Sharjah, 2023
The research text was commissioned by Beirut-based fiber artist Adrian Pepe for his site-specific installation Utility of being: A paradox of proximity staged within the old slaughterhouse of Sharjah as part of the second Sharjah Architecture Triennal in 2023.
The text examined the evolving relationship between humans and animals, tracing the shifts from hunter-gatherer societies to industrialized slaughter in the postdomestic era. The human-animal dichotomy, often framed as oppositional, is instead revealed as an intricate interplay where animals actively shape human life and perceptions. Through historical exploration, the paper discussed the transition from hunting practices based on mutual trust to the domestication of animals, highlighting the intimacy of pastoralism. Moreover, the text explained how industrialization radically altered this dynamic, distancing humans from the process of slaughter and transforming animals into mere commodities.
Photo credit:Danko Stjepanovic coutersy of Sharjah Architecture Triennial
Marc Ghazali 