Quote from EJ, my favourite place on the interwebs to quote from.

We have to admit though, we feel a bit uncomfortable about being involved in the design of the above items. As it turned out, Shoshan’s installation (a recreation of a zoo, functioning as a political metaphor) involved live animals; and we are actually very much against the exploitation of animals, including the use of animals within the context of art. Let humans play all the cruel games that they want among themselves (whether they want to call it war, love, politics or art), but just leave other species out of it.

The director of NAiM / Bureau Europa assured us that the whole installation was monitored by several local animal welfare organizations, and that the animals wouldn’t be hurt in any way – and we totally trust him. But still, on a strictly personal level, we do feel a bit uneasy about our contribution (however small) to this specific exhibition, and in retrospect, we shouldn’t have been involved. But alas, it’s too late now.

Even with the next month’s rent eating into last year’s savings, one is fascinated—ecstatic even—stumbling upon instances of such high levels of integrity and simple honesty in a profession where one is constantly reminded of how an air of superiority, a hint of apoliticism and a downright disregard for where the result of one’s output features in the larger canvas of society and environment, are vital to finding ‘the gold’ in truckloads. One wonders, admittedly quite amateurishly at this point, if it is really that hard to be vocal about matters of ethics and, generally, rear the head of one’s pessimism once in a while, amidst the cacophony (I have a thing about the word possibly involving a murder of crows) of all the happiness driven design around.