Rattus Sapiens

Rattus Sapience is the second book published by TAMAKA, featuring the project of the contemporary female artist Maryia Karneyenka about the co-existence of two civilizations, human and rat. The visual voice reflects the mixed media works by Maryia Karneyenka, grown from her activism and long-time fascination with rats. The project has a mockumentary look and feel—many images are staged or montaged to deliver a layered narrative. The book designer, Ania Nalecka-Milach has created a truly multidimensional and interactive experience for the book readers. Here, a system of hidden pages, folds and papers of various degrees of transparency echoes the visual references and metaphors of the artistic images. And finally, Tatsiana Zamirovskaya, journalist and writer based in New York, added words to the imagery. She is the author of the two essays for the book, a non-fiction and a science-fiction one. This book is a trio of voices, unanimously composing this love letter—to rats, of course, but also to all living Others. A letter written in the language of the addressee. rtist: Maryia Karneyenka Maryia is a contemporary visual artist working with photography, collage, and mockumentary. Based in Warsaw, Poland, she is the part of Belarusian Photographic Platform FSh1 team. Her practice combines analog, digital, and 3D collage with sculptural objects and drawing, expanding the boundaries of the photographic medium. The Rattus Sapiens project is a central milestone in her work, which is inspired by her long-standing fascination with rats and shaped by both activism and personal experience. This multidisciplinary project challenges conventional human-animal relations. Designer: Ania Nalecka-Milach Ania is an acclaimed book designer and the creative force behind the design of Rattus Sapiens. Her collaboration on the project grew from a deeply personal story of her own beloved pet rat, shaping the book into what she describes as a "love letter"—not only to rats, but to all living Others, written in the language of its addressee. Internationally recognized, her photobooks have received major awards and nominations, including Les Rencontres de la Photographie Book Award, POYi The Best Photography Book Award, Paris Photo/Aperture Foundation Photobook Award, Kassel Dummy Award, PhotoEspaña, and The Polish Photo Publication of the Year, among others. With Rattus Sapiens, Ania Nalecka-Milach brings her distinctive, award-winning approach to a project that invites readers to move beyond the human gaze and into the shared "mischief." Text by: Tatsiana Zamirovskaya Tatsiana is a Belarusian journalist and author based in New York City, where she moved a decade ago to pursue an MFA at Bard College and expand her writing into interdisciplinary arts. Working at the intersection of animal studies, posthumanism, and science fiction, she explores speculative worlds that challenge human-centered narratives. She is the author of several works of fiction, including the bestselling novel The Deadnet, as well as the autofiction books Candles of Apocalypse and Eurydice, Check If You Turned Off the Gas, the latter featuring a deeply personal memoir about the loss of her pet rat. Her collaboration with Maryia Karneyenka on Rattus Sapiens grew from shared artistic and emotional affinities—a connection forged "as rat ambassadors" across continents.