The late Lin May Saeed, who died in 2023, is an artist known for her sculptures, drawings, and installations exploring themes of animal liberation and human-animal relationships. She produced her animal sculptures by carving their forms in salvaged styrofoam, then casting the forms in bronze, a method that allowed her to capture details of the original material and give the works heft and durability. Saeed explored the valuable relationships between humans and non-human subjects and often depicted animals with a sense of dignity and empathy, challenging traditional narratives of dominance and exploitation.
The pangolin, depicted here by Saeed, plays a crucial role in nature by controlling insect populations and helping to maintain healthy ecosystems. Despite their ecological importance, they are the most trafficked mammals in the world due to their rare mammalian scales and face severe threats from poaching and habitat loss. In the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pangolin was briefly blamed for the spread of the virus to humans before the theory was debunked. Saeed, a humanitarian and vegetarian, embodied respect and adoration for animals and, through her art, including Pangolin, she encourages us to reconsider our perspectives, urging a shift towards more ethical and compassionate interaction with other non-human animals.
The late Lin May Saeed, who died in 2023, is an artist known for her sculptures, drawings, and installations exploring themes of animal liberation and human-animal relationships. She produced her animal sculptures by carving their forms in salvaged styrofoam, then casting the forms in bronze, a method that allowed her to capture details of the original material and give the works heft and durability. Saeed explored the valuable relationships between humans and non-human subjects and often depicted animals with a sense of dignity and empathy, challenging traditional narratives of dominance and exploitation.
The pangolin, depicted here by Saeed, plays a crucial role in nature by controlling insect populations and helping to maintain healthy ecosystems. Despite their ecological importance, they are the most trafficked mammals in the world due to their rare mammalian scales and face severe threats from poaching and habitat loss. In the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pangolin was briefly blamed for the spread of the virus to humans before the theory was debunked. Saeed, a humanitarian and vegetarian, embodied respect and adoration for animals and, through her art, including Pangolin, she encourages us to reconsider our perspectives, urging a shift towards more ethical and compassionate interaction with other non-human animals.
Social Choreography Score
by Kim Miller
Social Choreography Score
by Kim Miller
Wherever you are, notice someone or something in your peripheral view. Do not stare at them / it directly. Keep track of their movement direction – are they moving towards you, away from you, at a diagonal, is it still? Wish them a good journey in your mind.
Feel time in your body. Note the time on your phone, watch, or ask a passerby. Then, without checking your or timepiece, or asking a passerby, imagine what it’s like to be in front of the sculpture for one minute. When you think one minute has passed, check your phone, watch, or ask a passerby again. Were you right? If not, how far off were you?
Stand in a relaxed position and look at the sculpture.
First, notice the texture of the animal before you.
Make 3 positions in your body that are inspired by the texture. Make sure you incorporate as much of your body as possible in each position.
Once you have your three, remember them and come back to standing looking at the sculpture.
Picture this animal moving in real life, how do you imagine it does that? Know that a Pangolin rolls itself up in a tight ball when it feels threatened.
Come up with 3 traveling steps inspired by the possible movement of this animal. Use your imagination.
Once you have all three of your poses and all three of your traveling steps come back to a neutral stance.
Now we are going to put them all together to make individual dances, personal to you as your own choreographer inspired by the sculpture in front of you.
Start with your first pose, then your first traveling step.
String all 6 total of your movements together in this way.
If you are with other people, sit down and show each other your creations one by one, noticing the different approaches each person had.
If you are alone, do it with your eyes closed. Imagining you have an audience.
Finally, have everyone do their separate dances together, or repeat yours alone, for an imaginary pangolin audience.
Wherever you are, notice someone or something in your peripheral view. Do not stare at them / it directly. Keep track of their movement direction – are they moving towards you, away from you, at a diagonal, is it still? Wish them a good journey in your mind.
Feel time in your body. Note the time on your phone, watch, or ask a passerby. Then, without checking your or timepiece, or asking a passerby, imagine what it’s like to be in front of the sculpture for one minute. When you think one minute has passed, check your phone, watch, or ask a passerby again. Were you right? If not, how far off were you?
Stand in a relaxed position and look at the sculpture.
First, notice the texture of the animal before you.
Make 3 positions in your body that are inspired by the texture. Make sure you incorporate as much of your body as possible in each position.
Once you have your three, remember them and come back to standing looking at the sculpture.
Picture this animal moving in real life, how do you imagine it does that? Know that a Pangolin rolls itself up in a tight ball when it feels threatened.
Come up with 3 traveling steps inspired by the possible movement of this animal. Use your imagination.
Once you have all three of your poses and all three of your traveling steps come back to a neutral stance.
Now we are going to put them all together to make individual dances, personal to you as your own choreographer inspired by the sculpture in front of you.
Start with your first pose, then your first traveling step.
String all 6 total of your movements together in this way.
If you are with other people, sit down and show each other your creations one by one, noticing the different approaches each person had.
If you are alone, do it with your eyes closed. Imagining you have an audience.
Finally, have everyone do their separate dances together, or repeat yours alone, for an imaginary pangolin audience.
