Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction
The mistreatment of animals is a prevalent problem found in every contemporary society, even in the most developed, and these acts, such as seal hunting in Canada and Norway, have been convicted by various organizations devoted to defending animal rights. The objective of this particular project is to address the mistreatment of greyhounds in Spain.
General Purpose
To produce an art exhibition intended to instill awareness among participants through installation, photography, video and painting.
Specific Objectives
To emphasize the most astounding or dramatic aspects of the theme using explicit content to catalyze understanding. To evoke reflection and inspire an all-inclusive decent treatment of animals, not just exposing the mistreatment of greyhounds as an isolated case. To involve participants in the problem in order to contribute to a social consciousness.
The Problem
"At the end of each hunting season more than 50,000 greyhounds are hung from trees, thrown into wells, burned alive, injected with bleach or beaten to death, according to the complaint of the Federation of Animal Protection (FAPA)."1 This statement is the thesis and justification for our work. The hunting dog tradition is deeply rooted in Spanish rural culture, and like all traditions, it follows a protocol and provides a place for each character. Greyhounds are required to be fast, ambitious and devoted runners in order to catch and kill hares; any factor preventing optimum performance is cause, for some hunters, for their death. Considered a hunting tool rather than as a living being, the dogs are of minimum worth beyond its expected capabilities, its life or death treated indifferently. That is why they are killed with fire, sticks, nooses, etc. indicative of the greyhounds' lack of value to their masters.
1 (s.a) Ms de 50.000 galgos son ahorcados, quemados o torturados en Espaa al acabar cada temporada de caza. Extrado el 03/11/2009 de http://www.consumer.es/web/es/medio_ambiente/2005/12/15/147785.php
May all evil come to animals (que todo lo malo venga para los animales)
"May all evil come to animals"3 is an old proverb from the shire of Manchuela, Spain. It condemns animals as the recipients of all misfortunes threatening families. The proverb endorses the hierarchal mentality that humans are superior to other life forms. For instance, it illustrates the concept of animals as a disposable renewable resource, disqualifying their life as sentient beings. Further, it prolongs the justification that animals be in two stereotypical and antiquated categories: as sacrificial beasts who should suffer by ridding humans of evil, and as beasts of burden whose existence is reduced to services offered to aid humans in this case, the bearer of all things evil.
"The Sacralized History:" Man: Lord and master of nature. "This thousand-year-old stubbornness has consequently brought an infinite series of disasters, such as global warming ... and the depletion of planetary resources .... And this process, in ascending rhythm, begins with animal cruelty and disregard for nature .... The callousness in our concern for animals having been demonstrated excessively results as a direct introduction to insensitivity toward the lives of others, including those far-too-many cases of persons directly related to another. No cruelty is undone disproportionately, without turning this exercise into one of the greatest conditional reflections of people and communities, without sanctifying what in our justifications for massacre and slaughter is called human nature." "The humanist attitude remains and will remain the foundation of civilization; thus, sensitivity is, in an essential manner, respect and compassion for living beings (in the sense of suffering for others)," and the lack of it in this case is clearly an anachronism and involution and does not reflect in any way that "humans always have a tendency for righteousness,
4 5
2 Monsivais, C. Sobre los derechos de los animales extrado el 30/04/08 de http://www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/noticia/281350.sobre-los-derechos-de-los-animales.html 3 Mucio, Francisco. Entrevista a Pablo Jutgla, s/e. Espaa, 2009.
may they be of good morals or not."4 "The humanist attitude remains and will remain the foundation of civilization; thus, sensitivity is, in an essential manner, respect and compassion for living beings (in the sense of suffering for others),"5 and the lack of it in this case is clearly an anachronism and involution and does not reflect in any way that "humans always have a tendency for righteousness, may they be of good morals or not."6
Presentation
Because we consider art a form of creative expression (and in turn communicative), we are cognizant that each unique creative process and specific use of media distinguishes one artistic expression from another. The presentation of the work in itself should contain the message. In assuring that our message is clear, we decided to include in this multi-medial installation the use of a visual language readily understood by the majority of the Spanish population, one which is broadcasted and received every day and, therefore, the mass comprehends perfectly: the language of television. The features that we implement and the different concepts to be reconciled with in our work are described below.
