jodie grillmeier, Zoo (ANIMALS 2026)

This ongoing series of zoo animals is shaped by John Berger’s reflections on the human–animal gaze. Yet these photographs are not simply about observation. They track each animal according to the subtle rhythms of its own life. Through long visits and repeated returns, I come to understand the subtle cycle of display—how the day unfolds as crowds arrive, how the space shifts when the noise recedes, and how captivity creates its own rhythm. Drawing on Berger’s notion of the human–animal gaze, I focus on moments when the animal chooses not to meet our eyes. These gestures of withdrawal, however small, suggest an inner life that slips past spectacle. The images hold these in-between moments—where the animal asserts a quiet autonomy within the confines of captivity.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.