Exhibition in Athens Suggests: Revolutionary Change May Commence from Your Meal
In the heart of Athens, the National Museum of Contemporary Art is currently hosting a groundbreaking exhibition titled "Why Look at Animals: A Case for the Rights of Non-Human Lives." Running until February 15, this ambitious show spans the museum's seven floors, marking its biggest exhibition to date.
The exhibition delves into the complex relationship between humans and animals, drawing on history, religion, fables, and art to challenge long-held beliefs about animal welfare and environmental sustainability. Lin May Saeed's work, for instance, advocates for animals and offers a compelling narrative that human-animal relations have evolved and can change again.
One of the most striking installations is a 26-story building in China, home to tens of thousands of pigs, none of which have ever experienced real grass or sunlight. This stark reality is juxtaposed with Igor Grubić's film, which shows a dog sniffing around a disused Italian slaughterhouse being converted into a factory for plant-based meat alternatives.
Emma Talbot's silk paintings put words in animals' mouths, while Tiziana Pers gifts hand-drawn portraits to livestock that are too ill or disabled to become meat. Pers also created a ceramic dinnerware series, with a contract requiring collectors not to eat meat on them.
The exhibition's entrance features a print by Sue Coe that links human to animal suffering, setting the tone for the thought-provoking journey ahead. Ang Siew Ching's video, titled "High-Rise Pigs (2025)," reveals the setting of factory farming, showcased in a 19th-century Cincinnati model.
The show's upper floors are more rooted in history than fantasy-visions. Janis Rafa's three-channel video showcases everyday equine abuse, while the basement features a charcoal map of the world listing endangered species in endangered languages. Rare recordings of laughing rats and animal sounds inaudible to humans also feature, serving as a poignant reminder of the diversity of life on Earth.
The exhibition's title is borrowed from John Berger's influential essay of the same name, underscoring the show's aim to provoke thought and inspire action. By challenging visitors to look to history for the future, the neon sign in Greek by Tiziana Pers serves as a powerful call to action.
As we move towards a more sustainable future, the exhibition invites us to consider the role of vertical farming in this transition. While vertical farming primarily focuses on plant production, its principles can indirectly influence animal husbandry by reducing land use, promoting local and sustainable food production, and encouraging more humane and sustainable animal farming practices.
However, the direct integration of animal husbandry into vertical farming skyscrapers is not yet a prevalent practice. The focus remains largely on plant-based production, with the potential for future innovations to incorporate sustainable animal farming practices in a more integrated urban setting.
For "factory farm skyscrapers" to have a significant impact on animal welfare and the environment, there would need to be a shift towards incorporating animal husbandry into these vertical systems or leveraging the sustainability models of vertical farming to influence more traditional forms of animal farming. This could involve exploring vertical integration of animal care facilities or using the efficiency and sustainability models of vertical farming to improve animal welfare in traditional settings.
"Why Look at Animals: A Case for the Rights of Non-Human Lives" is a compelling and thought-provoking exhibition that challenges us to reconsider our relationship with animals and the environment. It serves as a powerful reminder that by looking at animals, we can see ourselves and our impact on the world more clearly.
- The National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens is currently hosting an ambitious exhibition titled "Why Look at Animals," running until February 15.
- The exhibition explores the complex relationship between humans and animals, using art to challenge long-held beliefs about animal welfare and environmental sustainability.
- Lin May Saeed's work, among others, advocates for animals and presents a narrative on the evolution of human-animal relations.
- One installation showcases a 26-story building in China, housing tens of thousands of pigs, contrasted with Igor Grubić's film depicting a factory for plant-based meat alternatives.
- Emma Talbot's silk paintings put words in animals' mouths, while Tiziana Pers creates ceramic dinnerware series with a contract against meat consumption.
- The exhibition invites us to consider the role of vertical farming in a more sustainable future, suggesting potential for integrating animal husbandry into these systems for improved welfare and reduced environmental impact.
- "Why Look at Animals" serves as a powerful reminder, urging us to reconsider our relationship with animals and the environment, and fostering self-development in education-and-self-development fields like sports and technology.