campaigns, marketers seek to "influence or change behavior [and]. .. activate a desired disposition."10 The expertise and motive behind the labor market allows for "Direct Marketing", which makes it possible to divide up the market into different niches and bring specific expressions to a client or prospectus...11 . The need for simple products and information grows daily because "the fact of keeping things simple is the main factor for success [and] ... in the next ten years the creative capacity to make things simpler will continue to be used."12
Conclusion
In Expogalgo 2010 (Yellow Art), we use the language and methods clearly described above, providing explicit and simple messages that prevent leaving room for interpretation. In spite of this, we are not trying to deceive or steer the market to waste products. On the contrary, our intention is to promote awareness reachable through our proposed approach.
11 (s,a), Mercadotecnia Directa: una nueva alternativa para las empresas, extrado el 28/04/09 de
http://www.imt.com.mx/recontact/03/mercadotecnia.php 12 Luna, Pamela, Keep it simple, extrado el 28/04/09 de http://www.merca20.com/?p=9678
EXPO GALGO 2001 (Arte Amarillo) EXPOGREYHOUND 20011 (Yellow art) 1. Foto gratis! (Photo for free!)
Installation Measures to define This piece is an analogy to fairs panels, where people are photographed with the bodies of historical and fictional characters to put their faces in the holes made expressly for this purpose. The installation has a camera and a tripod placed in front of the panel (not shown in the sketch). The piece is an ironic invitation to the viewer.
Traditional Table football with greyhounds instead of players, the ball could be painted with the figure of a hare.
4. My wound
Measures to define
Transfer of the wound in the leg of "super" repeated and panel painting with dog video.
Super's wound
5. Adoration
Installation. Measures to define. Stuffed hare toy on pedestal, at the foot three televisions play the same video of hunting dogs at different times and speeds.
6. Bodies
Sculpture/ Installation 10 x 140 x 200 cm Wood base with artificial grass and uneven ground, are placed in it pet food cans showing images of dogs.
7, 8, 9, 10. Por qu?, Hasta cundo?, O, O, O!, Despus de todo? (Why? Until when? O, O, O! After all?)
Painting Mixed (Dog Food Bags and Indian ink) / table Measures to define Dog feed bags painted, underlining forms and deleting words and letters, with those that remain, repeat and read the words in the titles concerned.
12. Shooting
Installation Shooting gallery fair, with all targets as hunting dogs.
13. Super
Photography
14. Supers
42 x 28 cm. Digital image 2010
The next series makes reference to the hounds confinement in small and dirty cages, the title refers the routes that makes the dog every day (all images have been decorated, "super" doesn't dwell in the place pictured). The progressive out of focus is deliberately.
Lunes (Monday)
Martes (Tuesday)
Digital Image 15.2 x 20.3 cm 2010
Mircoles (Wednesday)
Digital Image 15.2 x 20.3 cm. 2010
Jueves (Thursday)
Digital Image 2010
Viernes (Friday)
Digital Image 2010
Sbado (Saturday)
Digital Image 2010
Domingo (Sunday)
Digital Image
2010
Fuentes
Luna, Pamela, Keep it simple, extrado el 28/04/09 de http://www.merca20.com/?p=9678
V.Notimex. Los derechos de los animales, extrado el 09/05/2009 de http://209.85.229.132/search? q=cache:PJb_GKuO22EJ:pmazariegos.googlepages.com/deranim+%22actitud+humanista %22+animales&cd=8&hl=es&ct=clnk&gl=es&client=firefox-a
(s.a.) Ms de 50.000 galgos son ahorcados, quemados o torturados en Espaa al acabar cada temporada de caza. Extrado el 03/11/2009 de http://www.consumer.es/web/es/medio_ambiente/2005/12/15/147785.php
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