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UC Santa Cruz UC Santa Cruz Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title We Are All The Same But Different Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3dq6g1c4 Author Moffat, Lindsay Publication Date 2018 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ 4.0 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California University of California Santa Cruz We Are All The Same But Different A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF FINE ARTS In DIGITAL ARTS AND NEW MEDIA By Lindsay Moffat June 2018 This Thesis of Lindsay Moffat is approved by: ________________________________ Professor Sharon Daniel, Chair _________________________________ Professor Dee Hibbert-Jones __________________________________ Professor Elizabeth Stephens ___________________________ Tyrus Miller Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Students Copyright © by Lindsay Moffat 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents………………………………………………………..……………….…….iii List of Figures……………………………………………………………….……………….…..iv Abstract………………………………………………………………………..........................v Dedication…………………………………………………………………….........................vi Acknowledgement………………………………………………………………………….…..vii Section 1: Define the Problem………………………………………………………...1-6 Section2: Strategy………………………………………………………………………….7-11 Section 3: Methodology (methods to achieve strategic goals)……………..12-14 Section 4: Artist Inspirations………………………………………………………….15-20 Section 5 – Description of the Project…………………………………………….21-26 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………..27-29 Bibliography…………………….………………………………………………………….36-42 iii LIST OF FIGURES FIG. 1: We Are All the Same But Different, 2018 Installation, with digital collage video……………………………………..………………….30 FIG. 2: Macaroni recipe card, 2018, recyclable cardstock…………….……….31 FIG. 3: Risotto recipe card, 2018, recyclable cardstock….……………..……….32 FIG. 4: Quinoa Salad recipe card, 2018, recycled cardstock…………….…….33 FIG. 5: Japchae recipe card, 2018, recycled cardstock….…………………….….34 FIG. 6: Laughing Cow Cheese, image of container………………….…………….35 iv ABSTRACT “We Are All The Same But Different” Lindsay Moffat We Are All The Same But Different explores how an individual character (based on the artist) struggles upon discovering the ways in which animals bred for consumption are treated in the factory farming industry. The narrator describes the journey that leads her to choose a life which recognizes that all sentient beings should be treated equally and with compassion. The intent of this art is to create a comprehensive message void of the typical didactic language and shock tactics associated with animal activism. Stop motion animated watercolour painting, drawing, silhouettes and live video footage are utilized to engage viewers in the art installation and encourage viewers to explore how they feel about the treatment of farmed animals. The artwork creates a bridge into self- discovery and provides further tools to educate the viewers about leading an ethical lifestyle. v DEDICATIONS This thesis is dedicated to my husband, Jordan Philibert, for following me on this crazy journey and always picking me up no matter how far I fell To my Mother, Ricki Golick, for always supporting me through everything. Without her I would have never made it through this process. To my Esteemed Advisers, Sharon Daniel, Elizabeth Stephens, and Dee Hibbert-Jones, who each helped shape me as an artist and advocate. They pushed me to make a project I could show with pride. To my Cohort, each and every one of you has changed my life in more ways than you will ever know, and I am so grateful for all your help and support. And to my Father, my champion, who always demanded I reach for the stars, and when it seemed as if the darkness had swallowed all the constellations you would say “Nothing can be so bad that tomorrow the sun will not shine, and puppy dogs will not wag their tails.” You are loved and missed by all who knew you, it is my greatest honour to have made you proud! vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you to my editor and Mother Ricki Golick, you always find a way to dance even when the music stops. My amazing committee of dedicated professors: Sharon Daniel, Chair. Elizabeth Stephens and Dee Hibbert-Jones. Thank you, Sharon Daniel, for the countless corrections and edits you poured into all my writing. Thank you, Jordan Philibert, for being my rock. To my cohort: Colleen Jennings who always took the time to teach me a new skill. Carinne Knight for never letting me forget to follow my heart. Parul Wadhwa for reminding me of the power of being a troublemaker. To Christophe ivins thank you for being the ever-present amazing source of light that served as a beacon to everyone, day or night, when you actually sleep I will never know. To Ann Altstatt who could always be trusted to bring me back to earth when the digital world seemed to bleak. To Ian Newman who always offered his