Going Feral: Speculative Approaches to Animism in the Arts
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Going Feral: Speculative Approaches to Animism in the Arts
Paula Chambers and Dawn Woolley’s "Going Feral" offers a timely, if at times uneven, exploration of animism in contemporary art. The volume’s strength lies in its direct engagement with the provocative question from the Venice Biennale 2022 curator, Cecilia Alemani, about a world without humans. This framing allows for genuinely speculative analyses of art's potential to articulate non-anthropocentric perspectives. One particularly compelling section examines how artistic practices can embody a “feral” state, moving beyond mere representation to a mode of being where the artist’s agency is diffused into the material and environmental context. However, the collection occasionally struggles with maintaining a consistent critical edge, sometimes veering into descriptive accounts rather than sustained analysis. The concept of "going feral" itself, while intriguing, could benefit from sharper definition across all contributions. Overall, "Going Feral" provides valuable intellectual friction for those questioning human exceptionalism in the arts.
📝 Description
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Published in 2025, 'Going Feral' examines animism through speculative art practices.
This collection considers animism by asking what life might look like without human primacy, a question first posed by Cecilia Alemani for the Venice Biennale in 2022. The contributors approach a post-humanist animism, viewing the world as animated by its components. The book is for artists, curators, art historians, philosophers, and cultural theorists interested in current art and speculative thinking.
It will also appeal to those who question human-centered views and want to understand the links between art, nature, and a non-human perspective. Readers concerned with ecocriticism and post-humanist philosophy will find it relevant. The volume arises from a time of significant interest in animism, post-humanism, and ecological concerns.
The book engages with animism, a concept explored in traditions that recognize spirit or consciousness in the natural world. It builds on the work of scholars like Graham Harvey and Philippe Descola, who have studied animistic beliefs across cultures. By discussing the agency of objects, environments, and non-human life, 'Going Feral' connects contemporary art and philosophy to a long-standing recognition of the animated world.
💡 Why Read This Book?
• Gain a new framework for understanding art's relationship with the non-human, specifically through the concept of "going feral," which challenges anthropocentric views as explored in the book's speculative discussions. • Engage with the critical question posed by Cecilia Alemani for the Venice Biennale 2022, "what would life look like without us?" and see how it is re-examined through artistic practice and post-humanist animism. • Discover how creative processes and practices might materialize "feral" states across various artistic disciplines, offering fresh perspectives on materiality and agency beyond human control.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central theme of "Going Feral: Speculative Approaches to Animism in the Arts"?
The book's central theme is animism, explored through the concept of "going feral." It examines how art can articulate non-human perspectives and challenges anthropocentric views by considering a world activated by things, referencing the Venice Biennale 2022.
Who curated the Venice Biennale mentioned in the book?
The curator of the Venice Biennale 2022, which posed the question central to the book's inquiry, was Cecilia Alemani.
What does the term 'going feral' mean in the context of this book?
In this book, 'going feral' refers to a process and practice that blurs boundaries, challenges established hierarchies, and embraces a state where artistic agency is diffused into the material and environmental context, moving beyond human-centric frameworks.
What kind of artistic approaches does the book analyze?
The book analyzes speculative approaches and critical analyses of animism in the arts. It focuses on how creative processes and practices can embody "feral" states and explore a post-humanist animism.
What is the publication year of "Going Feral"?
The book "Going Feral: Speculative Approaches to Animism in the Arts" was first published on November 4, 2025.
What philosophical perspective does the book engage with?
The book engages with post-humanist philosophy, questioning anthropocentric viewpoints and exploring the agency of non-human entities and the material world.
🔮 Key Themes & Symbolism
Post-Humanist Animism
This theme investigates animism beyond traditional religious contexts, focusing on a post-humanist perspective where non-human entities and objects possess agency. It challenges anthropocentric views by exploring how life might exist in a world activated by things, rather than solely by human consciousness. The book considers art as a potential site for articulating these complex, non-human-centered relationships.
The Practice of 'Going Feral'
Central to the volume is the concept of 'going feral,' interpreted as a process of shedding human-imposed structures and boundaries. This involves artists and thinkers embracing a more instinctual, less controlled mode of engagement with the world. It’s about blurring lines between self and other, culture and nature, and exploring how this untamed state can manifest artistically and conceptually.
Art as Speculative Inquiry
The collection positions artistic practice as a form of speculative inquiry, particularly concerning ecological and ontological questions. It studies how artists, through their creative acts, can explore hypothetical scenarios, such as a world without human dominance. This approach uses art not just to represent ideas but to actively generate and test them.
Agency of Things
A significant focus is placed on the agency of non-human elements – objects, materials, environments, and natural forces. The book moves away from viewing these as passive recipients of human action or meaning, instead exploring their active role in shaping reality and creative outcomes. This aligns with materialist and object-oriented philosophies.
