroleofmatterinactivelyinfluencingthespace arounditbecausetheobjectsweperceivearepassivephenomena,neutralorinert.The consequenceofthisisthatweweakenorlosetheabilitytoperceiveandbeaware.Soawakeningor valuingtheexistenceofperceptualandconsciouscapacitiespresupposesourperceptionofthe materialspacearoundus.Whiletheanthropocentricviewofevolutionusedtoconsiderourgradual transformationfromprimatestohumansinacontinuumofstep-by-steplinearimprovements, accordingtoarecentview,nuclearpalaeoanthropologistClaudioTunizarguesthat"evolutionand adaptationtakeplacethroughnetworksofcontinuous,non-linearinteractionsatdifferentlevelsof thebiologicalstructure",thisstructureisalsoknownas"Darwinismofnetworks''68.Itviewsthat assemblagesoforganicspeciesandofabioticfactorscreatehistoryandevolution,Thatis,thisview emphasizestheimportanceofthecyclicinteractionbetweenperceptionandenvironment,where thepresenceofthesurroundingspaceenhancestheinteractionbetweenperceptionand consciousness,thusenhancingthelearningability,adaptation,andsurvivalofapes.Thisalso changesthedirectionofevolution,asinthecaseoftheOrangutanofBorneoandSumatra,which areconsideredthesamespecies,butwhosebehaviorbecomesdifferentduetotheforestecology ofthesetworegions.Forexample,thescarcityoffruitproductivityinBorneomeanthatorangutans therearemoredependentonbark,andthecontinuedpresenceoftigersinSumatrahaveled OrangutansinSumatratopreferlivingingroupstoprotecteachother.69 Ifweacceptsuchan insight,wemustacknowledgetheroleofthisphysicalrealityandtheabilitytoperceiveit,along withtheconstantcreativechangesintheenvironment,inmakingushumanasweare.Afterall, nothingexistsinisolation.Notonlyarehumansactingontheworld,butothersarealso"watching" andactingonhumans.

65.JaneBennett, Vibrantmatter,(DukeUniversityPress,2010),p.19.

66.Ibid.p.21.

67.ClaudioTuniz,PatriziaTiberiVipraio, FromApestoCyborgsNewPerspectivesonHumanEvolution, (Springer,2020),p.ix.

68.Ibid.p.12.

69.CPvanSchaik,RODeaner,MYMerrill, Theconditionsfortool-useinprimates:implicationsfortheevolutionofmaterialculture, JournalofHumanEvolution,36, 719–41.

Theperceptibilityofnon-humanformsofagency

Anotherneglectedkinshipistheperceptibilityofnon-humanformsofagency.TheOrangutanisan "architect"whoissensitivetothechoiceofnaturalmaterials,stones,andbranches,andwhobuilds nestsandumbrellasanddecorateshishabitatenvironmentthroughtheuseofmaterialsaround himself.Theyusethematerialsaroundhimtobuildnestsandumbrellasandtodecoratehishabitat environment.Wehumansalsocan‘design’and‘usetools’,whichcanbeunderstoodastheabilityto createvibrantmaterialassemblages.Today'sartifactsaremorehumanthanhuman,anddesign representsthestateofourspecies.Whetheritisourcarefullydesignedpersonalappearance,the materialsaroundus,thenetworks,systems,infrastructure,buildings,organisms,etc.,itisclearthat designhaspenetratedourbrainsandbodiesandhasbecomean‘extension’ofus.

Nevertheless,whatweneedtoknowisthateverymaterialorothernon-humanweuse,together withourintentions,formsamoreprominent,open,indeterminate"agency".BeatrizColominaand MarkWigleyofferamulti-layeredexplorationoftheintimaterelationshipbetweenhumansand design:"Artifactsarethereforeneversimplytherepresentativesofhumanintentionsandabilities. Theyarealsoopenings,possibilitiesofsomethingnewinthehuman,evenanewhuman."70 The creationofmaterialsisanabilitytochangethedirectionofeventsandinfluenceoutcomes,soifour perceptibilitytonon-humanformsofagencyisinadequate,itcanleadtomanybaddesigns,suchas thelongstayofrubbishbagsinthecity.This‘designextension’hasspreadtothecurrent perceptibleenvironment,forests,oceansandthebelliesofanimals.However,Isuspectthatdesign willnotstop;itwillcontinuetopileup.AnthropologistandecologistDavidAbraminsiststhat technologiescanbebeneficial,butonlyiftheinsightstheygeneratearecarefullybroughtbackinto thecreationofourworld.71 Sosensitivitytomaterials,designapproaches,outcomes,etc.,needto bethoughtaboutandconstructedinacaringway.

70. ColominaB,WigleyM, Arewehuman?Notesonanarchaeologyofdesign, (Switzerland,LarsMüllerPublishers,2016),p.24.

71.DavidAbram, BecomingAnimal:AnEarthlyCosmology, (MythicImagination,2011), p.7.

SocialCognition

Humansarenottheonlycreatureswiththeabilitytocompeteandcooperate;socialcognitionand socialcommunicationisaninherentlycreativeprocessthatunfoldsaspartnersinasociety constantlyadaptingitsbehavior.Fifty-twomillionyearsago,primategroupsbegantoformand immersethemselvesintheirgroupecology,spendingmuchoftheiryouthlearning,exploring,and gettingtoknoweachotheringroups.72 Itisnecessarytostudythisbecauseittellstheevolutionary rootsofourspiritualenvironment.Thehierarchicalsocialstructureofprimatesiscomposedof internallyexperiencedemotionsandmotivationsgeneratedwithinthebrain;thatis,primatesocial behaviorandcognitionevolvedonascaffoldcomposedofsharedsocialemotions,sothehuman mindis,infact,asocialmind.73 Soassumingthatwearetoocompartmentalizedanddisconnected fromourenvironmentoroursocialgroup,whichinthiscasewouldleadtoadisconnectinour senseofkinship,wouldmeanthatwedonotneedtomakeanymoraljudgmentsorreactionstothe waywetreat"others"muchasourmostancientpredecessorsdid,simplybylimitingsocial relationshipstoforaging.BarbaraSmuts,inordertostudyagroupofbaboonsandunderstandthe worldastheydo,neededto"stickwiththebaboons,payattentiontowhattheydoandpay attentiontohowtheyrespond."74 Shefeltthatthishugegroupofbaboonswaslikea"larger sensoryentity"withaparticulargroupconsciousnessthatallowedhertoperceivehersurroundings indifferentways,asdidthebaboons.Moreover,throughSmoot'smutualunderstandingandshared experienceswiththebaboons,theyformedacommonworldthatwasneitherhumannorbaboon. So,inthepresentmoment,wheresocialgroupswithinhumansneedtobeandareexpanding,itis crucialtorecognizethatthecurrentsocialexchangeisnotonlyhumanandnotonlyofthesame species.Recognizing,asourancestorsdid,thatindividualsmustbecomebothmoreunitedand increasinglydifferent,shiftingfromcompetitiontocoordination,fromthechoiceofindividual healthtothechoiceofcollectiveproductivity.

72.JohnWylie, ApeMind,OldMind,NewMindEmotionalFossilsandtheEvolutionoftheHumanSpirit,(Bookbaby,2018),p.97. 73.Lbid.p.101.

74.B.B.Smuts,J.M.Watanabe, Socialrelationshipsandritualizedgreetingsinadultmalebaboons(Papiocynocephalusanubis), InternationalJournalofPrimatology 11,147–172(1990).https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02192786

Humansarenottheonlyanimalswithculture.IfOrangutans'foragingmethods,social communication,anduniquelanguagesignalsareconsideredaculturaltradition,thenmany complexsocialmammalspecieshaveculture.Sowhatisculture?PJRichersongivesadefinition: "Allinformationthatistransmittednon-genetically,i.e.,throughimitation,sociallearningor teachingoversuccessivegenerations."75 Whatissimilarbetweenhumansandotherspeciesisthat otherspeciesalsohaveacultureintheformofsociallytransmittedtraditions.However,their technologieshaveremainedunchangedformillenniaandtheyhavenotgraduallychangedor refinedtheirculturalartifactsandpractices.Humanculturalachievementsareuniqueinthatthe scaleandcomplexityoftheircultureseemtosurpassthatofothernonhumanspecies,suchasthe vastarrayofextrinsicmaterialcreations(weapons,architecture,cities,etc.)CBuskesunderstands thereasonforthiscomplexculturalformationasfollows,

Complexculturalachievementsdonotemergeinasinglestepbutevolve graduallyduetotheselectiveretentionandcumulativeimprovementofthe variouselementsthatconstituteaparticularculturalartifactorpractice.76

Thatistosay,itisthecumulativecultureofhumans,theabilitytobepassedon,accumulatedand fixedovergenerations(involvingfeedbackbetweencreativityandtransmission),thathaslargely influencedtheevolutionofhumanculture;arguably,itistheubiquitousmaincomponentand potentialdrivingforce.77 ThedevelopmentalpsychologistMichaelTomasellodubbedthis progressionthe‘culturalratchet’.78 Thiseffectofsociallearning,creativity,andteachingdramatically shortensourintellectualandtechnologicaltimecosts,meaningthatwedonotneedtoreinvent themeverygeneration.However,forourancestorstotransmitculturalinformationmore effectively,westillneededsomethingextratomaketheratcheteffectwork,areliablemediumor channel.AccordingtoJablonkaandLamb,thehumaninventionoflanguageopenednewportalsfor evolution.79 Languagehasbecomeatoolfortransmittinginformationfromonegenerationtothe next.Forexample,humanscancommunicatewiththeideasoftheirpredecessorsbyreadingbooks and,inmorerecentyears,usingtheInternet.Whenalltheseconditionsarepresent,co-existing, andmutuallyreinforcing,culturalevolutionoccurssothatcultureisnolongerafixedthingowned byanindividualbutawayoflife.

