Through researching and retelling the story of the first North American zoo since the Aztec Empire, The Memorialist considers the implications of the colonial desire to establish zoological gardens in the middle of a great wilderness. The project will become familiar with Andrew Downs— the man who created said zoo and cared for its inhabitants— and his travels overseas to trade animals between institutions and royal families. The Memorialist will visit archives, natural history museums, the original site of the gardens, and will journey abroad, all while trying to understand the significance of this story, and carving meaning from the symbol of the zoo.
Timeline: Spring, Summer, Fall, 2015
This project is commencing with the support of the Centre for Art Tapes’ Local Artist-In-Residence Program.
The Memorialist has also received support from Arts Nova Scotia and Canada Council For the Arts.
This project is by D’Arcy Wilson, www.darcywilson.org
The Memorialist is also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMemorialist
The Memorialist 