First MAE Paper

Zoo keeping as Inspiration

Jayson Luce

Research

October 9, 2012

“The worldwide zoo community can have real influence in shaping people’s attitudes towards, and knowledge of, animals.” (Hosey, Melfi, Pankhurst, Zoo animals) Growing up I was always fascinated with animals. My love and passion for animals was stronger than anything else in life, and truly guided me to be the person and artist that I am today. Growing up in Lake Jackson Texas, a small town an hour south of Houston, the only way I would ever gain any knowledge about the natural world, aside from school, would be TV, or the zoo. However as convenient as television may be, seeing the animals actually alive and interacting before your own eyes in a zoological park is the most amazing feeling in the world, and truly shows how special and wonderful animals are.

Zoo’s “are scientifically run and governmentally regulated institutions, which have a significant role to play in our relationship with the natural world.” (Hosey, Melfi, Pankhurst, Zoo animals) You can learn so much about the natural world just by seeing a sea lion glide through the water, being able to hear a kookaburra laughing across the zoo, or seeing a tiger rip a piece of meat to shreds; all right in front of you! This can not only educate you on how other life forms live, but also obtain a relationship with these animals, and influence you to want to care and protect the animals in the wild. According to earthsendangered.com over 10,796 animals around the world are on the endangered species list. This list is constantly updated everyday. Animals become endangered through overpopulation, loss of habitat, climate change, poaching, and much more. “Conservation of endangered species is now a major goal of zoos accredited by organizations such as the AZA US Association of Zoos and Aquariums, EAZA European Association of Zoos and Aquariums, etc.” (Hosey, Melfi, Pankhurst, Zoo animals)

Zoo’s themselves focus on different ways of conserving our wildlife to ensure that the species do not die off and disappear like the dodo bird. Breeding of species, especially rare and endangered animals, is one way of “saving the species.” Another example would be taking in elephant calves from an African park, that no longer has room or the space to allow them to live in the wild. Plus due to poaching of Elephants for their ivory, they would be safer in the hands of a zoo…alive, and not end up slaughtered and tusk-less left by poachers to die in the savannah. (French, Zoo Story) With the elephants living in peace in the zoo, viewers can be educated of the poaching that is happening all around the world, which can lead to donations, volunteers, and educators to protecting the animals in the wild.

Growing up I always enjoyed drawing and making art. I always felt safe to be who I wanted to be in my hidden world. I would draw animals all the time. I drew animals that were living in their natural habitats, or imaginary animals I created from my head, which is what I still do to this day. I never drew people because I was never interested in drawing them. I wanted to draw and make art about animals. All animals are beautiful and intelligent in their own way. They have lived millions of years and adapted to live a life a certain harmonious way, and it benefit the environment around the world. If you look at the destruction of the world, it’s by humans. Man created politics, wars, chemicals, and technology that could be our undoing. Yes I know living in the wild is not all rainbows and butterflies, and man has also done great things for the world, and environment, but what man does is of no interest to me.

What is of interest to me? I love animals and the art of zoo keeping. Zoo’s helped me to be the person and artist that I am today, because I learned to appreciate the outdoors, learning about nature, and being more involved in protecting the environment. With this I create my own animals through drawings and incorporate them throughout most of my art. I will also take some of my traditional wheel thrown pieces and decorate them or add to them with my animals that I have created from hand building with clay. I also make stand alone ceramic animals not attached to my pottery, that I made up from my same drawings. Everything is original to my own creativity and "wild" mind. I am slowly working on creating a children's book series staring my own creations, artful ceramic toys, and hopefully a 3D installation down the road, which focus on my fascination, and the beauty, and love I have for Zoos, and the amazing animals they care for.

Nick Brandt is a wildlife photographer that takes breathtaking black and white photos of African animals in the Amboseli ecosystem in East Africa, and his passion for protecting this vast wild land is inspiring to me. Brandt created the Big Life Foundation in 2010. The foundation was created to preserve and protect the wildlife of East Africa. 280 park rangers were hired and have dramatically reduced the number of poaching that takes place in East African Wildlife parks. (Brandt, Across the Raved Land) Nick Brandt’s photos are dramatic, and strike a strong emotion to the viewer. What is the animal thinking? Does the animal know their home is in danger? Does the animal know conditions are getting better? Brandt inspires me not only for his activism in protecting the environment, but his passion for telling these animals stories, just by photographing them in their daily life. While I do not work in photography, I too am an avid activist for the environment; and when I create art of the animals that I imagine, the images are also like portraits. Every animal I create has a personality all its own, and has it’s own story to tell, like that of Brandt’s photographs. Brandt does not use color in his photographs. In my ceramic figures I do use different color glazes, from dull to vibrant, however I try to keep the glazing very simple. I want the figures to be striking in color, but I also want them to stand alone with their forms. I want people to see my animals and feel joy, inspired and passionate to work or save animals, as I do every time I visit a zoo. With this I hope to spread my love, passion, and obsession with animals, and encourage people to work with me, to insure they stay with us for our children, and grandchildren to appreciate.

With the dedication of zoo’s, my passion for animals, and the creativity of artist’s looking to express themselves by make a statement for the animals without a voice, I am positive that we can make an impact to protect, and preserve the animals of the world.

References

Hosey, Geoff, Melfi, Vicky, Pankhurst, Sheila, “Zoo Animals, behavior,

management, and welfare”, Oxford University Press, 2012, pages 1, 345

French, Thomas, “Zoo Story”, Hyperion, 2010, Pages 9 - 12

Brandt, Nick, “Across The Ravaged Land”, Abrams Publishing, 2013, Pages 1-117