Amy Irving, Milked, Dimensions vary, Fabric, polyester stuffing, and thread, 2023
When speaking about gender issues one often thinks about the plight of women, particularly relating to domestic abuse, sexual assault and femicide. Although these issues are not discussed as regularly as they should be, I believe that most people have been made aware of their existence, especially within South African society where these issues are rife. As humans, we place tremendous importance on the issues and troubles which affect us. I agree that we should be aware of these problems and do what we can to improve them, but we should never ignore the issues or problems which plague the lives of non-human species either.
In my piece, Milked, I have chosen to address the continued violence and exploitation which is experienced by dairy cows daily and on a global scale. The process in which dairy is made and obtained is undeniably cruel and unethical. The cow is forcefully impregnated by means of a long catheter containing the semen of a bull. After birthing her calf, the cow will then have her baby forcefully removed from her. The cow will then be milked for approximately 10 months afterwards, and she will be fed hormones to increase her milk production. Cows are sentient beings, who have complex emotional systems. As humans we have decided to ignore this, and we continue to normalize the brutalization of these innocent beings.
My piece aims to highlight the invasiveness of milking an animal. Soft, fabric udders hang at eye level, and one feels compelled to touch, squeeze, or pull on them and their teats. Hanging from the udders is rugged, offcut fabric, appearing to look like torn skin – directly referencing the infections and lesions most cows experience due to being over-milked and brutalized, and a symbol of the pain and distress a dairy cow will feel within her lifetime.
I believe that we have chosen to ignore the plight of other female species when we are directly benefitting from their exploitation – despite how unethical and cruel the practices may be. As humans, I think that we have a responsibility to protect other species, and as women we need to protect non-human female species who are subjected to violence and exploitation at the hands of “mankind”.
