„When the suffering of another creature causes you to feel pain, do not submit to the initial desire to flee from the suffering one, but on the contrary, come closer, as close as you can to her who suffers, and try to help him.“ (Leo Tolstoi) 

We know that what we see is wrong. Actually, it’s clear to all of us: our consumer behavior has been ecologically unsustainable for a long time. But instead of looking seriously for alternatives, we accept factory farming so that our daily piece of meat is always available. To follow the latest trends, we wear clothes that are produced under conditions unfit for humans and animals. For our recreational pleasure, we visit zoos where animals are kept far away from their natural habitat. The belief that we can use certain species for our needs is ingrained in us: we capture and imprison them, wear their skin, eat their flesh and experiment on their bodies in the name of science. How is it that we make such distinctions between domestic and farm animals?

In addition to the massive ecological damage caused by the use of animals in agriculture – among other things, the contribution of factory farming to global warming is higher than that of the entire transport sector worldwide – animals that are bred and killed for their meat are insufficiently protected by existing laws. Legal requirements for better animal husbandry are long overdue.

For the project HIDDEN – Animals in the Anthropocene, 40 photographers have joined forces, including some of the world’s best-known wildlife photojournalists. With their photographs, they want to pay attention to this painful subject and raise awareness about the deplorable living conditions animals endure every day.

Keith Wilson

The opening was taken place on Tuesday 13 September at 5 p.m.

Curators: Jo-Anne McArthur, Keith Wilson
Texts: Keith Wilson
Photographs: Jon Amad, Daniel Beltrá, Adam Dean, Aitor Garmendia, Aaron Gekoski, Jan van Ijken | Precious Animals, Britta Jaschinski, Lissy Jayne, Amy Jones, Konrad Lozinski, Selene Magnolia, Jo-Anne McArthur, Kristo Muurimaa, Adam Oswell, Carlota Saorsa, Andrew Skowron, Timo Stammberger, Luis Tato, Gav Wheatley + NIH, obtained by PETA via a Freedom of Information request; anonymous via REUTERS
Translation: Michaela Cocca, Milan Kovalčík
Graphic design: Katarína Jamrišková
Promotion: Jana Malášek Šrubařová, Magdaléna Staňková