what is anima?

Anima is a collaborative project in art and philosophy. We advocate for an understanding of humans as natural beings in a natural world. We believe that by recognizing our place in our ecosystem and by embracing our inherent connections to all biological life, we can cultivate a profound and practical shift in our social and environmental attitudes and actions.

As an evolved species, one of the countless groups on the tree of life, we share a lineage with all living beings. Humans are part of the system that traces back, one generation at a time, all the way to the first living cells on earth. In essence, we are kin to every other organism. Our kinship invites us to recognise that each form of life has a unique perspective in a shared world. It is in acknowledgement of our common ancestry that we can learn to respect our common interests. 

Our goal is to create accessible and appealing designs that have real informational value. By examining our human natures and the role of humans in nature, we mean to examine the foundations of social and environmental justice. 

Our climate disaster is about more than ‘saving the planet,’ it’s a pursuit of balanced ecological relationships between humans and other species. ‘Sustainability’ is about more than the ability for humans to continue as we please, it’s about stewarding a healthy biosphere for all of the life within it. 

Poverty and oppression are not inevitable or necessary, they have been created under illusions of scarcity and ‘natural’ hierarchy. The reality is a human community of immense diversities– differences that are simultaneous to our basic commonalities as genetic relatives. As social apes, we are capable of competition, in-group favoritism, and individualism; yet we are also capable of sharing resources, collaboration, and empathy. 

Anima is a community of people who want to help our society remember that humans are powerful participants in the violent and harmonious place we call nature.