Ed Panar Animals That Saw Me

Animals That Saw Me: Volume Two pairs a new collection of photographs from the observational wanderings of Ed Panar with an original essay on being seen by speculative realist philosopher Timothy Morton. Extending the project Panar began in 2011 with Animals That Saw Me: Volume One, this “sequel” draws from recent work and newly discovered gems from his vast back catalogue to depict a series of brief, shared encounters with various (non-human) species mammal, reptile, bird, insect as they seem to behold the (human) photographer. Edited for the viewers maximum delight, the pictures embody a whimsical concept with surprisingly complex ramifications under the surface. Why do we distinguish between us and them, and what exists in the space between these distinctions? What does it mean to make eye contact with another species? What does the presence of a camera add to this phenomenon? Channelling the thoughtful humour, wonder and peculiar engagement with the world that made Panar’s first volume an instant hit, this volume revisits and digs deeper into the question: Why do we assume that its only us who does the looking?. Published by The Ice Plant (Los Angeles).

88 pages, 22 x 18.5 cm, softcover, The Ice Plant (Los Angeles).