Mircea Cantor "Deeparture"

This video, on display at the Hirshhorn, I found to be very difficult to access on any meaningful level. The movie takes a deer and a wolf, two animals that might normally represent hunter and prey, and places them in an empty gallery setting. The various camera angles are used to show the multiple different actions of the two animals, and at times the cameras are used to try to create a sort of tension between them that apparently isn't there. The animals seem to be aware of each other, but far more concerned with the outside unseen elements (IE, people, artist, film crew, possible exit, etc.) than anything else. Not that they seemed that interested in any of those things either. The wolf manages to catch a nap. This was the best part because I could relate to the wolf.
I was left with the feeling, after running my way through a series of possible but unlikely motives and intended metaphors that could'nt possibly be applied to this exhibit, that the artist's sole intent was to create a petting zoo, but because he is an artist, he could only afford two animals. That was a joke.
The piece feels incomplete. The symbolism of the animals is somewhat lost by their actions, but not lost enough so that it reads as the artist's intent that their symbolism is lost. The various camera shots, I found to be sort of annoying and unnecessary. In fact, I kind of felt that way about the piece itself.