Most people look at cats and think 'what a life' - all we do is lie around in the sun, never having to lift a finger. But cats' lives aren't that idyllic. Cats are powerless, weak little creatures that injure easily. We don't have shells like turtles, nor wings like birds. We can't burrow into the ground like moles or change colors like a chameleon. The world has no idea how many cats are injured every day, how many of us meet a miserable end.
– Haruki Murakami 'Kafka on the Shore' –
– Haruki Murakami 'Kafka on the Shore' –
'Oto Kot' is a graphic social and educational project. It promotes informed, responsible cat care and feline preventive healthcare. The project was inspired by observations made during veterinary clinic visits. All topics were developed in collaboration with veterinarians and cat owners.
My intention was to present cats from a posthumanist perspective – as autonomous individuals and equal partners in the human-animal relationship. It was crucial to give cats a human voice. This allows them to directly communicate their nature, desires and needs.
Special thanks to Dr Andrzej Lech from the APORT veterinary clinic in Warsaw for hours of discussion, dedication and support.
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'Oto Kot'
digital collages
Master’s degree project
Supervisor: Prof. Lech Majewski
Faculty of Graphic Arts, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
| 2018 |
digital collages
Master’s degree project
Supervisor: Prof. Lech Majewski
Faculty of Graphic Arts, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
| 2018 |
print
second edition
70 x 100 cm and smaller
second edition
70 x 100 cm and smaller
I print the 'Oto Kot' posters on 300 gsm Munken Lynx paper, which complements the character of the artwork. It is a smooth, uncoated, premium paper with a natural white shade. Its understated yet refined quality enhances the tactile experience of the print.
I'M WATCHING | Provide your cat a safe place at heights.
I'M A MEAT EATER | Feed your cat with high-quality meat.
CAST THE WORMS OUT! | Deworm your cat once per quarter.
I'M PLAYING | Cat needs activities which satisfies his hunting instinct.
I'M HEALTHY | Take your cat to the vet for a check-up visit once a year.
I'M SCRATCHING | Cats must sharpen their claws - provide your cat with a scratching post.
I'M SCARED | Cats are afraid of loud sounds, do not expose it to noise.
I CARE ABOUT MY LOOKS | Brush your cat's fur regularly.
Making of
I cut the cat silhouettes and typography from black card. Once scanned, they became the central elements of the digital collages.
Bazyli the cat was my model and assistant :-)
Master’s Degree Defense
The 'Oto Kot' posters were one of three parts of my Master’s degree project. I defended it in 2018 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. The remaining components were the audiovisual installation 'Can you hear me? Can you see me?' (Supervisor: Prof. Andrzej Sołyga) and a theoretical thesis titled 'The Animal as Material in Contemporary Art: Reflections on Artistic Freedom and Human Moral Duties' (Supervisor: Prof. Tadeusz Walentowicz). All parts of the project focused on redefining the human-animal relationship from a posthumanist perspective.
My Master’s degree defense at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Shaking hands with Prof. Lech Majewski, supervisor of the 'Oto Kot' posters. On my left stands Prof. Tadeusz Walentowicz, supervisor of my theoretical thesis. | 2018 | Photo by Urszula Danielska
The 'Oto Kot' posters – Master’s degree defense exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw | 2018 |
'Oto Kot' posters, first edition, 2018
Hi! I'm Magda.
I translate ideas into visual language.
Let's talk.
I translate ideas into visual language.
Let's talk.