Hotel Fauna is a 12 part autophotography series about a hotel and its inhabitants: the sole survivors on earth. It was photographed by Makeshift Company in Osnabrück, Germany, in March 2018, and posted backwards on Instagram over 12 consecutive days.
We are animals. We howl at the ceiling and the sky and the walls of the forest. Our stay is finite.
“Poor room facilities - no drinks-making opportunity or mini-bar. Room rather dated, including bathroom. I just hate shower curtains but it seems that they are the normal. **1/2”
We must recite the names of the ancient megafauna our elders taught us: the warrior deer, the carnivorous rabbit, the house bear…
“Hotel Fauna’s spacious rooms feature cable TV and carpet flooring. Each has a bright, modern bathroom with shower. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property.”
Soon we will put the names of the species into a song, so we remember their physical characteristics, habitat, diet, breeding patterns, unique traits. So they are not forgotten: the pineapple shrew, the mocking crow, the yackdog…
“***1/2 Chandeliers and wooden beams are featured in the Hotel Fauna’s restaurant, which serves seasonal cuisine and a daily breakfast buffet. The sunny beer garden includes barbecue facilities.”
The Quokka: ears, muzzle, shoulders and legs were black. Thick hair kept them warm in the wet mountain zones where they resided in complex burrow systems, pigment cells in the skin contract for camouflage. They consumed insects and pebbles--which helped them grind up their food in their gizzard.
“Attractive hotel in parkland setting. Friendly and efficient staff, good restaurant, great location for outdoor activities. Dogs welcome. ****”
Old signs become hieroglyphs. Old words, messages from the past.
“Room was a bit small and minimalistic for the price we paid, but prices in other hotels nearby seemed to be similar, so this may be normal. The location is also wonderful. The breakfast was solid. ***”
The elders who remembered the days of plenty are gone. They taught us of these artefacts: the clock, the TV and the light bulb. So many things to preserve now we are the last ones.
Cosy rooms, the whole place reminded me of some good old times from the movies.