Potlatch 6.3 – The Happy Surrender

Having accompanied and influenced man throughout history, technology has now reached a point at which it questions man’s nature itself. Biotechnologies, artificial insemination and cloning constitute a leap in the process of differentiating ourselves from the other animal species. From a cultural point of view, this leap took place long ago. Science informs us that animals undoubtedly experience physical pain, yet the way we breed and consume “products” of animal origin evinces a detachment that places us beyond and above inter-species’ ethics and compassion. This small cheese has been made by replacing the usual milk of animal origin with the pure and fresh milk of human mothers.

The cheese was realized by legendary Swiss cheesemaker Willi Schmid.

Cheese made of mother’s milk, small display refrigerator, gauze
30 x 30 x 50 cm
Photos by Flex

Courtesy of all mothers who contributed donating their milk
P.S.1 International Studio Program exhibition, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome / Tempo – MoMA, New York, 2002 / Body Proxy – Helmhaus, Zurich, 2004