Animal Commodification

‘Zero Dollars and Gifts’ asks how we assign value to nature both personally and within cultural systems. Each of these bits of nature is a wonder in and of itself. We may value nature, yet nature has no real economic value in our capitalist system. If we consider them gifts from nature another system engages, one of reciprocity, exchange and appreciation.

   ‘Blue Whales’ combines the idea of various types of value.  In Maori culture Tohora are valued as ancestors and have the status of legal personhood under New Zealand law. Many of us humans in the past have valued them for their meat, blubber and baleen as an extractive resource.  In 1931 alone 30,000 blue whale were killed and currently a high estimate is 8,000- 14,000 living blue whales.  Today many humans value the sheer wonder they offer us, some even swimming beside them as “a valuable experience” - an ironic crossing over of the term.  Financial economist Ralph Chami presents a case of conservation of Blue Whales based on their contribution to “provide a service” throughout their life cycle as they reduce carbon and stave off global warming. This is indeed the capitalistic commodification of the Blue Whales, a value based on the “service” they provide.

  Franky’s photography practice is a genuine way to show how he values animals, observations based on respect, wonder without Romanticizing- a way to connect. Using Franky’s photographs was the starting point of this collaboration.  Linda’s plan for transferring images onto plastic bags was in need of good animal photographs taken by an artist she could work with directly.  The result is ‘Critter Takeaways’ this piece considers the impact capitalism devaluing of animals, and the full bio system through consumption en masse. The bags are endemic, a representation of the excessive amount of pollution, production of cheap 1-use plastics and all of its environmental hazards.   

As we collaborated our understanding as artists was that we each brought different ideas, skills and techniques.        

Our thought is that each of you will now contribute as you bring your takeaways home.