Hosting the animal: the art of Kathy High

Abstract

This article considers the question of ‘‘hosting the animal’’ through the artwork of contemporary artist Kathy High. I show how High’s art project ‘‘Embracing Animals’’ challenges us to think about aesthetics of hospitality as far as the animal is concerned. I will argue that Kathy High’s work, when read through the lens of the concept of hospitality, provides us with an opportunity to interrogate what hosting the animal in art might be and the limits and limitations of such hosting.

Keywords: bio-art; aesthetics of hospitality; human-animal relation; Derrida; relationality; responsibility; aesthetics

(Published: 31 December 2010)

Citation: Journal of Aesthetics & Culture, Vol. 2, 2010 DOI: 10.3402/jac.v2i0.5888