💬 Memorable Quotes
Direct passages from the work, attributed to the author.
“What would life look like without us?”
— This question, posed by Cecilia Alemani for the Venice Biennale 2022, serves as a foundational prompt for the book. It invites readers to imagine existence from non-human perspectives and consider the implications for art and culture.
“The boundary practices of going feral.”
— This phrase expresses the book's focus on artistic and philosophical methods that challenge established limits and explore untamed, non-anthropocentric modes of being and creation.
“A world activated by things and a post-humanist animism.”
— This interpretation highlights the core philosophical stance of the collection: viewing the world not solely through human perception but as a dynamic system where inanimate objects and natural forces possess inherent activity and significance.
“How the process and practices of going feral might materialise through and across creative inve”
— This suggests that the book explores the tangible manifestations of 'feral' states within artistic production, examining how these concepts translate into actual artworks and creative methodologies.
“Speculative discussions are developed in this volume.”
— This indicates that the book prioritizes hypothetical and imaginative exploration over purely empirical or historical accounts, encouraging readers to consider potential futures and alternative realities.
🌙 Esoteric Significance
Tradition
While not strictly adhering to a single esoteric lineage like Hermeticism or Gnosticism, "Going Feral" taps into animistic traditions that underpin many esoteric systems. It reflects the immanent vitality found in shamanic practices and certain interpretations of nature mysticism, where the veil between the mundane and the spiritual is thin. The book’s focus on the agency of non-human entities and the blurring of boundaries can be seen as a contemporary, secularized expression of older ideas about interconnectedness and spirit immanence.
Symbolism
The concept of 'going feral' itself acts as a potent symbol, representing a return to a primal, untamed state that predates or exists outside of human constructs. It symbolizes the shedding of anthropocentric limitations and the embrace of instinctual, material forces. The 'activated world' described signifies a reality imbued with spirit or agency, challenging the materialistic Western worldview and aligning with animistic beliefs where all things possess a vital essence.
Modern Relevance
Contemporary thinkers and artists exploring ecological art, speculative realism, and new materialisms find resonance in "Going Feral." Its ideas are relevant to practitioners of ecopsychology and those involved in decolonial and indigenous studies who seek to decenter the human. The book’s speculative approach aligns with current trends in art and design that prioritize process, materiality, and non-human perspectives, making it a valuable reference for understanding cutting-edge creative and philosophical explorations.
👥 Who Should Read This Book
• Artists and curators seeking to explore non-anthropocentric themes in their work, particularly those interested in animism, ecological art, and speculative design. • Academics and students in art history, philosophy, and cultural studies researching post-humanism, new materialism, and ecocriticism. • Readers interested in contemporary art discourse and the intellectual currents surrounding the Venice Biennale 2022, seeking to understand speculative approaches to the natural world.
📜 Historical Context
Published in late 2025, "Going Feral" arrives amidst a surge of academic and artistic interest in animism, ecological thought, and post-humanism, fields significantly influenced by scholars like Graham Harvey and the Object-Oriented Ontology movement. The book directly engages with discourse generated by major art events, notably citing Cecilia Alemani's curatorial question for the Venice Biennale 2022, "what would life look like without us?". This context positions the work within a broader intellectual landscape grappling with the perceived failures of anthropocentrism in the face of environmental crises. While not explicitly referencing censorship, the speculative nature of challenging human exceptionalism places it within a lineage of critical thought that has often faced resistance. Its contemporary relevance is amplified by ongoing debates in art theory and philosophy concerning the agency of non-human entities, a topic also explored by thinkers such as Timothy Morton.
📔 Journal Prompts
The boundary practices of going feral.
Reflections on a world activated by things.
Materializing feral states in creative work.
Post-humanist animism in artistic expression.
Interrogating the question: what would life look like without us?
🗂️ Glossary
Animism
The belief that natural objects, phenomena, and the universe itself possess souls or consciousness. In this context, it's explored through a post-humanist lens, focusing on the agency of non-human entities.
Going Feral
A concept explored in the book, signifying a process of shedding human-imposed structures and boundaries to embrace a more instinctual, less controlled mode of engagement with the world and creative practice.
Post-humanism
A philosophical and cultural perspective that questions the centrality and uniqueness of the human being, exploring the relationships between humans, technology, and other non-human entities.
Agency of Things
The capacity of inanimate objects, materials, or natural forces to act independently or exert influence, challenging the notion that only conscious beings possess agency.
Speculative Approaches
Methods of inquiry that prioritize imagination, hypothesis, and exploration of potential futures or alternative realities, often used in art and philosophy to address complex issues.
Anthropocentrism
The belief that human beings are the central or most significant entities in the universe; a human-centered view of the world.
Materiality
The quality or state of being material; the focus on the physical substance and properties of objects and environments in philosophical and artistic analysis.
