"He Who Makes a Beast of Himself Gets Rid of the Pain of Being a Man."
Artist Statement
For as long as we’ve existed, humans have hunted animals. Up until the last couple hundred years we’ve relied on hunting animals for food and warmth. However recently hunting has become a sport- and one version of that sport which is particularly popular is trophy hunting. Trophy hunting generally involves going to different countries to hunt large or endangered animals from that area. These hunted animals are usually kept and mounted as trophies from the hunting trip. In my art piece, I ask you to put yourself in the shoes of being endangered and hunted for your very own body parts. I want you to feel like prey. I want you to feel like all that you are is bones and blood. I want you to feel in the shadows, and be playing a game you never knew you were even invited to.
Project Reflection
In the Rhetoric and Ideology Project I chose to research the controversial topic of game hunting. I examined both sides of the argument for and against sport hunting, conducting an interview with a local game hunter. Through my research, I've began understand the ideologies of hunters through their actions. While I may never understand the experience of killing an animal, I've gained an understanding for justification and explanation for it. Many hunters donate their time, money, and meat they've gathered from hunting to local villages in the hunting area. While I understand how this meat is extremely beneficial to hungry families, I still believe there's better ways to put food on their plates without destroying their natural ecosystems.
When it comes to traditions such as hunting, ideology seems to be very deeply rooted. Many people I've talked to about this topic are very opinionated, and aren't exactly looking to change their mind. Though stubborn, these are some of the kindest and most thoughtful people I've had a politically charged conversation with. I've learned to separate my negative connotations of someones character from their opinions.
However, there will at some point need to be a change in the way hunting is done, and that will require changing the minds of people with deep family traditions. The truth is, there will eventually be no more big five animals to hunt if trophy hunting continues- people need to accept that. When society is willing to open their minds to this disturbing truth and are prepared to be disturbed by it, only then can change enact.
When it comes to traditions such as hunting, ideology seems to be very deeply rooted. Many people I've talked to about this topic are very opinionated, and aren't exactly looking to change their mind. Though stubborn, these are some of the kindest and most thoughtful people I've had a politically charged conversation with. I've learned to separate my negative connotations of someones character from their opinions.
However, there will at some point need to be a change in the way hunting is done, and that will require changing the minds of people with deep family traditions. The truth is, there will eventually be no more big five animals to hunt if trophy hunting continues- people need to accept that. When society is willing to open their minds to this disturbing truth and are prepared to be disturbed by it, only then can change enact.