Shifters

Shifters project investigates animals in military, animal spies, animal subjectivity, and new ways of looking at animal history. It started as an archival research and a collection of articles about animal spies. Suspicious squirrels, spying dolphins, misidentified stork, nuclear lizards, and photographer pigeons – all these animals were accused of spying and information about it appeared in mainstream media. I am investigating the use of animals as soldiers, spies, police, and kamikaze. I am interested in tracing back the historical chapters of animals in wars & espionage, and analyzing the meaning of the term ‘agent’ itself: a spy but as well a subject doing action. Taking this into account I want to relate the multifaceted history of animals in war to the one of the liberation of animals and animal rights. New technologies will help us know more about animal capacities for sure. The post-human & new materialist theories try to incorporate feelings and experiences of non-human actors into their realm of reflection, and philosophy tries to expand into seeing the Other as not only human. How will it affect human societies and animals themselves?

The heart of this project is a 14-chapter artist book of 750 pages, author’s attempt to visualize the history of animals in military, police and in spy programs. The book uses archival & found footage as well as texts. SHIFTERS consist also of a 12-minute video essay, and a series of soundtracks created in participatory way during workshops.