Blue black-boned chicken
Written by: Becky Harlan
All images were taken by Cary Whitham
Most people's perception of "chicken" is nothing more than a piece of white meat, which is better for the human body than beef and mutton. After all, how often do you see a chicken except on the plate?
In the past, we had a close relationship with livestock and poultry, which was reflected in folk culture and some well-known stories of the people, such as the movie "The Four-Eyed Rooster", the metaphor of the shepherd looking for sheep in the Bible, and the children's song "Old Mike Donna Has a Farm". We used to be able to distinguish between two sheep.
Murray Grey Bull
"In modern times, most people have lost touch with the land and livestock that feed us and only treat lamb, beef, chicken or pork as agricultural products, rather than knowing and understanding the animals behind them." New Zealand photographer Cary Whitham said. Whitham photographs farm animals similar to those of the great Dutch painter Rembrandt in an attempt to restore a long-lost connection between humans and farm animals.
Black turkey
It may seem romantic on the surface, but maintaining such an alienated relationship with the animals we depend on has serious consequences. The health of people, animals, and the planet is intimately linked to the way we farm animals, and to some extent, the way we farm animals is also influenced by how we view farmed animals.
Brown hybrid ewe
"The philosopher Elena Scarlett argues that 'beauty always happens in concrete situations,'" says jonathan Safran Foer in his book Carnivoreism. "Cruelty, on the other hand, always favors abstraction."
For us, it was easy to accept factory farm rearing. But developing a sense of awe for its particular beauty, or at least some familiarity, in the face of a Wessex hybrid pig or blue black-boned chicken may be the starting point for repairing this lost relationship.
Wessex hybrid pigs
"I wanted to portray these animals as dignified individuals, giving them value and importance, as important as paintings with the subject of nobility or our ancestors. Our perception of them has changed, but their importance has not changed. I want to return to them their long-lost glory. Whitham said.
In the post-processing process, Whitham carried out layers of light and darkness treatment, resulting in a dramatic chiaroscuro effect, making his photographs more like paintings.
Grove cattle
Getting these animals to take pictures together is a big challenge. By far, sheep are the hardest to photograph. "Once you frighten a breeder, all the sheep will run away. When you get close to them, if you are not careful, they will change from turning to running away. She said. Poultry is also troublesome, it is very difficult to get them to look at the camera lens, and to take a good photo, going into the chicken coop is the best way. Cows are very curious animals, and according to Whitham, "it is also quite scary if the cows run down the mountain." ”
Grey geese
Whitham lives in the countryside and has a few alpacas and chickens, but she's not a vegetarian and doesn't deliberately hide her dietary preferences when she visits the supermarket. "I put 'livestock and poultry products' in my shopping cart and try not to think about where the meat comes from in order to eat meat with peace of mind. However, I will choose carefully when purchasing. I think if we want to continue to eat animals, we must try to give them the best possible life while trying to make them die painless. She said.
Wiltshire horned sheep
When we see a painting framed with a gilded border on the wall of a museum, we feel that the content of the work is very important. Taking pictures of the Murray Grey Cow with the right posture and good light, Whitham also made us aware of its importance. Our lives depend on these animals, and they are as diverse as man's best friends, and more importantly, they deserve our respect.
(Translator: Stray Dog)