CODA249scientific analysis, and one that instead unravels in a pseudomythical sacri-
ficial ritual from thousands of years ago in order to derail modern ontologies
of human/animal/environment relations. In this position, anthropomor-
phism and anthropocentrism are made to problematically intertwine in a
web of new productivities.
While listening to the call of the firstborn queen bee, the viewer is stra-
tegically positioned so that twelve abstract images alluding to cow body
parts appear in full view. Bone Black comprises bone char pigment draw-
ings in which the animal body, as modern science would have it, is frag-
mented and abstracted (fig. C.2). Stark against the white background, the
body fragments visualy oscillate between the scientific specimen and beef
offcuts. The use of bone char pigment is for Swanson extremely important,
for this specific material presence anchors Out of the Strong, Something
Sweet in the undeniable workings of rendering and commodification
that have been discussed in this book through Shukin’s argument on the
technocapitalist economies of consumption. Bone char has historically
been used in three distinct circumstances. The tricalcium phosphate it
contains has served as a water defluoridation agent because of its strong
capacity for the absorption of heavy metals, arsenic, and lead.^11 Its intrin-
sic filtering qualities have led to its use in the sugar refining industry as a
FIGURE C.2 Cole Swanson, Bone Black, 2015, from Out of the Strong, Something
Sweet. Exhibition curator Dawn Owen, 2016, Art Gallery of Guelph, Canada. Dean
Palmer Photography. © Cole Swanson.