Acinonyx evokes introspection of abundance and mortality simultaneously. The art piece consists of a cheetah running out of an opulent den. The cheetah is a larger than life automaton featuring complex articulated joints that have this animal in a fluid lifelike full sprint when a participant turns a crank. The den is an enclosed wood organic shape adorned with murals. It is enveloped by canvas and latticework that casts dappled shadows. Inside, plush cheetah cubs lounge, accompanied by a soft ambient audio track featuring a recording of a real cheetah purring and a contemplative meditation.
The philosophy of this piece is comfort and shelter in acceptance of mortality. We would like to communicate tender hope, and create an analog, gentle experience that also inspires reflection. This piece is a little nest in the desert celebrating the vibrant beauty of life’s flow, but also its harsh realities. This is a work about speeding up and slowing down.
Acinonyx
The cheetah, Acinonyx, is nature’s marvel of speed and the inspiration for our art project.
Cheetahs are apex predators that maintain their ecosystem by controlling herbivore populations preventing overgrazing and soil erosion. The philosophy of the cheetah centers on speed, efficiency, avoidance of conflict with more powerful predators, and a unique balance between solitary life and social cooperation. And while cheetah cubs are adorable, don’t forget that if the mother doesn’t succeed in the hunt they will perish. Every time you eat you take life.
Unlike the other “big cats” — lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars — cheetahs cannot roar. Instead, they growl when threatened, chirp or make birdlike calls to communicate, and bark in social interactions. We will have subtle and deep bass cheetah purring sound in the lounge area.
