With his Cosmopolitan Chicken Project, an artistic crossbreeding project with chickens from around the globe, Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen has been learning from the chicken for years. The project is a metaphor of how we, humans, treat this animal and subsequently our planet. His statement “We are the Chicken” has become increasingly evident the last few weeks. After years of being confronted with compulsory fencing for his poultry, we are now quarantining ourselves, the most domesticated species of all.
Vanmechelen’s MOUTH Masks therefor read “This is Not a Chicken”. A volta is possible. It is time to define domestication and work on open physical and mental spaces to create a better society.
The masks are supported by the Mouth Foundation and are distributed to Vanmechelen’s social projects at home and abroad. From the LABIOMISTA farm in Belgium to The Future of Hope in Zimbabwe. Through and thanks to these people, we will set a strong example to protect the other(s).
Discover more about the project on www.mouthmask.be
For Koen Vanmechelen and the Mouth Foundation, our first objective is to send out the MOUTH Masks to the vulnerable communities.
However, if you wish to acquire your own MOUTH Mask and thereby support the project, please contact our local partner; Kiwanis Genk Midden Limburg.
Visit their website for more information.