Perspectives: David Capra

Hear from some of the leading cultural minds of our time in Perspectives, an initiative developed by ACE Open, Guildhouse and The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre, University of South Australia. This annual series of thought-provoking lectures invites leading artists, makers and thinkers to Adelaide to engage with the compelling ideas currently shaping our world.

Thursday 12 November 2020

Teena Knows Best

Performance artist David Capra is known for his collaborations with dachshund Teena. David and Teena have a long-standing history of creating socially engaged projects that make the world feel a little less lonely.

Gain insight into what it takes to work in collaborative practice with a dog. Learn about the beginnings of their work together, philosophies that govern their work, and how their projects have traversed the gallery, community sector, media and general public audiences.

David Capra is known for his collaborations with dachshund Teena. In 2016 they appeared on the 9 Network’s Today Show to promote her own fragrance, Eau de Wet Dogge. In 2015 Teena’s Bathtime was launched at the MCA’s Jackson Bella Room, where visitors related to Teena’s experiences around anxiety- Teena doesn’t quite enjoy bathtime. In 2018, David and Teena performed The long and short of it: Life lessons from art-dog Teena to an audience of 5000 at TEDx Sydney and answered the question ‘What makes a dachshund the perfect muse?’ in an article for the Guardian newspaper. Most recently, David and Teena collaborated with Kaldor Projects, producing a series of Teena Takes on… educational videos and the Kaldor Studio project at the Art Gallery NSW.

ACE tampinthi, ngadlu Kaurna yartangka panpapanpalyarninthi (inparrinthi). Kaurna miyurna yaitya mathanya Wama Tarntanyaku. Parnaku yailtya, parnaku tapa purruna, parnaku yarta ngadlu tampnthi. Yalaka Kaurna miyurna itu yailtya, tapa purruna, yarta kuma puru martinthi, puru warri-apinthi, puru tangka martulayinthi.

ACE respectfully acknowledges the traditional Country of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains and pays respect to Elders past and present. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land. We acknowledge that they are of continuing importance to the Kaurna people living today.

ACE tampinthi, ngadlu Kaurna yartangka panpapanpalyarninthi (inparrinthi). Kaurna miyurna yaitya mathanya Wama Tarntanyaku. Parnaku yailtya, parnaku tapa purruna, parnaku yarta ngadlu tampnthi. Yalaka Kaurna miyurna itu yailtya, tapa purruna, yarta kuma puru martinthi, puru warri-apinthi, puru tangka martulayinthi.

ACE respectfully acknowledges the traditional Country of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains and pays respect to Elders past and present. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land. We acknowledge that they are of continuing importance to the Kaurna people living today.