Top:  ‘Ani-Male’ – Photographic production still from ‘Host 1’, Johan Thom, 2010

In the second week of July 2010 the artist created a number of related art works in the Royal Veterinary College’s Museum in London.

The central piece was a performance entitled ‘Host’ during which the artist created a performance for the benefit of the specimens throughout the museum displays – mostly animal, some human.

Constantly turning his body in a clockwise direction, the artist recited a 100 word text engraved on razorblades – throwing each blade to the floor as the words were spoken aloud. Once the recital was finished all the blades were collected using a speaker partially covered in gold leaf.

In this way the artist wanted to give poetic form to the moment of crisis that ensues once human beings are confronted by the material reality of our place in the natural world – not above or beyond it, but both physically and psychically immersed therein.  The work may be seen an attempt to cut through the boundaries that separate the human and the non-human, culture and nature, representation and the real.

Top two images: Documentation photographs from the performance of ‘Host’ by Johan Thom

The work was made into a video that exists independently from the performance. You can see stills from the video by clicking here or by going to the Video section listed on the right and clicking the work ‘Host’ (2010)

Special thanks:

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC)

Mr Andrew Crook (Senior Technician. Department: Veterinary Basic Sciences, RVC)