“If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian,” says Paul McCartney. As it is, few are aware of where their food is actually sourced from, or the fact that store-bought meat products were actually once living, breathing, feeling animals.
An installation by street artist Banksy, however, likely did much to change that. The notable project, aptly titled “Sirens Of The Lambs,” made its debut in New York in 2013, but is as relevant as ever.
As you can view above, the slaughterhouse delivery truck carried stuffed animals (or puppets), including cows, chickens, pigs, and lambs, which could be seen moving their heads through wooden slats.
And, the presentation wasn’t just visual. The animals could be heard squealing and banging against the sides of the “Farm Fresh Meats Inc” truck, reports My Modern Met.
In April 2014, an illustration of the “meat truck” appeared on Banksy’s website. Since then, it has been printed on canvases, t-shirts, and more to raise awareness about animal rights.
While the truck toured, a Banksy audio guide stated:
“This is a piece of sculpture art, and I know what you’re thinking, ‘Isn’t it a bit subtle?’ Here, the artist Banksy is making some sort of comment on the causal cruelty of the food industry. Or perhaps something vague and pretentious about the loss of childhood innocence.”
The guide continued:
”The truck contains over 60 cuddly soft toys on the road to a swift death. However, in order to bring them to life, four professional puppeteers are required, strapped into bucket seats, dressed entirely in black lycra, pulling on an array of levers with each limb and given only one toilet break a day – proving that the only sentient beings held in lower esteem than livestock are mime artists.”
Many people were confused by the installation while others were downright horrified. Banksy isn’t known for being cavalier with his art, but blatantly honest about issues that demand attention. With this piece, his intentions cannot be missed.
What are your thoughts? Comment below and share this news!
This article (Banksy Roams New York With Stuffed Animal Truck, Makes A Statement About Animal Rights) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com
