Animal Magnetism Curated by Raul Zamudio Cuchifritos, NY, NY February 11 - March 25, 2006 Artists: Karlos Carcamo, Andrea Frank, Scott Lifshutz, Emma McCagg, Paul Mullins, Dan Perrone, Liselot Van der Heijden
Animal magnetism, which has also been called mesmerism, was based on the therapeutic value of hypnotism. The term first appears in Franz Anton Mesmer’s 1874 dissertation in regards to the influence of heavenly bodies on humans and their physical, mental and emotional health by means of what he called "animal gravity." This “energy” that he detected was different from physical magnetism in that Mesmer believed that he could "magnetize" paper, glass, dogs and all manner of animate and inanimate objects and substances. He regarded this force, which he said could be exerted by one living organism over another, as a means of alleviating disease. His propositions were as follows: "There exists a mutual influence between the celestial bodies, the earth, and animated things. Animal bodies are susceptible to the influence of this agent, disseminating itself through the substance of the nerves." In the contemporary lexicon, animal magnetism also refers to sexuality in that a person can have such seductive qualities that he/she can bring out the carnal nature of a person via their animal magnetism. Animal Magnetism explores these topics as well as the zoomorphic dimension of humans and the anthropomorphizing of animals-Raul Zamudio
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