Albert Einstein, who revolutionised
our understanding of
space, time, and the universe, 
knew the foundation for 
our ‘inner security’ was in
‘striving’ to widen our circle of compassion 
to embrace all living creatures.

“A human being is a part of the whole, called by us ‘Universe’,
a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.” 
Albert Einstein, 4 March 1950 
Copyright The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 

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Other-Self as a body of work

began as my own striving 

to find inner security.

The kind that comes from 

feeling in our core 

we are 

the very fabric of 

this one world.

To feel our belonging.

 

The artworks of Other-Self contribute 

to our collective striving,

exploring our self-other overlap 

and engaging our drivers of compassion. 

 

The field of compassion science while new has already presented evidence and models of compassion with scientific scrutiny. 

 

The artworks draw from the frameworks and findings of the Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science and the Centre for Compassion and Altruism Research at Stanford University. While there are multiple perspectives and frames of reference, this work sees compassion as simply concern for the wellbeing of others. It applies the following findings and working hypotheses.

 

1. The emotional perceptions we can feel for a member of a given species seems to be largely related to its ability to arouse anthropomorphic projections, the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. 

The artworks draw from this hypothesis and suggestively anthropomorphise evoking emotional connection. The subjects are visualised in ways that intuitively resemble human traits. 

 

2. Contemplative neuroscience is an emerging field of science. Studies propose that compassion relies on a neural platform of safety that promotes containment of our defensive reactions. A calm physiological state projects safety and acceptance of others.

 

The artworks apply form and space to evoke calm and presence, to hold the space that eases our defences and invites acceptance.

 

3. Humans have a fundamental, genetically-based need and propensity to connect with other living organisms. Biophilia, meaning “love for life” refers to our innate connection to other living organisms. As urban primates, our continued divorce from the natural world is costing us our intellectual legacy and our inner security. 
 

The work presents a dialogic perspective that invites a conversation of equals with another being fostering a gentle undoing of our unwilding.

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