75.P.J.Richerson,M.H.Christiansen, InCulturalEvolution:Society,Technology,Language,andReligion, (USA,Cambridge,TheMITPress,2013),p.1–21.

76.ChrisBuskes, TheEnculturedPrimate:ThresholdsandTransitionsinHomininCulturalEvolution,(Philosophies,2019),p.1.

77.AgustinFuentes, Howhumansandapesaredifferent,andwhyitmatters,(JournalofAnthropologicalResearch,2018),p.151-167.

78.MichaelTomasello, Theculturaloriginsofhumancognition,(Cambridge,HarvardUniversityPress,1999),p.21.

79.EvaJablonkaandLambMarionJ, EvolutioninFourDimensions:Genetic,Epigenetic,Behavioral,andSymbolicVariationintheHistoryofLife, (Cambridge,theMIT Press,2005),p.46.

Accordingtomanyindigenouspeople,alllifeonearthisacreatorofculture,whichreshapesnot onlyourbodiesbutalsoourminds.80 Thisprocessisinfluencingourhumanperceptual/behavioral patternsthroughtheexternalphysicalenvironmentandcommunicativeresponseswithinsociety, whichcontinuetodevelopandreinforceandpromotearicherandmoremalleablesystemof communication.81 Thatis,humansareentwinedwithecology,withpatternsofperceptionand communicationshapedbyspecificecologicalandsocialpressuresandsimultaneouslyshapingthese traitsinturn.Thisaccountsforakinshipthatwetendtooverlookashumansandprimates.This culturalevolutionisself-organizingandcumulative,andbothhumansandnonhumansremain evolutionarilyvariableandcreative.

Thestudyofourancestorsandhominidshasrevealedsomerelativesthatwehumanshave overlookedtoapes,butthisisstilllimitedtohumansandanimals.Whataboutplants?Whatabout bacteria?Whataboutrocks?Aren'tthereanysimilaritiesbetweenus,Kinship,thewaywesee them?Oneofthemostinfluentialthinkersinecologicalmaterialistdiscourse,JaneBennett'svital materialismisahelpfulstartingpointforthisdiscussion,arguingthatallmatterhasalifeorvitality, recognizingthatthisvitalitymaytransformourrelationshipwiththeworldandthateachpatternis itselfacombinationofmanysimplebodiescollidingwitheachother,formingalliancesorbecoming assemblages.82

80.SteveStewart-Williams, Theapethatunderstoodtheuniverse:Howthemindandcultureevolve,(CambridgeUniversityPress,2018),p.318.

81.AgustinFuentes,"Theextendedevolutionarysynthesis,ethnography,andthehumanniche:Towardanintegratedanthropology."CurrentAnthropology57.S13 (2016):S13-S26.

82.JaneBennett, Vibrantmatter,(DukeUniversityPress,2010),p.42.

Vitalmaterialism:Howtoseelife?

DoyouknowwhatLifeistome?Amonsterofenergy,thatdoesnotexpenditselfbut onlytransformsitself.[A]playofforcesandwavesofforces,atthesametimeoneand many;aseaofforcesflowingandrushingtogether,eternallychanging.83

——FriedrichNietzsche,WilltoPower

JaneBennettarguesthatentirelyinstrumentalimagesofmateriallifefuelourhumandesireto conquerandconsume,preventingusfromexperiencingthenon-humanforcesaroundandwithin usthroughseeing,hearing,smelling,tasting,feeling.84 Iffromtheverybeginninghumanbeings thoughtoflifeasnolongerlimited,notjustasmoving,talking,seeingvibrantcolors,butasa changingsubstance;anenergy;thecapacityofthings,thenhumanattitudestolifewilldramatically change.AsSpinozasaid,,inthecontextofanontologicalvision,allthingsare"modes"ofacommon "Substance."85 This"Substance"seemstobemorelikeamediumthatconnectshumansandnonhumans,whichmaybeinvisiblebutcanbedeeplyfelt,andwhichDeleuzebelievesis"ontologically one,formallydiverse."86 Sothe"Substance"canbeseenaseverything:human,animal,plant,stone, thatwhichblursorevenerasesthedefinitionorconceptoflifeasseeninfrontofus,constantly challengingourunderstandingofourselves,non-humans,andtheenvironmentinwhichwelive.By embracingthis,itwillundoubtedlyinfluenceourhumanbehavior,imagination,andwill.

Assemblage

FollowingthisisGillesDeleuze'sdescriptionoflifein'AThousandPlateaus'asa"mattermovement"or"matter-energy,"a"matterinvariationthatentersassemblagesandleaves them."87Ashumans,mostofourenvironmentasseenbythenakedeyeisanassemblageofmixed things.AsJaneBennettdefinesit:Assemblagesareadhocgroupingsofdiverseelements,ofvibrant materialsofallsorts.88Moreover,theseelementsarenotnecessarilythelivingobjectswesee;they haveapower,a"Thing-Power","thecuriousabilityofinanimatethingstoanimate,toact,to produceeffectsdramaticandsubtle."89

83.FriedrichNietzsche. TheWilltoPower. Trans.WalterKaufmannandR.J.Hollingdale,(NewYork,RandomHouse,1967),p.65.

84.JaneBennett, Vibrantmatter,(DukeUniversityPress,2010),p.9.

85.lbid.p.42.

86. GillesDeleuze, ExpressionisminPhilosophy:Spinoza.Trans.MartinJoughin,(NewYork,ZoneBooks,1992),p.67.

87. GillesDeleuzeandFélixGuattari, AThousandPlateaus:CapitalismandSchizophrenia.Trans.BrianMassumi.Minneapolis,(UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1987),p.38.

88.JaneBennett, Vibrantmatter,(DukeUniversityPress,2010),p.44.

89.lbid,p.28.

Thisissomewhatsimilartotheancestralanimismdiscussedearlier,inthatobjects,whetheraliveor not,arepayingattentionaswellasbeingpaidattentionto,notjustexistingsolelyinthecustomary humanconception(thedefinitionandroleofanobject,etc.),butdemonstratingapower,saying something,asiftheywerealive.Forexample,thecomputeritselfworksasakindofassemblage throughthecooperationofsoftwareandhardware.Similarly,theprocessofwritingandeditingmy papercanbeunderstoodasanassemblage,akindofjointagentofmacroandmicroactors,which includeshumans,computers,lights,minds.Theagencyoftheassemblage,whichincludeshumans, computers,lights,themind,thedeadline,adrenaline,etc.,alloftheseelementsareinvolvedin producingdifferenteffects,ultimatelyinfluencingwhetherIgraduateornot(Ijest).

Istheagencyoftheassemblageahugeunifyingforce?IagreewithJaneBennettthatthisagencyis likeaneffortrequiredtomaintainaparticularrelationshipof"motionandstillness"betweenits parts,constantlyaffectingorchangingsomething;Asshesays:

Thismaintenanceisnotaprocessofmererepetitionofthesame,foritentailscontinual invention:becauseeachmodesufferstheactionsonitbyothermodes,actionsthat disrupttherelationofmovementandrestcharacterizingeachmode,everymode,ifit istopersist,mustseeknewencounterstocreativelycompensateforthealterationsor affectionsitsuffers.90

Sotheassemblageislikeanopenform,centerlessanduncountable.Thatis,itcannotdetermine thetrajectoryoreffectsofthegroupbasedonsomethingmaterial,andtheeffectsitproducesare emergent,witheachsubstancepossessingitsuniquevitalitywhilesimultaneouslyexhibitingthe "agencyoftheassemblage”.

Similarly,Deleuzeseesthisagencyasaninterplaybetweenbodies,arguingthat"therearetwo equallyactualpowers,thatofacting,andthatofsufferingaction,whichvariesinverselyonetothe other,butwhosesumisbothconstantandconstantlyeffective."91 Inthisway,theagencyofthe assemblageisacreativeone,constantlymodifyingandbeingmodified,maintainingthedynamism orintentionalityofchangeandinfluence.Andso,inakindofontologicalcontext,thismodeof thinkingisdirectlylinkedtotheinterrelationshipbetweenhumansandnonhumans.Ithinkthiskind ofthinkingcanbecalledAssemblageThinking.

90.JaneBennett, Vibrantmatter,(DukeUniversityPress,2010),p.43.

91. GillesDeleuzeandFélixGuattari, AThousandPlateaus:CapitalismandSchizophrenia.Trans.BrianMassumi.Minneapolis,(UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1987),p.44.

