Dear Guggenheim Museum,
I am not one to look for the intricacies of art and its depiction, however, I am one to see when the purpose and lengths to which that purpose is obtained are too far from ethical standings. In terms of the piece of “art” named, “Dogs That Cannot Touch Each Other”, where is the art in suffering? Yes, there are the priceless pieces of art work from history depicting the suffering of humans, however is there a comparison? Bringing this into perspective, the purpose for the art of history is to learn what is best not to be repeated. In terms of the video, these dogs were placed onto treadmills under the mentality of fighting for survival, what would further be the purpose?
So here lies the issue. For seven straight minutes, these dogs were attempting their hardest to attack one another. The depicted scenario acts as a double edged blade whereas these dogs also were depicted to be extremely likable to Pit-bulls, a breed of which already has a stained credibility of dog fighting. The breed is already facing legislative bans in several states and nations where they are to be euthanized or deemed illegal to breed for fear of public aggression. That general aspect aside, the eight dogs used in this demonstration of dare I say cruelty underwent high levels of stress that could further contribute to fatigue, disease, and early death. With respect, I digress.
The art exhibit does bring out two portions of human nature, as do most art forms. It shows the cruelty of some who are willing to subjugate other species to mistreatment for the “betterment” of human kind and the individuals who are willing to look past hubris and attempt to assist the voiceless. Not only was this art exhibit a strain for the animals involved, but it also acted as a media that showed the “acceptability” of animal mistreatment. Younger generations will hold onto the message depicted and continue this complex of false superiority over other species on the planet. So not only are children less likely to access this exhibit due to the needlessly graphic video, but individuals who appreciate, care, and love animals to any degree would show a greater hesitation in visiting such an exhibit. Not only will the museum lose business, but it will also have a tarnished reputation with the community it serves to enlighten.
A possible solution would be to single out the purpose. If this was to show a portion of “Art and China After 1989: Theater of the World”, then depict that time period. Rather than attempting to make new art based on the suffering of another species, focus the finances and purpose towards better understanding the time period and the reasons behind each piece of art. If dog fighting was in fact a pass time or source of entertainment during this time period, show other forms of art that depict the brutality without inflicting the cruelty to actual animals present day.
What would be the purpose of studying art and history if we are dooming ourselves to repeating the mistakes we learned not to make? The future of our species and that of others remains intertwined to the fate of the planet. In order to preserve our livelihoods, we must look past selflessness as go further towards equitable treatment of all living things as a community.
Best Regards,
Isaac Paredes
