(This is a shortened version of a longer review at Leonardo Reviews: leonardo.info/review/2022/07/hannah-and-joe-interspecies-art-between-bird-and-man)
Hannah is an African grey parrot. She is 24 years old and, based on other African greys that have lived in captivity, she could live double that or more. Her feathers are grisaille in tone, with the ones on her belly darker than those on her crown. In all the photos I’ve seen, her face is alert and attentive. Her bright small eyes contrast with her large dark beak, the two anatomies constituting perhaps the most prized tools of her trade— an aesthetic and artistic collaboration with the artist Joe Havel. While I’ve never met her in person, I’ve come to know her well over the last few years through images and conversations with Joe, an internationally acclaimed sculptor. Friends recognize his many gifts, identifying him also as an animal whisperer. In addition to sculpting and...