Piglet's Nightmare

Argus

Piglet’s Nightmare, 2012

Piglet’s Nightmare is painted onto an exterior wall for public viewing– the piece includes a butcher on the left who is handling the well known “Piglet.” He gazes at the animal with a stoic expression, unbothered by the hanging creature, and the blood splattered on his apron. On the right, known for his story in Winnie the Pooh, spectators may recognize this pig as a loveable and familiar friend. But in this image, Piglet is taken advantage of and displayed as an object for consumption rather than a friendly face. This image forces viewers to reflect on the ethical consequences of factory farms and mass agricultural production which takes the lives of millions of “Piglets” each day. Label by Grace Cohen

Sirens of the Lambs

Banksy, British

Sirens of the Lambs, 2013

Sirens of the Lambs by Banksy aims to bring attention to the grim reality of the meat industry. Puppets resembling childhood muppets, familiar to many, were taken on a tour around New York City, starting in the meatpacking district. These puppets emitted distressing squeals that resonated throughout the city. The artist cleverly tugs at the public’s heartstrings by drawing a parallel between animals in the meat industry and their childhood stuffed animals. This tactic aims to evoke a deeper sense of empathy from the audience. Unlike much of the art focused on the meat industry, which tends to be quite disturbing, Banksy's approach draws viewers in and plays with their emotions. It is a shocking yet not repulsive way of reaching a wider audience. Label by Jackson Smith

Evolution of Revolution

Hartmut Kiewert, German

Evolution of Revolution, 2012

In the series of works titled Ruinen (2011-2021), Kiewert develops an artistic, conceptual model of an “Animal Utopia” that rises out of mass destruction of capitalist frameworks bolstering the meat and dairy market. Throughout all of his works, Kiewert allows his identity as an anti-speciesist to filter through as he illustrates the agency and resistance of various animals in the face of daunting industrial interests. The painting shown is titled Evolution of Revolution and riffs on Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix. While Kievert himself “had a more ordinary view in mind of humans liberating animal” within the painting, an interviewer from Resistenza Animale interpreted the animals as liberating the human. It is easy to conceive the reasons for the latter interpretation, as the animals are leading the humans away from captivity and convey clear stances of resistance. The turkey opens his beak in a defiant scream, the lamb vaults over rocks, not halt its overconsumption of meat protein. Then the mental burden of working in such an environment during a pandemic and being forced to euthanize animals demonstrates the disturbing nature of big agriculture, in that Black and Brown individuals are disproportionately forced to face the realities of animal cruelty while the rest of society can remain complacent and the duck spreads its wings in freedom, and the goat stands proud on a slab of rock. Many more animals stand beside their counterparts with strength and emotion reflected in their eyes. Liberty is not just for humans, the lauded and glorified species. And the ducks, chicks, lambs, cows, pigs, rabbits, lambs, chickens, minks, turkeys will not yield to humans, but will fight until we follow them. Label by Eliza Madison

End Factory Farming

Jocelyn Bullock, American

End Factory Farming, 2018

Bullock’s ink and acrylic drawing presents an image of factory farming that Big Ag actively tries to dispel. The chaotic monochromatic scene features scribbles of words supplementing the flurry of farm animals, exploited factory farm workers, a man presumably representing a Big Ag executive, and a young girl at the center of this jumble reminiscent of the children’s story, Charlotte’s Web. Bullock captures some of these underlying injustices of the factory farming industry and comments on both the individual and corporate responsibilities needed to alleviate the harm the industry causes. Label by Courtney Hand