The Survival Architect

The following performance stills document the Survival Architect placing a Portable Wildfire Shelter for Small Animals in the woods.

Portable Wildfire Shelters for Small Animals, Performance Stills, Series 1 (2024)

Self-photographed and all wearables designed and created by Kehoe.

The Portable Wildfire Shelter for Small Animals is part of a larger body of work, I refer to as Survival Architecture, which is speculative in nature, and consists of structures I create that appear to offer protection from extreme weather events but are sculptural objects or wearable structures.

The idea and action represented in the series imaged above is that once the Survival Architect observes a wildfire approaching, they step into their overalls and pull on an overlayer that doubles as a portable wildfire shelter for small animals. The Survival Architect then swiftly moves into the woods, where they remove the overlayer, placing it down in a clearing. The triangular pyramids are equipped with narrow openings on the top corners (see image 9). The openings function as access points for small animals, like squirrels and toads, to take shelter in during a wildfire. Given the overlayer is designed to be carried into the woods, it can also be used to transport animals out if needed.