AssemblageThinkingandecologicalsensibility

AsJaneBennettputsit,“wearenowinabetterpositiontonamethatotherwaytopromotehuman healthandhappiness:toraisethestatusofthematerialityofwhichwearecomposed.”92 Thatis,by raisingthestatusofthecommonmaterialityofallthings,thedifferencesbetweensubjectand objectareminimized,andthusthehierarchybeginstocollapse.Theforcesofactionandpowerof thingsareconstantlyspreadingout,bringingourperception,andunderstandingtoanewhorizon. ThisexperienceismorelikewhatJohnFrowdescribesas,

Tobeflattened,readhorizontallyasajuxtapositionratherthanverticallyasa hierarchyofbeing.Itisafeatureofourworldthatwecananddodistinguish...things frompersons.However,thesortofworldweliveinmakesitconstantlypossiblefor thesetwosetsofkindstoexchangeproperties.93

ItisalsolikewhatBrunoLatourdescribesas"theslightsurpriseofaction”:

Thereisnoobject,nosubject....butthereareevents.Ineveract;Iamalwaysslightly surprisedbywhatIdo.Norisitlimitedtotheactionsofhumansthemselves,while thatwhichactsthroughmeisalsosurprisedbywhatIdo,bychancetomutate,to change,...tobifurcate.94

Thus,asweacknowledgethevitalityofthephysicalobjectsandassemblagesarounduswithan attitudeofAssemblageThinking,thecontingencyandsensitivityofourperceptionofspacebecome increasinglyevident,leadingtotheecologicalsensibilitythatBennettdescribes.Shearguesthat sensorytuningthroughthebodyisnecessaryforthedevelopmentofthissensitivity:"Whatisalso neededisacultivated,patient,sensoryattentivenesstononhumanforcesoperatingoutsideand insidethehumanbody”95 So,AssemblageThinkingandecologicalsensibilityarebothawayof horizontallyre-drawingrelationshipsbetweenhumansandnonhumansandforminglarger assemblages,makingpatternsandrelationshipsintheecologicalworldmorevisibleandcreatinga varietyofnewwaysofcommunicating.ItislikeJane'spurposeinthebook:“Topromotegreener formsofhumancultureandmoreattentiveencountersbetweenpeople-materialitiesandthingmaterialities.”96 HowcanthisAssemblageThinkingor"ecologicalsensitivity"bedevelopedforus humans?

92.JaneBennett, Vibrantmatter,(DukeUniversityPress,2010),p.pt.

93.JohnFrow,"Apebble,acamera,amanwhoturnsintoatelegraphpole."CriticalInquiry28.1(2001):270-285.

94.BrunoLatour, Pandora'shope:essaysontherealityofsciencestudies, (Harvarduniversitypress,1999),p.281.

95.JaneBennett, Vibrantmatter,(DukeUniversityPress,2010), p.xiv.

96.lbid, p.9.

O-human'sEye

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPG1Q5MRjGY

Assemblages

Thepigeonsgathertogethertobaskinthesun,lyingonthegrass,forcedtodosobythedropin temperatureaftertherain.Therelationshipbetweenthegrassandthepigeonsislikethatbetween humansandtheirclothes.Thecrowshaveanintensecuriosityandflylowtowatcheverything.I keepchasingthecrows,andthecrowsdodgeaccordingtomybehavior,alwayskeepingasafe distancebetweenus.Everynowandthen,Isteppedbackonabranch,andthemomentoftouch wasanunusualvibration,notfoundintheearsbutinthebody.Grassandtreesalsoseemtobeone andthesame,connectedunderground,withthewindinvolvedeverywhere,thebodyofeach objectexpressingitsresponsetothewindonascalethatchangesfromsmalltolargeandfrom largetosmall.Visitorswalkontopofartificialpathsmadeofclayasiftheirwalkingrouteswere plannedinadvance.Themetalsurfacesofthelightandthecarsarealsoconstantlypassing, exchangingsignalsasiftwoconfidantswerehugginganddancingtogether.

Description

Steppingoutoftheworld,Iusuallyobserve,feelandthinkintermsofassemblagethinking.From mypersonal(O-Human)perspective,thecamerabecomesmyothereye,and,usingsceneslike HydeParkandOxfordStreetinLondon,UKasexamples,Imakeuseofaformofvisualizationbased onimaginationandvideoimagestoconceivewhatassemblagethinkinglookslike.

Thewholeimagehasasenseofsummoning,drawninwhileobservingandthenintegratedintothe assemblage.Abstractinghumanandnon-humanasencountersandreactionsbetweendifferent actors,Iusedspecialeffectstoflattenthemandgivethemthesamecolor,wherethecontraction andstretchingofthecolorsrepresentanopen,indeterminate,andever-changingstate.Insteadof rigidboundarylinesseparatingthem,theyachieveanalmostfusedeffect.Thismakesitpossibleto seemoreclearlythatthesevibrantthingshaveaparticularpotencyoftheirown.Themost importantthingisthatinthisvast"participation";itisnotsimplyasimplecausalrelationship betweenhumanandhuman,humanandnon-human,butan"emotionalfield",whichcontains experienceandemotion,andexperientialemotionofallthingsspiritual.Thematerialworldaround usisalsoalivethroughtheintertwinedwaysofexperiencingtheassemblageandgenerating correspondingthoughtsandactions.

Fig.25, Screenshotof‘AssemblageThinking’,DW,2021

Therereallyisnosuchthingasman,thatthenotionofhumanexceptionalismwasalie andthatintruththereisonelifeinwhichallthefeaturesthathadoncemarkedthe human–knowledge,emotion,linguisticcapacity,altruism,mindandcommunity–are infactpresentinalllife.97

——ClaireColebrook, IntroductiontoExtinction:FramingtheEndoftheSpecies

HereIproposeanewconceptofhumanity,O-Human(Other-Human,Ontology-Human...),whichis notanamingact,nordoesitrepresentagroup.O-Humanhasaliminalquality,occupyinganodd positionbetweenhumanandnon-humanidentities.NoristheviewIadvocateinanywaythe antithesisofanthropocentrism;O-Humanisnotmonolithicbutpluralistic;O-humancanfeel surroundedbysomethinglarger,integrated,andmorecaredfor,thantheexistencebetween subjectsandobjects.ThebodyofO-HumanislikeSpinoza’s"conativebodies":"bodiesthatstriveto enhancetheirpowerofactivitybyformingallianceswithotherbodies."98 Thisalignmentisboth physicalandmental;itislikeaprocessthatenhancesresponsivenesstootherbodies.Arewe human?Whatwouldwebeifwestoppedbeinghuman?Thefollowingpaperwillredefinehumans asanimals,asvibrantmatter,re-becominganothercreatureanddevelopingandunderstandingall aspectsofthemselvesinrelationtotheirenvironment.AsthephilosopherRosiBraidottiwritesin 'ThePosthuman':

Inmyview,thepointaboutposthumanrelations,however,istoseetheinter-relation human/animalasconstitutiveoftheidentityofeach.Itisatransformativeor symbioticrelationthathybridizesandaltersthe‘nature’ofeachoneandforegrounds themiddlegroundsoftheirinteraction.Thisisthe‘milieu’ofthehuman/non-human continuumanditneedstobeexploredasanopenexperiment,notasaforegone moralconclusionaboutallegedlyuniversalvaluesorqualities.99

97.ColebrookC,Introduction:extinction.Framingtheendofthespecies.InCColebrook(Ed).Extinction(np).OpenHumanitiesPress.Retrievedon30April2015 fromhttp://www.livingbooksaboutlife.org/books/Extinction/Introduction.

98.BaruchSpinoza, Ethics:TreatiseontheEmendationoftheIntellect,andSelectedLetters Trans.SamuelShirley.Ed.SeymourFeldman.Indianapolis,(Hackett, 1992),p.64.

99.RosiBraidotti, ThePosthuman, (Cambridge,PolityPress,2013),p.124.

Isthereadifferencebetweenhumanbeingsandbones?AccordingtoJaneBennett,apositive materialist,humanandnon-humanentitiesare"notseparatespeciesofbeing"butsimply collectionsofthingsthatshare"commonmateriality,"suchasatoms,bacteria,matter,energy, etc.100 Atthecellularorbacteriallevel,wenotonlyliveinaworldfulloflivingmatter,butwehave actorsandagentsonandwithinourbodies.LikemostlifeformsonEarth,humansareacommunity ofsingle-celledorganismsthatareconstantlydividingandexpandingtomakeupthehumanform. Theconceptofa"purelyhuman"bodydoesnotexist;asJean-FrançoisLyotardsuggests,humans canbedistinguishedasavibrantandcompletecollectionofmaterials.101 Soitnolongermatters whetherhumansaredistinguishedfrombones,andwedonotneedtodescribethesedifferencesin awaythatplaceshumansatthecenterofontologyortheapexofthehierarchy.

