‘God created, Linnaeus organized’. This is how Carl Linnaeus, the famous eighteenth-century Swedish physician, botanist, zoologist, and geologist, described his contribution to science. Centuries later, his classification system is still used worldwide, as are many of the names he gave to individual species, such as the name for humans: Homo sapiens.
Linnaeus created an overview of all plant and animal species in the world to unravel the secret of creation. To his work – the Systema Naturae – he added a curious list: the Animalia Paradoxa, the species that are unclassifiable. We zoom in on that chapter.
ANIMALIA PARADOXA is a unique collaboration between Duda Paiva and Lavinia Meijer. Together, they dive into the world of the Swedish scientist and view it from his perspective. They bring Linnaeus’ wondrous animalia to life and investigate the indefinable, that which does not fit into a box and in which nature reveals her true essence. How would the eighteenth-century taxonomist judge the diversity of the modern world?
Duda and Lavinia recognize themselves in the eccentricity of the ‘Animalia Paradoxa’. The act of not fitting within the system. Their authenticity brings them new forms of expression, with striking visuals and original music that has recently been awarded by professional juries: Duda received the Zwaan for Avatāra, a co-production with Illusionary Rockaz Crew. In 2022, Lavinia received an Edison for her album ‘Are you still somewhere?’, which includes her own compositions.
ANIMALIA PARADOXA is their ode to the beauty and complexity of nature. A plea for the indefinable, the freedom to simply ‘be’.