assistance in any way he could no matter what the problem. To Simon Boas your insight opened my mind to new possibilities, and to the master of sound Anthony Assi, fixing reverberations everywhere. Thank you to Kristin Grace Erickson, without you nothing would have conspired, you have been with us since day one to our very last day. You teach us, guide us and help us reach the sky!! To Bennett Williamson you steer this crazy ship called DANM with an elegance like no other. To John Weber who guided us through the process of the MFA show and curated an amazing event. To Tad Leckman, thank you for teaching me that there are endless possibilities when you let your passion for art guide you!! A big thanks to the people of the DRC who make education possible for everybody. And thank you to Ghost who works tirelessly to keep me safe and healthy. THANK YOU I would also like to recognize all the animals who are suffering in silence vii Section 1: Define the problem We are all the same but different is an installation artwork that explores my struggle with the way the agricultural industry mistreats animals. In my opinion, it is imperative that human beings begin to examine their behaviour towards other species. My intent in creating this artwork is to bring awareness to consumers regarding injustices within the factory farming system and to encourage them to reflect on the way their food choices can affect animals. Animals are sacrificed every year to satisfy humans’ desire for meat. The only way to keep up with the consumer demand is to mass produce and slaughter animals. The population of the United States is over 327 million (US and World Population clock, May 23,2018). America produces about 94.3 billion pounds of meat a year (Overview USDA, 2016), which is the equivalent of 9.8 billion land animals (Kim, 2013). The average person needs 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight (Dietary Reference Intake). This dietary requirement can be fulfilled by eating between 5 and 6 ounces of beef per day (myfitnesspal.com). The USDA forecasts that the average person will eat 10 ounces of meat and poultry daily in 2018 (Durisin, 2018). According to Harvard Medical School, there are a vast number of protein sources that are not meat based: Beef, poultry, and pork (as well as milk, cheese, and eggs) can certainly provide high- quality protein, but so can many plant foods — including whole grains, beans and other legumes, nuts, and vegetables. (Pendick, 2018) If 25% of American people reduced their meat consumption by 50%, the lives of 581 million animals would be spared. 1 Factory farmed animals often are abused for the sake of production, efficiency and profit (Hosie, 2017). Mercy for Animals, a not-for-profit organisation fighting to end the systematic suffering of farmed animals, has identified many areas where animals are mistreated by the industry. They send in people to work on farms in order to obtain information on the practices. Their findings are often startling. Farms are dirty, dusty and unhygienic. The pork industry houses sows in gestation crates for most of their lives. These crates are barely bigger than the pig’s bodies making it almost impossible for them to move. Chickens are fattened for slaughter in just 42 days. They grow so quickly they cannot carry their own body weight. (Hosie, 2017). The main federal law that governs animal care in the US is the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) (Adams, 2014). The AWA excludes birds, rodents bred for research, cold-blooded animals and animals raised for food or fibre (United States, Congress, Animal Welfare Act). It is this exclusion that prevents the physical abuse of a “pet” pig but allows the wide scale slaughter of pigs on farms raised for food. There are no federal laws that regulate the living conditions of animals on farms (Farmed Animals and the Law, 2017). Farmed animals are unprotected by most state criminal anti-cruelty laws and even omitted from the federal Animal Welfare Act. The only federal oversight of their treatment comes during transportation and slaughter. The 28 Hour Law requires vehicles transporting animals for slaughter to stop every 28 hours to allow animals exercise, food, and water. This law is rarely enforced, and the USDA claims it does not apply to birds. (Farmed Animals and the Law, 2017) The ALDF (Animal Legal Defense Fund) suggests that we should not differentiate the care of the animal based on where it is domiciled (Animal Legal Defense Fund). The United States was given a grade of D (out of possible grades A-G) on World Animal Protection’s 2014 index due to its lack of robust policies to protect animals (Ground-Breaking Animal Protection 2 Index). While individual states have anti-cruelty statutes, many abusive farming practices are exempt from legislation and these exemptions vary across the country (Animal Cruelty Facts and Stats). Large-scale animal farming in the United States began in the early 1900s.

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