Moreover,humanintentionalityiscritical,butwetendtoignoreouractionsandintentionsand underestimatetheextenttowhichvariouselementssuchasplants,animals,andartifactsinteract witheachother.Supposehumansareunderstoodasacollectionofvibrantsubstances.Inthatcase, ourintentionsandbehaviorsareasBrunoLatourproposes,Actant,atermforasourceofaction.As Latourdefinesit,thisis"somethingthatactsortowhichothersgrantactivity.Itimpliesnospecial motivationofindividualhumanactors,norhumansingeneral."102 Thisissimilartotheagentsofthe assemblagedescribedearlier,humansandnon-humansalike,simultaneouslyseeandbeingseen, interminglingwitheachotherasthedecisiveforcethatmakesthingshappen.Humanactionsand intentionsbecomemixedanddispersed,morelikeadynamicpileofmatterdoingsomething,akind ofunitedmacroandmicroagencythatpromptshumanstobecomeinterveners.This reconceptualizationofthehumanbeingiscrucialbecausetheyareconstantlyadaptingour behavior,especiallyinthepresentAnthropocene.AsJeffreyJeromeCohenwrites,

Wherematterobtainsitscomplicatedagency;wherehumansarenotsimplycalled upontosave,preserve,orconservealifelessmaterialworld(whathubris),butto recognizethelifethatalreadypulseswithininorganicforces,manufacturedandfound objects,nature,andthings.103

100.JaneBennett, Vibrantmatter,(DukeUniversityPress,2010),p.122.

101.Libd,p.34.

102.BrunoLatour, Pandora'shope:essaysontherealityofsciencestudies, (Harvarduniversitypress,1999),p.146.

103.J.J.CohenandL.Duckert, ‘Howl’,Postmedieval:AJournalofMedievalCulturalStudies,Vol.4,No.1:1-5,(2013),p.3xiv.

NewunderstandingofHuman2:HumanasAnimal

Humansareindeedinherentlyanimals,buttherearejustasmanydifferencesbetweenhumansand animals.RatherthanhelpingOrangutanapproachhumansthroughmoresimilaritiestohumansin perception,consciousness,useoftools,culturalevolution,etc.Iupholdthatitismoreimportantto takeintoaccounttheuniquecharacteristicsandattributesofothernon-humananimals,notjust Orangutan;orforhumanstobecomeanimals,toawakentheanimalityinus,asecologistssay, "Becomingmoredeeplyhumanbyacknowledging,affirming,andgrowingintoouranimality."104 I thinkthatthebodyandthesensesareveryimportant,asthebodyisseenas"anopensystemof dynamicexchangeswiththeworld,exchangesthat,intheirhabitually,groundthebodyevermore firmlywithintheworld,and,intheprocess,offerusnewwaysofengagingandtransformingit."105

Letusnotforgetthatwehaveshapes,colors,sounds,andperceptionslikeanimalbodies.Itis throughthemediumofthebodyandperceptionthatweharmonizewithourchangingenvironment andresonatewithothernon-humanbodies:seeing,hearing,touching,tasting,smelling.Sensesand bodiesaredrawnto,orrespondto,anendlessconnectionbetweenhumansandtheirenvironment, participatingtogetherintheopennessanduncertaintyofthings.AsDavidAbramargues,

Forthelargestpartofourspecies'existence,humanshavenegotiatedrelationships witheveryaspectofthesensuoussurroundings,exchangingpossibilitieswithevery flappingform,witheachtexturedsurfaceandshiveringentitythatwehappenedto focusupon.Allcouldspeak,articulatingingestureandwhistleandsighashiftingweb ofmeanings[...]Moreover,fromalltheserelationships,ourcollectivesensibilities werenourished.106

Forthosehumanswhostillhaveanimalattributes,itisnotjustapersonalpleasurebutatoolfor knowingtheworld.

104.DavidAbram, BecomingAnimal:AnEarthlyCosmology, (MythicImagination,2011), p.7.

105. GregoryFTague, WhenAnimalsSpeak:TowardanInterspeciesDemocracy, (2020),p.247.

106.JamesHatley,"TheSpelloftheSensuous:PerceptionandLanguageinaMorethanHumanWorld." EnvironmentalEthics 19.1(1997):109-112.Vintage.p.ix

Theassemblageasephemeralenvironmentalarchitecture

Whatis"environment"?Usually,Iunderstanditastheecosystemaroundme,andthismirrorssome definitionsfrom TowardanEnvironmentalArchitecture,

Anenvironmentisamediumormilieu....Environmentsaretheconsistencygenerated bymodesofcoexistencebetweenlivingandnon-livingbodies.Theyareconsistent relationsbetweenbodies,buttheirdemarcationisnotnecessarilyaline,aborder,ora date.Thelimitofoneenvironmentistheendofamodeofcoexistence.107

Inotherwords,the"environment"isacollectionofdifferentkindsofbodies,withmaterialitythat constantlychangesitselfanddissipates.Similarly,"architecture"doesnotsimplymeanahouse,a landscapefacility,butmoreofarichcombinationofactions,languages,andartifacts.So "environmentalarchitecture"canbeunderstoodasacollectionofenvironmentsthatcontain humanagency,changingourcognitivetendenciesandcreativemoodsinanewsymbioticmode. Such‘sympoiesis’is,asaCanadianenvironmentalstudiesgraduatestudentnamedBethDempster suggested,"collectivelyproducingsystemsInformationandcontrolaredistributedamong components.andhavethepotentialforsurprisingchange."108

So,withinthelargerassemblage,"environmentalarchitecture"isnottheonlyactor,norisit necessarilythekeyoperator,butcanbeunderstoodasan"assemblageconverter",likeGilles Deleuze'sandFélixGuattari'sexample,apieceofgrassstem,usedbyafinchbothtomakeanest andforitscourtshipdance.Thegrassstem,

Actsasacomponentofpassagebetweentheterritorialassemblageandthecourtship assemblage.Itisneitheranarchaismnoratransitionalorpart-object.Itisanoperator, avector.Itisanassemblageconverter.109

SoEnvironmentalarchitectureislikeanexperimentalsystem.Fromourperspectiveandposition, ourskinandbreath,eachofusentwinetogetherinthisbroadconsciousnessbornof "environmentalarchitecture"andbecomemorediverse.Environmentalarchitecturehasarolein regulatingnature,andhumanbehavior,performance,etc.,withinitisanactofexpression.

107. GodofredoPereira,‘TowardsanEnvironmentalArchitecture’, e-fluxarchitecture (June2018)https://www.e-flux.com/architecture/positions/205375/ towards-an-environmental-architecture/(accessed28September2021).

108.DonnaHaraway, StayingwiththeTrouble:MakingKinintheChthulucene,(Durham:DukeUniversityPress,2016),p.189.

109.JaneBennett, Vibrantmatter,(DukeUniversityPress,2010),p.15.

O-Human’sEvolution:Response-abilityinEnvironmental Architecture

Duetotheimmenseenergyofhumanbeings,manysmallchangescanleadtothedestructionof patternsorfunctions.FélixGuattari,inTheThreeEcologies,articulatesthefollowingthreepointsto escapethecrisisofthecurrenthumanera:anascentsubjectivity;aconstantlymutatingsocius;an environmentintheprocessofbeingreinvented.110 However,asmentionedearlier,humansas animalsandvibrantmatterarelikeanascentsubjectivityandconstantlymutatingsocius,andI believethatthethirdpointrequiresthedevelopmentofresponsivenessinthe'environmental architecture'thatleadstoaco-evolutionofhumansandnonhumans.

InStayingwiththeTrouble,DonnaHarawaywrites,“Ratherthanapassiveorstaticunderstanding oranactofsilencingorignoringotheranimals,respondingisaboutactivelybringingdifferent worldsintobeing.”111Inmyopinion,thedevelopmentofresponsivenesscreatesmoreconnection, however.Whatdomoreconnectionsmean?Spinozabelieves,forexample,thatthemorekindsof bodieswithwhichabodycanaffiliate,thebetter:"Asthebodyismorecapableofbeingaffectedin manywaysandofaffectingexternalbodies...Sothemindismorecapableofthinking."112Thisis combinedwiththeexistenceofthehumanculturalratcheteffectdescribedearlier.If,asthis responsivenessbecomesmoreandmorecultivated,webegintovalueandrespondtothedifferent narrativesofotherspeciesornonhumans,thisincreasingflowofinformationcanleadtochangesin humanintentionality,inbehavior.Throughcooperationandculturallearningtoanaccumulative nature,theratcheteffectwouldfacilitatehumanstogainmoreecologicalawareness.Thiswould enablethehealingandbalancingofourfragmentedworldviews,andultimately,humansand nonhumanswouldco-evolve.Ofcourse,thisshiftinperceptionwillnotimmediatelysolvethe inherentproblemsofhumanexploitationandoppression.However,itcanstillinspiregreater awarenessofthekinshipofothernonhumanbodies,promptingustobemorestrategicand ecologicalinourapproachtononhumans,animals,plants,andartifacts,recognizingthatthese bodiesareinextricablyentwinedinadensewebofrelationships.AsCarlaHustakdescribesthe processbywhichorganismsengagewitheachotherandparticipateineachother'slives,

110. FélixGuattari, Thethreeecologies,(BloomsburyPublishing,2005),p.67. 112.DavidAbram, BecomingAnimal:AnEarthlyCosmology, (MythicImagination,2011), p.10. 113.JaneBennett, InfluxandEfflux:WritingUpwithWaltWhitman,(DukeUniversityPress,2020),p.56.

111.DonnaHaraway, StayingwiththeTrouble:MakingKinintheChthulucene,(Durham:DukeUniversityPress,2016),p.34.

Evolutionhasalwaysoccurred.Itrequirescreativehumanbehaviorandfullparticipationinsocial learning,andaccumulationandmutualdevelopmentofourresponsiveness.Nowthatthisgroup hasexpandedtoincludehumansandnonhumans,ifnonhumananimalscannotcompletecultural accumulationontheirown,itistimeforhumanstobringnonhumansalongwiththemtoco-evolve.

