Our perception of animals has changed dramatically over the last century. The decline of agriculture and the expansion of the middle class have brought a view of animals that ranges from sentimental to anthropomorphic. From one generation to the next in my own family, for example, my vegetarianism and the status I give my cat seem worlds away from the functional yet fond views my parents developed growing up on small farms. While shifting social mores have changed the way we perceive animals, new technologies have given our collective sentimentality a new twist. Moving from adoring animals themselves, new media have allowed us to idealize other animals in an abstract way, creating a class of nonhuman celebrities ranging from LOLcats to dramatic rodents, instant icons who flit across public consciousness.
The emergence of webcam zoo stars and viral animal heroes inspired artist Amy Youngs to explore how technology has mediated the relationship between humans and other animals. Why Look at Animals? allows viewers to watch webcam loops on a “furry, handheld animal-shaped screen.” Youngs feels that the images appeal to people for a number of reasons, ranging from a sense of cuteness to a desire to squander time on the internet to an inchoate curiosity about nature. Despite differing motives, visitors to these sites find themselves identifying with individual animals. Youngs’ installation makes the process of watching the images less clinical, giving audience members an interface that feels–to some extent–like an animal.
A more recent project explores animal celebrity. Her collection of Superstar Webcam Animal Buttons allows people to download images and create buttons or desktop wallpapers showing their favorite online stars. Watching the animals online, Youngs explains, has made them immediately available to her, creating a sense of personal recognition and vicarious connection:
They may be just regular pets, zoo animals and farm animals, but because they live their lives “live” on an internet camera, they are almost always available to me and they feel like they are my pets. Perhaps others share this feeling with me and will recognize these superstars as their own.
The works represent a unique blend. While celebrating the connection between humans and animals, the works also explore the idea of nature as entertainment and the nature of viral celebrity.