In her photographs and video’s, Lisa Van Damme observes the mechanism through which humans and animals interact. She captures the various devices invented and used by humans to control animals, by inducing certain behaviours, or to lure them to a specific location. The gestures are repeated again and again by the trainer as well as by the trainee, making the relationship much more complex than it seems. Who is controlling who?

The collective representations we have of animal species shapes the way we interact with each of them; it is said goldfishes have a memory of three seconds, or that crows know how to count.

Lisa Van Damme is a documentary photographer based in Ghent, Belgium.

She teaches at the Academy of Fine Arts Aalst and is co-founder of mentormentor.

www.lisavandamme.be      @lisavada

• Edition of 5

• Printed on Canon Photo Paper Pro Luster, with archival quality

• 21.0 x 29.7 cm with white border as seen in preview