project "Conscious Crockery"

The Idea

This is a potential response to the Creative Conscience (creative-conscience.org.uk) brief, while it is a modified version of my proposal for brief 1.

Difference: initially I wanted to use the boardgame format to emphasize the animals' own experience in the modern meat industry (and/or any type of exploitation setting) - by making the players "roleplay" the animal (through passivity).

For the Creative Conscience brief, I've given up this format for one that would better represent the message, connecting issue with it's own setting. This also narrows the focus on the animals people consume, specifically (to exclude lab animals, and "accidental" victims of industrial production, etc.)

The animals abused for food suffer daily, because human appetite and entitlement predates on them without mercy - thus, for most households, every mealtime should be a reminder of this, yet it isn't. It would be too much to bear when witnessed, which might even impact the consumer's appetite. Good conscience is conducive to consumption, to benefit industries specialized in food production.

These days, food packaging and advertisement rarely remind us of the source of our meals - the less resemblance to the animal, the better. If we are to see an advert for meat and dairy product, it emphasizes the "happiness" of the animals, and the special bond between farmer and it's income source - this all to reassure anyone with any ethical concerns, or perhaps simply to send a "positive" message, a warm feeling, suggestion of contentment which they hope to leave the consumer in a certain state of mind.

My idea is to either produce a more truthful (and ethical) packaging for meat and dairy (and egg) products OR while this is not viable, offer the next best thing: send my message on the self-same plates, bowls, cups, mugs, etc., we serve our food on. A perfect gift-idea for old fashioned parents, guaranteed to make them feel uncomfortable the very least, yet, a gift being a gift, they will find it hard to simply get rid of.

Inspiration: note the change in cigarette packaging (I would welcome a similar law, where animal products were made to reveal stark truths to their consumers.)

Evolution of cigarette packaging

Some examples of historic tableware/ pottery and porcelain products with animal designs.

Firstly, the types below are largely associated with the dining habits of higher classes. They are valuable status symbols. Animals are either a mere decorative function, as part of an idyllic landscape (along with flowers) or symbolic, representing human foibles. Some examples are a play on ancient art of mythological/ magical themes (see further down).

The more honest examples: referencing the food served on them. (Although the first one isn't anything to do with animal products). The last two are especially charming. Rustic, and as frank as the people who used them. Simply informing of the type of meat (still, not the animal) in an abstract (written) format.

The books used:

Initial sketches:

Research into the subject:

I will try and refer to these sources while working on this project; this including visual (photographic, video) resources. Books are all available in UWE Library.