Hazel and Ryder with props of alpaca fur and guinea hen feathers under construction.

Yesterday Ryder Cooley and I went into New York City to meet with booking agent Jodi Kaplan.  Ryder takes the Hudson train and I take the Metro North so when we met at Sarahbeth’s  and Hazel (on the left) was also seated at the table, I knew it would be a different kind of day in the city.

Hazel is the taxidermied head of a black-bellied sheep* from Barbados.  At least that is what her mounting plaque said when Ryder found her.  Today she wears two  backpack-like straps at the base of her neck and is worn by Ryder in one of her performance art pieces.  Hazel had come to the city with Ryder in search of a bag so that Hazel could travel as a carry-on when they go to California to perform.

I suggested FEDEX, but Ryder felt that it would be strange to ship her collaborator.  I think it would be easier, but it is not my piece.

The real story is really what it is like to walk down the street in New York carrying the head of a sheep. I would have to say that I saw a greater range of human expression in those 25 minutes that I do in most months.  Puzzlement. Horror.  Fear.  Amusement.  Curiosity.  Confusion.  Anger.  Incredulity.  The list goes on.

And here is the really interesting part.  They all acted as if Hazel was actually alive.  Ryder carried her like a baby on her hip with a sling, so there was this disconcerting animating effect from her movement.  But people did not seem to see her as partial.  As just a head.  They spoke about her as if she were walking with us, or about to sprout legs and move on her own.

Except for dogs, people in New York are not really exposed to animals on the streets.  Hazel seemed to touch something – a kind of primal curiosity or yearning or fear that comes from seeing something entirely out of your context suddenly in it.  I like that.  It didn’t feel like walking with Hazel was exhibitionist or in-your-face.  Ryder is completely cool and easy with her taxidermied collaborators, and I think that is almost as disconcerting to people as the creature itself.

Apparently taxidermied animals are not on the forbidden list for the TSA.  I will keep you posted on Hazel’s progress to California.

*note:  I have since discovered that Hazel is actually a ram, perhaps Henry.  It may be that because both Ryder and I are doing performance work that challenges gender stereotypes, that s/he will remain Hazel.