Token

2010
Bronze, mild-steel

“I put a bell on it, but it still catches birds.” Here is a fallen cat collar complete with bell, the fabric of the collar having broken and the cat now free to roam and stalk unimpeded. The untreated space it falls on in the sheet metal is a meta-phor for the natural world outside. Humans have in this instance tried to protect wildlife, but their efforts have ineffectually impacted deeper drives. The valuing of the cat is reflected in the careful design on the collar. It is adorned by hearts and spikes. This relationship of pet and master is one of affection and privilege, against the wider backdrop of nature. The lost, discarded item is a reference to the impotence of humans in the face of nature’s forces and unrelenting systems.