Mountains (Diptych)

Humans have always sought to assert their uniqueness, often believing that qualities like soul, mind, or consciousness set them apart from other life forms. This blurry divide between humans and animals opens up a dialogue about power and hierarchy—the rulers and the ruled, the strong and the weak, the “us” and the “them.” In much of Trutt’s work, animal allegory serves as a lens to reflect on the place of the “Other.” Animals, long seen as symbols of vulnerability, mystery, or instinct, become stand-ins for the human condition. In "Mountains," animals move across the landscape, yet they are also embedded within it—simultaneously alive and fossilised, their presence both fleeting and eternal.