Congress
EVENT for pets & people
Main event is dialogue with Emelie Cajsdotter, the artist & audience
Emelie Cajsdotter is an animal therapist & author of ÒZander och TidenÓ.
As the project focuses on the notion that ANIMALS have feelings and can ÒcommunicateÓ in their special ways – the audience, group of community will be owners of animals, most probably dog owners. The dogs will naturally also form an audience.
Different things that can take place during ÒcongressÓ are:
- concert (accordion, violin etc) for dogs (high pitch howling expected)
- barbeque & drinks (wine & water bowls)
- lecture / talk
- a live dialogue with Cajsdotter and guest dog (Texas or Mymlan) if possible
- Performance?
- Possibility to get their portrait taken (Polaroid)
- Other dog/animal related talks/lectures/topics – dog art?
- Other possible programs depending on how the ÒaudienceÓ group responds to this event.
Congress/ event could last for just one day or possibly a weekend.
The site for it will be Fršlunda Kulturhus. Hopefully.Not confirmed.
As it will be an outdoor event it has to be arranged around April/May
How does the telepathic communication work? Does it work in large groups? A lot depends of course on this aspect, as the size of the event/audience.
The audience can be reached in many ways; through Kennel clubs, ads in magazines & pet shops. Flyers, Posters. Another and probably faster way to find & work with group is to talk to people with dogs directly. Suggest and discuss ideas for dog events. Also discuss dog situation in Gothenburg (in order to find a political aspect to project as well). Do we need i.e. special dog parks in Gothenburg?
Organizing a smaller event, ÒglšggpartyÓ for dogs & owners in a park to discuss the subject & project, have drinks and listen to some nice music.
The most important aspect for me is the fact that people will Òlook downÓ at their pets in a new way. Oh, wow, so they might have deep thoughts about life, time, death etcÉ.
My involvement as an artist with this group is to ÒgiveÓ them new (?) aspects of their relationships with their pets. And also to hopefully give them the opportunity to know what their pets think of themÉwhich is quite fun but also scary. And quite simply offer them a nice and thought provoking day in the park with their pets.
IÕm expecting that people will be interested in this event and be interested to participate and suggest own ideas.
My interest in this project lies mainly in the ÒeventÓ itself – a quite absurd but also thought provoking event, for me and others. IÕm naturally also fascinated by the thought of communication with animals.
My intension is to document this event with video cameras and still images. The ÒeventÓ is the main aspect in the project but there are of course other stages in the project – as hopefully preparation of other program numbers, and this stage will involve the ÒaudienceÓ to some extent. So, this project will live further as a documentation, and perhaps as another similar event organized by somebody else or then just a memory and rumor.