O-Humanmaylooklikeahumanformontheoutside.However,hisbodyisnotjustafixed,limited form,butanintricateshapethatisconstantlyincommunicationwiththetextureandcontoursofits environment.Heisincontactwithotherorganisms,creativelyadapting,andconstantlydeveloping responsiveness.

Cultivatingresponse-abilityPracticeSkills

Passionandaction,detachmentandattachment,thisiswhatIcallcultivating response-ability;thatisalsocollectiveknowinganddoing,anecologyofpractices.114

——DonnaHaraway, StayingwiththeTrouble

Thesehanddrawingswithannotationsarestoriesandresponses.Theypresentdifferentwayswe humansrespondtoothernonhumansinourdailylives.Thepracticingskillsarenotrules, definitions,notclosed,butrepresentsanopenness,andawayofpracticebywhichweallcan imaginethenewstoriesandresponses.

Listening-to-the-tell

Thereseemstobeapowerstructurebetweenspeakingandlistening,withtheprevailingviewthat speakingisanactivewayofbeingandlisteningispassive.Forthemostpart,humansarepositioned asengaginginexpression(active).Incontrast,nonhumansarepositionedashavingnothingto express(passive).115 GeographerSepieAmbasharesaskillcalled"figuring-out-the-tell",

aconceptoffocusingmorehumblyonotherentitiesasnarrators,whilebeingableto focusmoreactivelyononeself.This‘tell’doesnotinvolvehumanlanguage.However, itismoretherecognitionofothernonhumansassubjectsofdialogue-rhythm, movement,eyes.116

Hearguesthatawarenesscanbeanexercisethatfacilitatesasharperresponsetothis.Thisexercise requiresustopayattentiontomorenonhumanlanguageandcommunicationsounds,smells, behaviors,etc.-Inaddition,DavidAbramsuggeststhatwedosoinastorytellingwayofthinking ratherthaninaliterary,logicalway.117 Thiswayofthinkingleadsustoimaginemanyexcitingscenes thatcouldbehappeningwithoutusknowingit,withseveralpigeonsstandingonastreetlight partyingtogether,talkingandlaughing,andthebuildingnexttothemleaninginandtryingtohear something,onlytobemuffledbytherustlinglaughterofthetreesbeneaththeirfeet.

Wefallintoafalsealternativeifwesayyoueitherimitateoryouare.Whatisrealis thebecomingitself,theblockofbecoming,notthesupposedlyfixedtermsthrough whichthatwhichbecomespasses.118

114.DonnaHaraway, StayingwiththeTrouble:MakingKinintheChthulucene,(Durham:DukeUniversityPress,2016),p.23.

115. SeSHome, AnimalsintheAnthropocene:criticalperspectivesonnon-humanfutures, (2015),p.145.

116.AmbaJ.Sepie,‘MorethanStories,MorethanMyths:Animal/Human/Nature(s)inTraditionalEcologicalWorldviews’, Humanities6,no.78(2017),Seealso DeborahBirdRose,‘ValPlumwood'sPhilosophicalAnimism:AttentiveInteractionsintheSentientWorld’, EnvironmentalHumanities3,no.1(2013):93–109.

117.DavidAbram, BecomingAnimal:AnEarthlyCosmology, (MythicImagination,2011), p.205.

118.GillesDeleuzeandFelíxGuattari, AThousandPlateaus,(MinneapolisandLondon,UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1987),p.238.

DeleuzeandGuattariwarnagainstheemergenceofthewords‘animal’and‘plant’,whichcategorize anddistinguishcertainnonhumangroups,whichdohelpustounderstandsomethingmoredirectly, buttthesametime,ismoreconducivetotheuseofhumanbeingsfortheirbenefit,inawaythat undoubtedlyalienatesandevendisassociatesthemfromotherthings,involuntarilyexcludingmany ‘innocentbeings’.119 Itmeansreleasingthepossibilityofanyexistence,notusingourselvesorour definitionsasameasureofothernonhumans,recognizingthatanythingthatdrawsourattention hasitsagencyorlife,listeningtotheirhiddenenergiesandrhythms,breathing,andperceivingin space.

Re-awakeninganimalnature

"Imustletmysenseswanderasmythought,myeyesseewithoutlooking...gonottotheobject;let itcometoyou."120 AsThoreausays,relaxandbeopentoseeing,hearing,smelling,tasting,and feelinglikeananimal,forcingyourselftoacceptandbemoresusceptibletotheworldtoexperience it.Wehaveagreatdealincommonwiththingswecanperceive,eventhoughtheyhavenoeyes andnoskin,buttheirthicknessandweight,thatsubstantialbody,stimulatesoursenses.Hereare somespecifictipsIlearntduringmyexperienceevokingO-Human:

1.Thesenseoftouchincludesnotonlythesensationofthesurfaceoftheskin,butallthe visceralsensationswithintheflesh.Pleasekeepyoureyesonyourhandandobserveitsintentionto contractandexpandalongthefoldsofthepalm,likebreathing,andfeeltheairflowinginandout ofyourhand.Ifyourhandchoosestocatertothetextureorshapeofanotherobject,itstipwillfirst touchthisforeignbody.Thenthetwotexturedsurfacesinvoluntarilyfittogether,asiftwoporous skinsweretestingeachotherout.Thenyourbodyinternallyisalsotransmittingthegreetinggiven toeachother.

2.Thefeetwithoutsocksandshoescanfeelthesite'sinformationmoredirectlythanwhen wearingshoes.Forexample,thedangerousgravel,thebumpyman-maderoads,etc.They awakenedperceptionswhiletouchingmyfeet,andthisbriefconnectionwouldalsoleadmeto question:Howwouldtheoppressiveforceofmybodyfeeltothesegrasses,stones,andothernonhumans?AsIcontinuedtotry,thespeedofbodymovementandthefrequencyofcontactchanged, andeachcontactbetweenmyfeetandthegroundwaslikeeachfresh,pulse-likebeat,profoundly feelingeachother.

119.GillesDeleuzeandFelíxGuattari, AThousandPlateaus,(MinneapolisandLondon,UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1987),p.241.

120.HenryDavidThoreau, TheJournalofHenryDavidThoreau,(NewYorkReviewofBooks,2011.1987),p.23.

3.Theeyescollectthecolorsandshapesoftheworldwhilenoticingthattheirbodiesarealso exposedtotheenvironment,exposedtotheeyesofotherhumansandnon-humans,emotions,and thebody,changingthroughtensionandcontraction.

4.Thenostrilsandthetransparentairwrappedaroundourbodiesareexchanginginformation atalltimes,throughinhalationtoverifythetemperature,humidity,changesinthelevelofdanger intheenvironment,etc.Thesamecarbondioxideproducedinourbodiesbecomesanutrientfor otherplants,whichgivesustheoxygenonwhichtheanimalsdependasagift.

5.Chewingandswallowingallowmetofeelanobjectfromanotherperspective,totearanother bodythroughmyteethandcoatitwithsalivaandotherfluidsthateventuallyentermybodyand blendwithmytaste.WhatamItasting?CoulditbeamixtureofthethingsIhaveeaten?Andwho comestoeatme?

6.Letyourselfgetlost,letyourbodybecompletelyexposedtothisunknownenvironment,turn offallelectronicdevicesthatcanhelplocateyou,openyouranimalsensesbylookingforeverything aliveinthelandscapeofyourenvironment;cluesmaybetheoutlineofabuilding,thetwitteringof abird,yourownintuition,etc.

Empathy

"Thequestionisnot,Cantheyreason?NorCantheytalk?However,Canthey suffer?"121

JeremyBentham, AnIntroductiontothePrinciplesofMoralsandLegislation

PhilosopherJeremyBenthamsuggeststhatweusesufferingasastartingpointforourmoral relationshipswithotheranimals,shiftingthisconstantquestioningofwhatanimalscanandcannot do,suchaslogicalreasoning,verbalthought,etc.,totheconceptofsuffering;fromtheiractionsto theirreactions.Thecaringemotiontriggeredbyempathyidentifiesthemasindividualswhoalso haverightsandshouldbeprotectedbymoralityandlaw.DonnaHarawayseesmourningasintrinsic todevelopingresponsiveness,livingwithloss,andappreciatingwhatitmeans.122 Becausewe naturallyseealllifeas"human",whenwerealizethatitexpressesitself,thiscompassionisalsothe universalcompassionthatarisesinthecommunityofalllife.AsKenWilberwritesin TheSpiritof Evolution,

Profoundfruitionofthedecenteringthrustofevolution-acompassionwhich breathesthecommonairandbeatsthecommonbloodofaHeartandBody thatisoneinallbeings....universalcompassionthroughuniversalidentity withthecommonwealthofallbeings:thatIwouldseeinanOthermySelf.123

Thisempatheticmourningorperceptionisnotmerelyacognitiveprocess,butisdrawntothe incredibleenergyoftheother,whichbecomesafeelingthatseestheotherasasubject,awayof enteringtheother'sbodyandmind,awaythathelpsusbetterunderstandtheother.Itisawayto helpusbetterunderstandeachother,tomakeusawareofourrelationshipwiththecountless beingsonthebrinkofextinction. 121.MichelleWesterlaken,

