There is always a certain amount of so-called animals-parasites, which is inherent to any town. Usually, pigeons, sparrows, crows, ducks, seagulls, mice, rats, and definitely homeless dogs and cats are considered to be this sort of animals.

These creatures in aggregate are a residual biological spasm dissolved in a synthetic post-industrial reality of megalopolises. Their role is undefined and arbitrary, so is the citizens’ attitude to them. Some fulfil their sadistic predilection and declare themselves sweepers scattering poison around the places where these animals live. Others, on the contrary, are full of mercy and compassion. As a rule, government reluctantly performs its punitive function and, striving to be on the safe side, creates conditions for complete disappearance of any useless animals. However, urban animals do stay alive oddly clutching at the urban reality. Indeed, they are of no tangible benefit to the town and thus somehow related to another useless phenomenon – spontaneous street art. Just in the same way all these graffiti, peculiar objects made of rubbish and snowmen tend to occupy all the spots where they are likely to reside.

Thus, one could talk of the certain homelessness of these two spontaneous phenomena, which are standing out of the general rational order. Why not to make an attempt to combine them officially and to get something new?

What if we build up special arks – city sculptures inhabited by homeless animals... These might be bizarre biomorphic objects anchored to the roofs of the buildings or installed in the parks and squares, depending on the physiology of its potential dwellers.

Social man has created a rational geometric world, but in the 21st century it is perfectly appropriate to abandon excessive despotism, creating not square dovecotes and not rectangular kennels. On the one hand, such pieces of art would bring a therapeutic visual alternative diluting city landscapes with natural forms. At the same time, they would become centres for culture and leisure for the citizens and will initiate a rare opportunity to communicate with living inhuman beings...

One could seat on a bench in the park next to the sculpture-ark, have a sandwich and feed the dwellers of the shelter. Of course, installation of such objects should be initiated by the government as well as its further maintenance. After the installation of sculptures in the city environment, cleaning, repair, video surveillance, illumination and all the concurrent services should be provided. The idea is that all objects should be maintained by the city government. Reasonable is the question whether homeless animals would want to inhabit these objects. If they do not, people would encourage them and look forward to see their appearance...

Kawarga