Fleischmahl
A Project by Theresa Bader & Mariella Weiss
Special Thanks to Heiner, Stanglerhof and our Filmcrew
Abstract
A happening, where a small group of participants had to slaughter, and cook chickens for a meal in a festive setting.
The output was personal experience and observations which could have an effect on the fur- ther eating behaviour.
Also a film was made, which was shown at the Food Film Fest in Bergamo and stimulated public discussions.
A Short Project Description
Animal - Dead - Meat,
to activate this chain of associations, we organised a happening with 11 participants and three chickens. After having a first, short contact and giving them names, three of the attendees de- cided to slaughter those individuals, prepare them for cooking, to be finally eat them. During the whole process, they treated them with respect and dignity.
An installation in public is spreading our request.
A film shows the emotions of the participants about the brutal act of the meat production and places those pictures on eye-level with the portraits of the chicken. The festive dinner that fol- lowed, is also paramount. It will be projected on a giant linen, which still holds the remains of the event.
We think, bringing those concessions from the private happening into open and public space, will help to start a rethinking in the production and consumption of meat and be a step towards an environment without industrial livestock farming.
In the theory of Martha Nussbaum, “the good life”, she says, that feelings and moral actions are linked. The emotionality and the rationality are relating and depending on each other.
10 CAPABILITIES FOR A GOOD LIFE
by Martha Nussbaum, Capability Approach
LIFE: being able to live a full life of a normal length
BODILy HEALTH: being able to enjoy adequate nutrition, reproductive health, sexual satisfac- tion, choice in reproduction
BODILy INTEGRITy: being able to move freely and safely
SENSE, IMAGINATION AND THOuGHT: being able to make full use of the senses to experience, think, reason, imagine and create
EMOTION: being able to experience attachments to people, things and experiences and to express feelings
PRACTICAL REASONING: being able to form a conception of the good and critically reflect on it AFFILIATION: being able to live with others in mutual respect
being able to establish self-respect and non-discrimination
OTHER SPECIES: being able to have concern for and live with other animals, plants and nature PLAy: being able to laugh, play and enjoy recreational activities
CONTROL OvER ONE’S ENvIRONMENT: being able to live one’s own life being able to enjoy freedom