NewLanguage

Whenweseesomething,wemayspinourtonguestoexplainitinasentenceortwo,todescribeit, asifitwerearepresentationoftheworldaroundus.However,whenwepaytoomuchattentionto language,thematteritselfbecomeslessperformative."Silenceisnotnecessarilyindicativeofalack ofcognitivecapacity;thegodsalsoindicatetheirwillsilently."124 Inordertoachievebetter communication,thisrequiresustoreconsiderothernonhumancognition,communitygroups, linguisticcultures,etc.;toreconsiderwhatlanguageis.Movingawayfromthinkingoflanguageas exclusivelyhumanisnotjustaboutwordsandsoundsbutalsoaboutgestures,movements,and othernon-verbalexpressionsthatplayanessentialrole.125 Inthefaceofdifferentrelationshipsand encountersbetweenhumansandnonhumans,interactivelanguagewouldbeagoodwaytoavoid anthropocentrism,sincehumansdonotstruggletodefinewhatislanguageandwhatisnot.Itisin suchmomentsofinteractionthatnewlanguagegamescanemerge.126 Iprefertounderstand interactionhereasacommunicativeability,ameansoftransmittinginformationacrossspaceand time;ofinformingeachotherofcurrentfeelingsorthoughts,eveniftheyaredifferentspeciesor beings.127 Thisisourmostbasicbeginning.AslinguistDerekBickertonwrote,"Onlylanguagecould havebrokenthroughtheprisonofimmediateexperienceinwhicheveryothercreatureislocked, releasingusintoinfinitefreedomsofspaceandtime."128 Throughpractice,wefindthateverything speaks,wecanevenhearthebodyspeak;animals,plants,landscapes,allbecomeobjectsof expression.Theyhaveaprimalpower,allareconversableas"TheExpressiveSubject."129 However, insteadofcommunicatinginhumanlanguage,theyresonatewiththebodiesofotherbeings throughthesamerhythmandfrequencyofcommunication,movement,andgesture.130 This resonanceis"responsiveness",thespontaneousresponsetootherbeingsinacommunicative space.AsRobertLeighDavisalsosays,

1.Repetitiveshaping:relyingmainlyonthehandstofeeltheinvisibleairandtryingtocaptureit,to shapetheirinvisiblebodies,whilethehumanbodyischangingwiththehands,likeanimprovised dance.

Cultureentersthebodythroughbarelyvisiblehabitsofappetite,disposition,and posture:acertainwayofholdingone'schestoreyes,afondnessforcertainkindsof foodormusicorreading(andadistasteforothers),alearnedrepertoireofphysical gesturesandexpression. 131 124.JosephRitson, AnEssayonAbstinencefromAnimalFood:AsaMoralDuty, (R.Phillips,1802),p.82. 127.DavidAbram, BecomingAnimal:AnEarthlyCosmology, (MythicImagination,2011), p.131. 130.lbid.p.11.

125.LudwigWittgenstein, Philosophicalinvestigations,(JohnWiley&Sons,2010),p.235. 128.SusanneAntonetta,‘LanguageGarden’,https://orionmagazine.org/contributor/susanne-antonetta/,(accessed15August2021). 131.JaneBennett, InfluxandEfflux:WritingUpwithWaltWhitman,(DukeUniversityPress,2020),p.67.

126.GregoryFTague, WhenAnimalsSpeak:TowardanInterspeciesDemocracy, (2020),p,44. 129.DavidAbram, BecomingAnimal:AnEarthlyCosmology, (MythicImagination,2011), p.10.

2.Runningwithonlythenostrilsopenandthearmsdown,andthenagainholdingthearmsontheir backs.

3.Lettingthefeetslowlyapproachingtheground,feelingthesensationoffallingandthefeelings generatedbygravity(theearth'sattraction).Theearth,likeaparticipant,hasafrequencythat mimicshumanwalking,rising,andfalling.Itisasifpartoftheenergyaroundtheearthflowsinand outfrommyfeetwithalternation.Walkinggentlywhilethevariousabilitiesareatrestsothatthe bestsoundscanbeheard.

4.Attachingtoanonhumanbodyforbreathing,becomingitssecondorgan,constantlycontracting andexpanding.

5.Staringintently,facingtheobjecthead-on,nostrilsflared,bodyleaningforward,notjustseeing withtheeyes,butwiththewholebody.Themusclesbegintotighten,toremaininastateofhigh alertnessyetrelaxation,notfear.

6.Rushingtotheearth,stretchingouttheearsandhandstotouchdirectly,thebodyandtheearth ascloseaspossible,feelingtheimpact.

7.Shieldingtheeyesandswitchingtheangleofthevision.Theindependentperspectiveofthetwo eyesmeansthethicknessanddepthofanobjectaresplit,andthesensesaredismantledand broughttogetherthroughthecooperationofalternatingeyeandbodyangles,thussuperimposing multiplesensesandrecombiningthemintoadynamicunity.Thelifeforceofanobjectisthen revealed.

8.Imitatinganimals,plants,man-madeobjects,imaginingtheirproxybehaviorsandmovements. Maintainingthatstateimitationisthebasisofempathy,stimulatesconnectedness,enablesabetter understandingoftheother,andallowsacloseremotionalattachmenttotheother,whileactivating thesenseofnonhumanlifeforcethattheaudienceseesaroundthem.

Fig.28, PracticingSkillsDrawings,DW,2021

O-human(Experimentation)

Therecomessomethingwhichyourinstinctseizesonasbeingforamoment,thething whichyoucouldbegintodevelop.132

——FélixGuattari, TheThreeEcologies

Ecologicalperformance

Creatinganddiscoveringmorestorieswillbemoreilluminatingthancriticism.So,tofurtherexpand thisperspectiveandspeakout,weneedtoimagineandcreateconnectionsinaradical,crazyway, engagingmorepeopleandcontinuallyreshapingourlives.HowdoIcreatethisalternative perspectiveinsociety?Suchan"evolution"cannotbebasedonabstractspeculationbutdirect contactwiththislivingreality.Mostofusliveinthecitynowadays,andsometimeswhenwewant toescapefromthecityintotheforest,wefindthattheforesthasbeenartificializedandthatfeeling isnolongerthere.“Eachurbanmomentcansparkperformativeimprovisationswhichare unforeseenandunforeseeable”.133 Therefore,Ichosetocreateexperimentsandperformancesin thecitytogainmoreecologicalsensitivity,becomingO-Humantodevelopmyaffordancesto identifyotherthings,anddocumentingtheprocess.Woynarskiproposesanaestheticofecological performance,arguingthatecologicalperformanceaestheticscanproductivelycritiquethetension andperceivedseparationbetweenhumansandthemore-than-humanworld,resistingbinaries betweennatureandculture,natureandtheurban,andhumanandnonhuman.134 Performanceis anactthathasthepowertomakethingshappen.Experimentationwithperformanceismorelikea formofimprovisationbecauseofitsunpredictability,plasticity,abilitytorespondcreativelyand artisticallytoecologicalconditions,andabilitytocapturethepublicimagination.Performanceisa participatory,immersingreminderthatyourbodyisinexorablyslippedintoaworldofmanybodies. Moreover,thesharedspaceofthebodyisawayofdistinguishingitselffromothermedia,where everyonecannotbeseparatedfromeachotherandwherethereisnonotionof"other".However,it mustalwaysberememberedthatthereisanetworkofinterrelationships.Performanceis composedofperception,material,body,time,andsoon.Sothat,likethe"evolutionary" hypothesis,performanceisreshapingourmindsthemselves,connectingustothestateoflife,as Baradputsit:'[A]llbodies,'notmerely‘human’,notmerely"human"bodies,cometomatter throughtheworld'siterativeintra-activity-itsperformativity'.135 Whilsttherearealternativesto performance'sabilitytointervene,critique,orimaginethequestionofhowweliveandrelateto theecologicalworld,performancecanrevealamorethanthehumancapacityforvitalityand agencyintheworld,answeringthequestionsofwhoweare,whereweare,whilstsimultaneously questioninghowweseeourselvestoourenvironment.Theexperimenthadthepotentialtoputme inanawkwardsituation.Iwasvulnerableandindangerbecausehewasnotinahuman-designed arena,butactingwiththecontextofourdailylife,livingmomentstodiscoversuchresponses,new tomostpeople.

132. FélixGuattari, Thethreeecologies,(BloomsburyPublishing,2005),p.131.

133.A.AminandN.Thrift, Cities:ReimaginingtheUrban,(Cambridge,Polity,2002),p.4.

134.Woynarski,LisaChristine, TowardsanEcologicalPerformanceAestheticfortheBio-Urban:ANon-AnthropocentricTheory,(TheRoyalCentralSchoolofSpeech andDrama,2015),p.9.

135.KarenBarad, PosthumanistPerformativity:TowardanUnderstandingofHowMatterComestoMatter, 2003,Signs28(3):801–831.p.823.

Theexperimentcreatesamutuallyresponsiveenvironmentthatcanbeunderstoodasan ephemeralassemblageofoursurroundingsandprovidesopportunitiesforotherhumanand nonhumanexpressions.Theexperimentsearchesforanewwayofdialogue,anewwayofthinking determinedbybodyandmindtogether,strengtheningtheemotional,psychological,andcultural connectionbetweenhumansandnature,ratherthanturningablindeyetoit.Itissafetosaythat theoutsidehasundoubtedlyinfluencedmeinmylife.Asmembersofthisplanet,wecannotfully understandourselves,letalonethe"intentions"ofothers.However,thisconstantobservationand reflectionallowsforarealexperienceofouractionsashumanbeings.

