SERPENTalk is a networked exhibition anchored physically in the Hamersly Library on WOU’s campus and extending out through the Cannon Gallery’s virtual platform as well as through the project’s own virtual web presence. Through the collaborative efforts of Art and Design faculty member Clay Dunklin, SERPENTalk creates a network of artists and repurposes spaces, both virtual and physical, as sites of thinking that will confuse and unravel the binary assumptions that separate us from others and cause deep social divides. The language of binaries is inherently dualistic and the snake becomes an important metaphor here as they have long served to represent the dual aspects of nature in magic, mythology, and indigenous knowledge. When applied to contemporary culture, the snake metaphor illuminates our differences as a common theme amongst peoples and ignites a sense of compassion and care. SERPENTalk is built on the values of communication, education, and collaboration that we believe can lead to a reconfiguration of practices and projects to act as systems of generosity and empowerment. 

SERPENTalk zines are available for free at Hamersly Library and the project website can be accessed on your personal device at serpentalk.com.