For their docu series Domestication: A History, ARTE investigates the history of human civilisation through the history of the domestication of animals that made it possible. In the second episode, ARTE interviews artist Koen Vanmechelen about his views on this matter, and his work on domestication in general.
We are probably further away from living in harmony with our environment than ever before. And nowhere is this more evident than in our relationship with the chicken
The first episode on man’s symbiotic relationship with animals covers the beginnings in the Neolithic period up to the Middle Ages. This second episode looks at how our relationship with domesticated animals has evolved since the industrial revolution and what it might look like in the future. Reason why, the ARTE crew visited LABIOMISTA, the studio and Global Open Farm to interview artist Koen Vanmechelen about his work, philosophy and what he has learned about domestication and diversity from his various art-science projects.
Who gives a sh*t about the chicken, you know, but to treat it as a piece of art, it becomes something else. And then you start to understand that every creature in this world has something to discuss and has something to say
ARTE
Domestication: A History, 2021, 44 min
Watch the full episode online: 01/10/2022 ➔ 29/12/2022
Directed by Andreas Wagner, Wolf Truchsess
