My Monster - The animal human hybrid

Background My Monster: The Human Animal Hybrid, celebrates the fascination with human animal hybrids, and in particular how the hybrid form can be used as a powerful metaphor for the human condition. Given the current biotechnological breakthroughs in creating human animal hybrids the exhibition suggests that we may be in transition when defining our species. The exhibition examines the artistic representation of the human-animal hybrid from mythology to movies; taxidermy to biotechnology; painting and photography to multi-sensory immersive sound installations. In the context of these ideas, Ellis asks "What might a hybrid future look like for both animals and humans". Contribution Mythology and fiction have for centuries explored the fantasy of the human and animal fused into one being. In his new series of 15 Ink drawings Ellis extends the surrealist tradition exploring the unconscious mind; to create hybrids that exist simultaneously in the human world, dreams and the animal existence. Ellis researches the potential for one bio form to imaginatively transform into another, to suggest there are no real barriers to hybrid transformations. New knowledge contributing to contemporary readings of mythological creatures as the ultimate outsider. Significance Professor Barbara Creed, Chair of the Human Rights and Animal Ethics Research Network opened the exhibition. The 35 Australian and international artists curated by Evelyn Tsitas at the RMIT Gallery, include works by Kate Clarke, Henri Dono, Ai Hasgawa, Patricia Piccinini, Sydney Nolan, Ronnie Van Hout, Mithu Sen, and Peter Booth. The exhibition received 6 significant reviews, including The Australian and Age Newspapers. Australian Arts Review, New Scientist, as well social media, podcasts and artists floor talks.