“Wind-suck”
Kate James
16 June → 1 July 2006

Wind-suck is a new work by Kate James that forms part of her ongoing enquiry into the nature of anxiety as expressed by humans and domesticated animals.

Wind-suck is the term used to describe the action of a horse that anchors its incisor teeth onto fixed objects and repeatedly bites down, gulping in air and making a characteristic grunting noise. An intrusive, relentless and incapacitating behaviour, wind-sucking often signifies the presence of anxiety.

Comprising of hand-crafted objects and a video piece, Wind-suck examines the often overlooked occurrence of anxiety amongst domesticated animals. Stemming from my personal understanding of anxiety and my empathy for the anxious animal, Wind-suck aims to highlight the shared experience of anxiety amongst humans and animals alike.