Scrutinize

Cat grass from Sparky, 7/8/11 Cat grass from Sparky, 7/19/11 From the series Nurture 2011

Hair trimmed before bath, Tess, 7/18/11 Gloves used to wash Tess, 7/18/11 From the series Nurture 2011

Medrol log (Sebastian), Sebastian takes 4 mg of Medrol every other day, n.d. From the series Written 2011

All the whiskers I found in my house, 3/09 to 5/16/11 From the series Artifacts 2011

Ball Toy, Tess From the series Toys 2011

Sticks From the series Things Claire chewed 2011

Reminder note to bring Arabella inside From the series Written 2011

Tess’s food container with feeding instructions for pet sitter From the series Nurture 2011

Favorite Toys From the series Toys 2011

Scrutinize

For this ongoing series of images, I scan objects associated with my pet or companion animals. Through the process of cataloging these objects, several discourses emerge that touch on the nature of my relationships with my pets in the space of our home, including ideas of tending, play, embodied connection, and control. The act of scanning provides an aesthetic continuity to the images as well as a spatial hierarchy; I can only record objects or portions of objects that fit on the scanner bed. The process of scanning lends itself to the nature of the series, as many of the objects need to be recorded in the moment. I also catalog my pets’ physical presence in the home by collecting and scanning the “debris” that they produce, e.g. shed whiskers and trimmed nails. Two additional disparate series have emerged from this one, entitled With and Inflict.