The CDMX Environmental Prosecutor’s Office has already started an investigation into the use of animals in the exhibition.
The recent opening of the exhibition “Casts” by artist Nina Beier at the Tamayo Museum has unleashed a wave of criticism and concerns, especially among animal rights defenders. The controversy arises from a performance included in the exhibition, in which dogs pretending to be dead participate.
The official description of the exhibition, available on the Museo Tamayo website, mentions that “Casts” consists of a series of “performative encounters” starring a young compulsive smoker, a pack of dogs pretending to be dead, an actor who pretends to cry , among others. These characters appear sporadically throughout the show.
Videos of the performance, which have been widely circulated on social media, show the dogs lying on rugs, some with expressions that appear distressed and others panting, which has generated outrage and complaints from those who believe that the animals were placed in uncomfortable situations. and inadequate.
In response to these criticisms, the Tamayo Museum categorically denied any mistreatment of the dogs involved. Through a statement, the museum assured that the animals are pets that participated in a single 10-minute performance.
The museum also defended the intent of the exhibition. Magali Arriola, director of the Tamayo Museum, explained that “Casts” seeks to demonstrate the relationship of domination that human beings exercise over their environment, with the purpose of contributing to awareness and eventual eradication of these practices.
“It is an exhibition that draws attention to our relationship with the natural world and addresses the different ways in which we try to dominate it, not as a celebration of that attempt, but with the intention of making it visible,” said Arriola.
Given the controversy, the federal Ministry of Culture intervened by asking the Tamayo Museum not to repeat the performance. The agency expressed its respect for the creative freedom and programming criteria of the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL), but expressed its firm opposition to any form of violation of the rights of living beings.
“At the Ministry of Culture we respect the programming criteria of @bellasartesinba and its museums in favor of creative freedom. However, we will never agree to violate the rights of sentient beings. We ask @museotamayo not to repeat the aforementioned performance,” The organization reported through its social networks.
At the same time, the Environmental and Territorial Planning Office of Mexico City (PAOT) announced the start of an investigation into the use of animals in the exhibition.
“PAOT informs that, based on multiple reports, it will initiate the corresponding investigation into the use of animals in the exhibition ‘Casts’ by the Danish artist Nina Beier, which includes the performance ‘Tragedy 2011’ at the @museotamayo,” the organization published. .
Until the time of writing this note, the Tamayo Museum has not issued an official response regarding the request from the Ministry of Culture or the investigation announced by the PAOT. The exhibition, inaugurated on May 23, is still open to the public and is expected to continue until September 29 of this year, according to the information available on the museum’s website.
Source: 24morelos
