PIG 05049 : Christien Meindertsma
I've stumbled across a startling art exhibition. This project, PIG 05049, takes one pig and illustrates in a very sterile and frank kind of manner where every bit and piece of the corpse goes. Here's the description from the artist's website:
"Christien Meindertsma has spent three years researching all the products made from a single pig. Amongst some of the more unexpected results were: Ammunition, medicine, photo paper, heart valves, brakes, chewing gum, porcelain, cosmetics, cigarettes, conditioner and even bio diesel.
Meindertsma makes the subject more approachable by reducing everything to the scale of one animal. After it's death, Pig number 05049 was shipped in parts throughout the world. Some products remain close to their original form and function while others diverge dramatically. In an almost surgical way a pig is dissected in the pages of the book - resulting in a startling photo book where all the products are shown at their true scale (1:1)."
On the one hand, this is pretty jarring for obvious reasons. As an artist, I struggle in debates with other artists when I try to hold the hard line that DEAD ANIMALS ARE NOT ART - they simply can't consent to be. No matter how neat the idea behind their use is. Period!
But do you think there's a way omnivores could come off shaken when seeing this exhibition? The frank, unemotional manner in which this pig's body parts are labeled and displayed is more candid and honest than their usual faceless supermarket meat is.
Here's the link to further description and images. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter!
http://www.christienmeindertsma.com/index.php?/books/pig-05049/
"Christien Meindertsma has spent three years researching all the products made from a single pig. Amongst some of the more unexpected results were: Ammunition, medicine, photo paper, heart valves, brakes, chewing gum, porcelain, cosmetics, cigarettes, conditioner and even bio diesel.
Meindertsma makes the subject more approachable by reducing everything to the scale of one animal. After it's death, Pig number 05049 was shipped in parts throughout the world. Some products remain close to their original form and function while others diverge dramatically. In an almost surgical way a pig is dissected in the pages of the book - resulting in a startling photo book where all the products are shown at their true scale (1:1)."
On the one hand, this is pretty jarring for obvious reasons. As an artist, I struggle in debates with other artists when I try to hold the hard line that DEAD ANIMALS ARE NOT ART - they simply can't consent to be. No matter how neat the idea behind their use is. Period!
But do you think there's a way omnivores could come off shaken when seeing this exhibition? The frank, unemotional manner in which this pig's body parts are labeled and displayed is more candid and honest than their usual faceless supermarket meat is.
Here's the link to further description and images. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter!
http://www.christienmeindertsma.com/index.php?/books/pig-05049/