AssemblagesinExperimentation

TheO-Humanintheexperimentexposesmoreofhisbodyandskintoenhancetheopennessofhis "pores",designingexternalornaments(Iattachedplants,flowers,someanimalfeathers,Orangutan headgearsponges,etc.tomybody)toconveyinformationtothehumansandnonhumansaround me.ThisdesignspeakstowhatBeatrizColominaandMarkWigleysay:"Ornamentsareakey symptomofthehumanabilitytoexternalizeitsthoughtsinsymbolicform–generatingandsharing informationratherthansimplyprocessingit."136 Theycanbeunderstoodassymbols,whichcanalso beseenasthe"skin"oftheO-Human,acommunicationtoolormediumthatfacilitatesthe observer'sperception.Theycanalsobeunderstoodasjoining-together,whichindicatesourkinship, thatmybodyisinseparablefromtheplants,flowers,headgear,etc.,andthattheycannotbe abandonedorforgotten,butalsoasexpandingthematerialityandanimalityofmybody,blurring theinsideandtheoutside.Theanimateandinanimatereacttoeachotherthroughsuchincisions andintervals.Whatkindofreactionsandemotionalchangesthiswillcauseintheviewers?Howdo theyreconsiderthemselvesandreflectcriticallyonthehumanbeingitself?Arewehuman?Canour bodiesbeconsideredsingularlyourown?Anothereffectthatornamentationcanhaveisthatthese substancesandbeingscantakeondifferentshapesthroughmychangingpostures,asiftheywerea pileoflivingmatterjumpingbackandforth,orevenresonatingwithothershapesaroundthem,or evenbecomingeachothertogether,suchasstreetlights,grass,trees,rocks,etc.Acommondistant pastisbeingtapped,acommonsenseofbreathing,movementandsensationembodied.

Theexperimentresultsfromajointeffortbetweenhumansandnonhumans:cameraplacement, sceneelements,audience,atmosphere,andpost-productionspecialeffectsareallperformedwith O-Human.AsKathleenStewartputsit:"Anatmosphereisnotaneffectofotherforces,butalived toeffect.Acapacitytoaffectandbeaffectedpushesapresentintoacomposition,andexpressivity, thesenseofpotentialityandevent.Itisanattunementofthesenses."137 Theviewerisdrawnmore easilytothepresenceoftheO-humanaswell,slowlycomingcloserfromthespaceofseparation andbecomingpartoftheexperiment,notjustpassivelyobserving,butactivelyacting.

136.B.ColominaandM.Wigley, Arewehuman?Notesonanarchaeologyofdesign,(Switzerland:LarsMüllerPublishers,2016),p.65.

137.KathleenStewart, AtmosphericAttunements.InRubric,(Sydney,UNSW,2010),p.21.

Theseexperimentalfragmentsareputtogetherintheformofafilm,restatingthedifferent interfacesbetweenborders,animals,humans,nature,culture,andsoon,blurringtheboundary betweenrealityandfiction,hopingtocreateasenseofmystery.Thefilmisdividedintothree dialogues:Adialoguewiththeforest,thehumanworld,andthezoo.Thedifferentdialoguesare interconnectedanddislocatedatthesametime.Thefilmwantseveryviewertobeinvolved, remindingpeopletofurtheropenuptheirresponsivenesstostayingwiththetrouble,andatthe sametimewantingnonhumanstodothesame.

Experimention1:Adialoguewiththeforest

Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7l8PTq3_pg&t=6s

AsThoreauchideshimself,"WhatbusinesshaveIinthewoodsifIamthinkingofsomethingoutof thewoods?"137 Weevenforgetthefeelingofourfingerstouchingthebarkofatree,thefearofa spideronthebackofourfeet.Torevivethismemory,Istartedaslowpersonalencounter,a conversationwiththeforest.ThelocationwastheEppingForestinLondon,whichismore "primitive"thanHydePark.Perhapswemodernpeoplefeelnodifferentwhenweapproachthe forestanddon'tnoticethesoundsofotheranimals,thewordsoftheleaves,andsoon.

ButwhenO-Humanwalkedintothishumidforest,mybodywaswrappedinahugeethereal atmosphere:myskinfeltsubtlychanged,myporeswereopened,myskinitselfbegantobreathe, thesoundsstrengthenedmyalertness,andasIwalked,thechangesinothernon-humanbodies forcedmetobeawareofmyownintegrationandIfeltsmall.Alltheelementsbecamebody languages,thespiders,thetrees,thesquirrels,thelichen,whosetensionsbegantoresonatewith mybody,somematerially,somespiritually,thuscreatingasenseofbetwixtandbetweenprecisely thisgapinavividexchange,movingbackandforthbetweenmybodyandtheother's,inputand output,interferenceandtransference.Thefilmalsousessplit-screenplaybackinthefirstandthird person,whichallowstheviewertoreadthisconversationhorizontally.

137.MARIAPOPOVA, TheSpiritofSauntering:ThoreauontheArtofWalkingandthePerilsofaSedentaryLifestyle,https://www.themarginalian.org/2014/11/17/ thoreau-walking/,(accessed04May2021).

Thereissilenceeverywhere,andeverybeingseemstobewaitingforsomething;therainthathas fallenisstillpresentintheair,invisible,butitspresencecanindeedbefelt.Thesmellwasamixture ofdecayandfreshness.AsIslowlywentdeeper,myeyesbegantoabsorbcolor,andwhatIsaw beforemewasamassofgreen,acollectionoftrees,moss,leaves,spiders,magpies,squirrelsand somelargermammals,talltrees,buttomyeyesfragilebodies,whosebarkwasexposed,strokingit withmyeyesandfingersatthesametime,movingalongtheflowofitsbody.SuddenlyIrealized thatthelightwasdoingthesamething,reflectingbackandforthbetweenourtwobodies.Igazed atthestone,andthestonestaredbackatme,andIkeptquestioninghowitcouldremaininastable positionandwhataforceitwas.Ibegantomimicit,curlingmyentirebody,usingconstantstrength tostaystablewhiletheairaroundmybodyflowed,engulfed,andwrappedaroundme.Mostof non-humansweretoldinawaythatIcouldnotsee,suchasinsidethesoilandintheair.Thewind ofdifferenttemperaturesblewagainstmyface,pullingmeawayandbackintoadifferent consciousness.YetIcouldfeeltheplantsbreathingintheirownway.IwishedIcouldbeinaplant statetoo,withmytoessinkingintothesoil,searchingfortheneurallinksofotherplants,andtrying todrawwaterfromthesoil,exposingmybodytoreceivesunlight,andstoringwonderfulenergy intomybodythroughphotosynthesis.

Mylegsslowlybecamebentfromtheverticalinthecity,andmybodywishedIcouldgetcloserto theground,landingonallfoursandeventuallyfittingmywholebodytogether.Theearthseemedto becomealargerbody,andIwasadjustingmyposturetorestinsidetheearth’sbody,between exhalationandinhalation,betweenstillnessandmovement,keepingtherhythmofreceivingand giving.ThesenseoftheboundariesofO-Human'sbodybecameblurred,morelikealiquid,andmy bodymovedveryslowlylikeitwasflowinganddisintegratinginthisenvironment.Mybodyreacted tolichen,fungus,etc.Myhandstestedbackandforthinthespacebetweenmeandotherbeings, tryingtotouchandretreatliketheywerestucktogether.ThenIsawtheduck,approachedhim,and triedtolistentowhathewassaying,carefullyobservinghismovements.Toverifytheempathy sharedbyallthings,Isatonawoodentableintheforest,touchingandkissingthecorpseofadead chickeninfrontofme.Thewholeatmospherebecamedepressingandsad,andevenmore amazingly,thebirdsaroundmebegantocall;thesoundwasnotlikeacheerfulfeeling;thegrass andtreesaroundmeseemedtoshareanexpressionandmood.

Adialoguewiththeforest, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththeforest, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththeforest, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththeforest, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththeforest, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththeforest, DW,2021

Experimentation2:Adialoguewiththezoo

Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7l8PTq3_pg&t=6s

TheZoomanagerwouldn'tallowmetoenterthezoowearingtheO-Humancostumeandmusk;he thoughtitwouldscaretheanimalsandactinanoverlyaggressive,unsuremanner.Infact,thiswas exactlytheeffectIwanted.SadlyIcouldonlyinteractwiththeminregularclothes.

Thezooismoreofahybrid,acrossbetweenhumans,animals,nature,andartifacts,ahuge wideningchasmthatabsorbsallsortsofcomplexfeelings,sadness,anger,happiness,numbness.

Inordertocommunicatebetter,Ibecameafeverishandweirdimitator,practicallyforcedbythe environmenthere.Ibegantoimitatetherippingcryofaparrot,thedisheveledpostureofavulture. Ichosetohideinacornerandtrytoexperiencewhatitwaslikefortheanimalstobewatched,and IfoundthatIbegantogrowrestless,afraidoftheexcessiveattentionthisspacewasgivingme!The fence,theglass,theceiling,theman-madelandscapeallstareatmeandsurroundme.Eventhough Iknewtherewasabugthathadbeenonmeforalongtime,Ihadnourgetotouchorchaseit away;Ibecamenumb.ThenIgoandstrugglewithmyhands,touchingtheinvisibleconfinedspace. Toengagethevisitorswhocometovisitandfeeltheunnecessarypain.

