Political Animals: Public Art in American Zoos and Aquariums
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.72 (694 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0739111205 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 224 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-02-15 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
. Jessie Donahue and Erik Trump are both associate professors of political science at Saginaw Valley State University
This book demonstrates how art has been used for a range of economic and political purposes including providing jobs, a medium to reach out to minority interest groups, a fundraising tool, and a surrogate for the animals themselves. Jesse Donahue and Erik Trump examine the ways that zoos and aquariums have successfully served as sculptural gardens for the masses and have incorporated art and architecture that convey political messages about both the patrons and the animals. Political Animals offers a unique study and perspective on the relationship between politics and the art found in American zoos and aquariums. Donahue and Trump skillfully analyze and compare zoos to other areas of public art to highlight the calculated strategies on the part of the zoos that have incorporated a range of artistic styles for different audiences. Incorporating photographs of zoo and aquarium art from around the country, Political Animals is an exciting and captivating text for the mind and eye.
Political Animals extends current discussions of the role of the arts in a democracy as it critically examines Americans' stewardship of the animal kingdom (Shirley Teresa Wajda, Kent State University)Overlooked by scholars but looked over daily by visitors, artworks in the nation's zoos and aquariums reveal Americans' evolving understanding of animals and themselves. (Shirley Teresa Wajda, Kent State University) . Political Animals is a thorough history of how one cultural institution has negotiated the relationship between its public and its collection, using art as a mediator. Such art engages political debates about the nature of democra