In their Place | Maria Calotă

Maria Calotă began her critical research on the topic of animal abuse through a series of drawings. In their Place illustrates traditions and customs around the world – Spanish corrida, English foxhunting, dog fighting – which, under the guise of sporting contests, tolerates the merciless torture and killing of animals for the entertainment of the public. In her drawings, the artist reverses the roles as an act of justice and as a call to awareness and empathy. Animals take the place of humans, and humans become animals subjected to various tortures. The images evoke old family photos, the characters are posing formally in rigid postures. Violence and cruelty openly shown, thus enter into the process of memorialization.

The first three drawings of the series were presented within the Draft Curatorial Program, and the discussions with the public had the role of guiding Maria Calotă in choosing other customs of this kind, which will complete the series of her drawings.

Curator: Maria Orosan-Telea

*The action was a temporary insert in the Hyperesthesia exhibition of the Avantpost group.