behind the looking glass (part 2)

And then there are the people. Half of what’s so fascinating about looking at animals is observing people watching animals.

i see you (green frog at Bronx zoo)

The things they say: “Eww look at that one, he’s sniffing the other’s poo!” (a child at the warthog exhibit at the Bronx Zoo). “Is that real?” (an elderly woman approaches the rabbit display at the Village Petstore with some trepidation.) “It is!” (she concludes).

The things they do: The whistles, the clucking noises, the ridiculous postures, energy expended, all to momentarily capture the passive gaze of some animal. (An exception was a gorilla at the Bronx Zoo who sat next to the glass, bemusedly inspecting us, sticking her tongue or putting her hand flush up against the glass over where a child’s hand pressed against the glass from the other side). And then there’s the faux hunting, donning camouflage or safari gear (an excess of pockets, tan and olive tones) and crouching low behind bushes so as to not disturb the wildlife, but get the best shot (as in photograph) of “nature in action.”

fish sticks swimming at the Village Petstore

At the Village Petstore and Charcoal Grill, people watching is as explicitly a part of the installation as any of Banksy’s animals. Looking in at the window displays from the street you see people inside, hovering over the same displays, taking photos and pointing, gesturing. Inside, looking out, you watch the faces studying the leopard window, searching for any signs of recognition that all is not as it seems. Peer into the fishbowl and you may see a moony, watery face also studying the swimming fish sticks—or you. A black and white television over the register is a live feed of people outside watching the CCTV monitor tending to its baby monitors (another one of the window displays). 

All of which is to say: Was it ever really about the animals?