We Are All Mothers, 2022, single channel video, TRT: 20min.
How can art and humanities support science and scientists? Why do scientists need care? In the video We Are All Mothers (2022), the artist reflects on observing a porpoise necropsy as part of Learning Endings, her collaboration with wildlife pathologist Aleksija Neimanis and ecofeminist writer Astrida Neimanis. The results of the scientist’s investigation into the creature’s cause of death were recorded in an animal database. The meetings online, the explanation of the necropsy, and the final washing of the porpoise’s body comprise a ritual of death. In the film, the artist uses memory game cards to build a visual archive for the deceased porpoise, delving into the deeper emotional connections between organisms in a moving, contemplative way.
Video link upon request info@pattychang.com
Installation view of We Are All Mothers at Macalline Art Center, Beijing, 2022. Photo by Sun Shi.