ABSTRACT
Here I discuss the conversation I have with my work, using novels as an example. This ongoing dialogue forms my days and character, though not in the same way as living with animal companions does. Drawing on insights from new materialism, I argue that the porousness that is required to write shows us something about human agency more generally and matters democratically. I also discuss art as a ‘public thing’, following Honig’s views of public things, to better understand its democratic power. This power also plays a role in more-than-human relations. To explore the role of art in improving multispecies relations, I briefly discuss my work with a multispecies art collective.
