Dear Hart, How they dream. How we dream

"Dear Hart, How they dream. How we dream." consists of animations of a hybrid Père David's deer combined with video footage where deer inhabit human space. Absent of humans, the video would depict deer interacting naturally within human settings., travelling though multiple settings and timelines. Convincingly real but at the same time clearly digital, they encompass a type of animal deepfake ontology.

The Père David's deer is an unusual animal whose antlers grow like tree branches - a chimerical animal. “The species is sometimes known by its informal name, sì bú xiàng… literally meaning four not alike… or like none of the four...The hooves of a cow but not a cow. The neck of a camel but not a camel. Antlers of a deer but not a deer. The tail of a donkey, but not a donkey.” (Wikipedia)

These animals are in a sense, totems - spiritual kin.

Although the Père David's deer live in zoos and have been recently reintroduced to their native habitat in China, they are officially extinct in the wild. Notably, they also remain in captivity for trophy hunting in the USA and New Zealand.