Animal Estates: New Habitat in Old

Visitors to the 2008 Whitney Museum of American Art Biennial who happened to look up as they were entering might have been curious about the large bird nest perching above the museum’s entrance.
Was one of New York’s peregrine falcon pairs contributing to the year’s premier show of contemporary American art? No, but not far off.

The nest, 10 feet in diameter, is actually for bald eagles. It was built by Fritz Haeg, as part of his installation—or “development,” as he calls it—at the Biennial. New York was the first stop for Haeg’s Animal Estates, created dwellings for animals that have been unwelcome or displaced by humans. The dwellings will be tested around the world; in 2008, art institutions in seven cities have commissioned Animal Estates for exhibit.

To quote the Animal Estates website overview, “As animal habitats dwindle daily, Animal Estates proposes the reintroduction of animals back into our cities, strip malls, garages, office parks, freeways, front yards, parking lots, skyscrapers, and neighborhoods. Animal Estates intends to provide a provocative 21st century model for the human-animal relationship that is more intimate, visible and thoughtful.”

In each city, Haeg has chosen animals native to that area. For the Whitney show, he has created homes for twelve “animal clients” who lived at that very location (Madison Avenue and E. 75th Street) 400 years ago, when the spot was forest and marsh. The design for each estate will be developed with local zoological or ecological specialists. As Haeg writes, “These animals may at times be helpful and welcome residents, but others may require some getting used to.” Think bobcat or beaver.

Along with each Animal Estates installation will be Animal Lessons, animal-related classes, workshops, and seminars offered by Haeg’s Sundown Schoolhouse. This may include anything from animal movement workshops with choreographers and dancers to informative seminars by local zoologists, ethologists, and animal specialists. In San Francisco, for example, the four presentations will include building model homes for each animal that participants are then encouraged to place around the city. There will also be animal-related sound, movement, writing, and garment-making activities.

I’m excited about seeing the Animal Estates when they come to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (and I’m particularly curious about the garment-making activity: will I leave dressed as a salamander, or will salamanders get some new duds?). Habitat loss is one of the most critical environmental issues, but it’s often neglected in the current focus on carbon emissions. It’s heartening to see it getting this kind of attention. But I have to confess there’s a part of me that’s thinking “Is it art?” I’ll report here on my impressions once I’ve seen the show; I look forward to reading your thoughts also.