Wilma Cruise

The Alice Sequence constitutes a series of exhibitions exploring the nature

of the animal-human interface.
In 2010 ‘The Animals in Alice’ at iArt Gallery,

Cape Town and ‘Alice and the Animals’ at the University of the North West

in Potchefstroom explored the curious interface between Alice in Wonderland

and the animals that inhabit her dream world. In Wonderland the animals

have agency. 

They speak. But Alice does not always understand what is happening. She is

pushed and pulled hither and thither in a confusion of understanding. “Who

are you?” asks the caterpillar. A little while later the pigeon rephrases the

question: “What are you?” To neither has Alice the answer.

The caterpillar’s question is significant. Who is Alice…. and by extrapolation

who are we? Are we right to presume our position of superiority in relation to

the animals?  Do we really deserve our place on top of the Cartesian pile?

It is an ontological question. The drawings, prints and sculptures that make

up the Alice Sequence explore these ideas.