Ofcourse,Idon'treallyknowhowtheyfeelbecauseIamnotthem.Theanimalsinthezooacquire newknowledgeandskillsthroughhuman'training':theattendants'whistles,themobilephones, andthescreamsofvisitors,thesignalsandsignsthatenhanceorexpandtheirabilitiesinsomeway. Ourinteractionswitheachotheralwaysinvolvetheinterventionofothernon-humans,glass,and thethreeofusminglingtogether,thinkingabouthowtogetout.

Adialoguewiththezoo, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththezoo, DW,2021

Experimention2:AdialoguewiththeHumanworld

Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7l8PTq3_pg&t=6s

Thecityhasbecomesocloselyconnectedtonaturethatalthoughitisalltheusualhumanand artificialobjects,participatingasanO-Humanbecomescompletelydifferent,andtheenvironment hasanunusualclosenesstome.Beforetheexperiment,wouldIhaveguessedhowthehumansin thecitywouldreact?Fear?Molestation?Takingpictures?ThinkingI'manidiot?Tellingmetoget lost?Myactionsandperformancescombinewithothernon-humansintoaninvisiblespace,an "environmentalarchitecture."Myornamentsallowmetofeelthedifferentlayersofthedensityof mybody,likeatemporaryallianceofmyskinwithflowers,leaves,animalfur,andothersubstances.

InthisdialoguewiththeHumanworld,O-Humankeepsabsorbingthevarious“languages”,asifa hugeancestralmemoryistremblinginmymuscles.Myeyescollectedtheoutlinesofthecity'smanmadeobjects,theorderoftheirarrangement,thetemperature,thedegreeofdangerthatbecame extraordinarilysensitive.Myarmsandtorsobecamefreer,moremalleable,andmybodybeganto spreadouttoanyareaitwantedto"touch."Myfivesensesbecamemoresensitive,andIhadto lookateverything.Mysensesandemotionsglidedwiththeenvironment,blendingintothe changingshapesandrhythms,andtheworldbecamelargerandlarger.Atthesametime,the distancebetweenmeandthenon-humansshrankasifawonderful'kinship'hadbeencreated.

Inordertocreatemorecommunication,Iforcedhumanstonotonlylookatmebuttonoticethat othernon-humangroupswerealsoexpressingthemselves.So,Iexperimentedwithnewbody combinationsandmovements,listeningtothenon-humans,touchingthem,andrespondingto whatwashappeningaroundme.

Igotonabus,andthedrivercouldclearlysensethattheatmosphereinthecarwasbeginningto lookdifferent,ashedidnotknowwhatwasgoingtohappennext.Thepassengersinthebusfelt equallyabsurdandnervousinasmallspace.Somekeptprobing,andotherspretendedtoignore; othersweregenuinelyscaredandhidinthecorners.Unintentionally,theforceofthepole'sstruggle tomaintainbalanceaffectedme,andIbegantoreachoutandraisemyhandsupwardsinan attempttokeeppacewiththepoleasthebusswayed.However,Ifailed.Mybodykepttouching againstthebodyofthebusasItriedtoholdonwithmybonestokeepmybalance.

Inthetube,Ibegantofocusonthelightabovemyheadandwatcheditdanceonmyskin,andI movedwithit.The"screaming"ofthetrainwassoloudandsofrequentthatIchosetohideina corner,turnintoachairandplugmyearsinordertotakerefuge.

WalkingdownOxfordStreetinLondon,Ineverfeltthathumanbehaviorandmovementwereso monotonousthatpeoplejustwalkedaroundanddidn'tobserveanything.Yetmypresencedoes provokesomereaction.Humanspassquicklyaroundmybody,andalthoughIcan'tseeeveryone's expressions,Ipaymoreattentiontotheireyes,andit'sveryinterestingtoseehowwemoveinand outofeachother;somearescared,screaminganddodging,othersareexcited,questioningme,

Adialoguewiththehumanworld, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththehumanworld, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththehumanworld, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththehumanworld, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththehumanworld, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththehumanworld, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththehumanworld, DW,2021

Adialoguewiththehumanworld, DW,2021

Performance:Evolution

Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jonuekpfkc

Ichosetoperformontheborderbetweenthegrassandtheartificialroadinthecitypark, imaginingthatthehumanandnon-humanspectatorsweredistributedatbothendsofthisborder: passers-byweremovinginandoutinfrontofthecamera,thegrass,theinsectsinthesoilandother non-humanswerealsodoingwhattheyweredoing,withoutbeingdisturbedinanyway.

Thewholeperformanceisacircularmovement,lyingdownandgettingupagain,likeacontinuous reflection,evolvingandmutatingthroughcross-cutting,repetitiveacts,animateandinanimate,all involved.Lyingdownrepresentstheneedtoacknowledgetheinevitabilityofcatastrophe,to acknowledgethatweare"dead".Wakingupagainmeans,however,thechangethattakesplace witheachcycle.ThereisaconnectionbetweentheO-Human,theaudience(human),andthe material(non-human)inthescene,wherethepinkthreadcanbeunderstoodasaspiritualthread, oraskinship,awhole.Astheperformanceevolves,thereisanincreasingawarenessofeachother, likeafeedbackloopandametaphorforaprocessofevolution.

Thefirstcircle:Istandinfrontofthedeadchickenandringaround,thensuddenlystabitwitha knife,andIfalltothegroundwithit.WhenIwakeupagain,asO-Human,myeyesbegintoabsorb theshapesandcolorsoftheworld,mybody,myhandskeeptouchingthethingsIfeel,support understanding,keeppressing,andIalsobegintotastebananas,likethefirstandsimplesthuman action.AsIleave,mybodyisconnectedtothebodyofthebananabyathread.

ThesecondCircle:WhenIwakeupagain,Iseemoretools,andmybodyisgraduallyredesignedby them,constantlyandconsciouslychangingtheshapeofmybody,allthethingsthatarenotjust therebutshowpowerandstirmyemotions.AsIleave,mybodyisconnectedtothatoftheartifact byathread.

Thethirdcircle:WhenIwakeupagain,Ibecomemoresensitive,mybodycomesintomorecontact withthenon-humanbody,Istartlyingonthegrass,Istarttryingtoshapetheinvisibleair,Istart runningslowly,andmybodyissurroundedbymoreleaves,insects,moreandmorethreadsare createdbetweenus,thesethingsareentwinedwithmybodyandarenotlimitedtopassivity,but arehavinganeffectthatcausingachangeinmybehavior.

Thefourthcircle:WhenIwakeupagain,InolongerrememberthatIamhuman,Icouldbeablade ofgrassorthedeadchickeninfrontofme,Iameatingmyownbodyandatthesametimebeing eatenbyalargerbody,Ibecomeafullparticipant.Yettheinvitationtodanceisnotchallenging,and thehumanaudiencebeginstoimitatemybehavior,followmylead,andthenalineiscreated betweenus. Predictably,thislineismultiplying.

Performance:Evolution, DW,2021

Performance:Evolution, DW,2021

Conclusion

Theseexperimentscontinuetoemphasizeandrepeatmyargumentsandthemesatacriticaltime whentherelationshipbetweenhumansandnatureistransforming:Arewehuman?Whatcan humansbecome?Thesamecultivationofresponsivenessthroughcreatedstoriesand performances,likeoneofthoseinthekinstoriesthatDonnaHarawaywritesof,

Indeed,responsibilityinandforthewordingsinplayinthesestoriesrequires thecultivationofviralresponse-abilities,carryingmeaningsandmaterials acrosskindsinordertoinfectprocessesandpracticesthatmightyetignite epidemicsofmultispeciesrecuperationandmaybeevenflourishingon ordinaryterraintimesandplaces.138

Asopposedtotherigorousworkdonewithsciencetoamplifythethemeofrights,playmaybea mereunobtrusivevariation.However,itcanalsobeseenasanattempttoincludesomepractice,an experimentthatdrawsattentionandthoughtfromothers.

Nevertheless,towhatextentwillthisevokecareandresponse?Everythingisunknown.During theseexperiments,Icouldfeeltheimpactof"becomingO-Human"onmyemotions,behavioral tendencies,andperceptualjudgments,whichledmetoidentifybetterandacceptthenon-human forcesoflifeandamoreconsciousengagementwiththeconnectionsthatarisebetweendifferent bodies.Thisfeelingisnotjustanimaginationbutarealstoryofwhatishappeninginsideand outsidemybody.Butnoteveryoneneedsthesameornaments,butmoreparticipationthroughtheir bodiesandminds.O-Humanispluralistic,and,asmoreandmorepeopleareinastateofcreative self-awareness,myhopeisthatthiswillintegrateintoamassivemovement,aco-evolutionof humansandnon-humans.Letusbecomeanimals,throwingourselvesintothatunrealisticplace,the future.Tofeel,torespondtoeachother.

138. Haraway,Donna, StayingwiththeTrouble:MakingKinintheChthulucene, (Durham,DukeUniversityPress,2016),p.64.

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