HILMAN CHAN,
UNDERGRADUATE, ART EDUCATION
The Autopsy
Gouache, acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, and rubbish on wood panel
The relationship between humans and animals can be cruel or horrific. In The Autopsy, animals surround a person who has her torso cut open, revealing a collection of rubbish. Each creature represents a form of mistreatment. Rats are used in experiments; birds, especially those who live near bodies of water, find themselves consuming or becoming tangled in garbage; snakes have been targeted for their skin to make snakeskin products.
Animals are forced to live with pollution, surrender their bodies for research and tests in laboratories, and exchange their lives for man’s selfish reasons, such as earning profits from products. Due to careless acts committed by mankind, wildlife is often injured or susceptible to death.
In this piece, I explore man-made issues that affect our wildlife, specifically focusing on animal testing and pollution, which results in health issues and the consumption of debris. By reversing the roles, the work is intended to shock the audience, making them realize the tragic impacts of our actions and how we treat other species.
