3 Piglets Starved For Shocking Art Exhibit! What Was The Plan Of The Artist’s Friend?

Three piglets, deliberately starved as part of a provocative art exhibit, were stolen from their cage in Copenhagen, according to artist Marco Evaristti. The theft took place on Saturday, March 1, during Evaristti’s controversial installation at a former butcher’s shop.

The Theft

Evaristti, a Chilean artist living in Denmark, shared details with The New York Times, explaining that a maintenance crew had briefly stepped out to clean a toilet while animal rights activists were present in the room. Within just four minutes, the piglets were gone.

Copenhagen police confirmed that no one has been charged with the theft. However, Evaristti believes the piglets were taken with the help of his friend, Casper Steffensen, who later confirmed to that he had arranged for the Organization Against the Suffering of Animals (OASA) to rescue the piglets.

The Motivation Behind the Rescue

Steffensen, who described Evaristti as his “hero,” admitted that he could not stand by and watch the piglets suffer. He explained in an email that he had grown fond of the animals and made the decision to help after his daughter asked whether Evaristti planned to starve the piglets. Steffensen felt unable to be part of the exhibit any longer and acted to rescue them before the exhibit even opened that Saturday morning.

The Art Exhibit: “And Now You Care?”

The stolen piglets were part of Evaristti’s art exhibit titled “And Now You Care?”, designed to highlight the cruelty of the pork industry in Denmark, where over 27,000 piglets die every day. The piglets were trapped in a makeshift cage constructed from two shopping carts, symbolizing their captivity in the industry.

The exhibit has faced significant backlash from animal rights activists, with many condemning Evaristti’s use of real animals in his work. The artist has reported receiving “hate messages” on social media regarding the piece.

Evaristti’s Provocative Art History

This isn’t the first time Evaristti has sparked controversy. In 2000, his Helena exhibit allowed viewers to press a button to kill a goldfish in a blender. Later, he made meatballs out of his own body fat, removed through liposuction, and served them at a dinner party.

Evaristti’s work often challenges ethical boundaries and provokes intense reactions, drawing attention to the fine line between art and animal rights activism.