Disturbing project

Danish artist wanted to starve piglets to death

With the death of these three piglets, the artist wanted to draw attention to the suffering of animals kept and slaughtered in stables.(Bild: APA/AFP)

An artist has caused great horror in Denmark with an exhibition. Marco Evaristti (61) wanted to slowly starve three small piglets to death in a cage - in front of visitors. But animal rights activists put the animals on display out of their misery.

The 61-year-old Danish-Chilean citizen, who caused a stir in 2000 with goldfish in blenders, wanted to draw attention to animal suffering with his action in Copenhagen. Evaristti justified himself to the news agency Ritzau with the following argument: "These three piglets would die anyway because they are weak. They have more space in their cage than in a conventional pigsty. Here, 20,000 pigs die every day."

In 2000, Marco Evaristti shocked the world with goldfish displayed in mixers. Visitors to his exhibition were asked to switch on the kitchen appliances. One guest actually heeded the call!(Bild: APA/AP)

On Friday, the exhibition "And Now You Care?" (in German: And now you care?). On the first day, the exhibited animals, which were under two overturned shopping carts, were given sufficient water and food. After that, a slow death by starvation was planned unless an exhibition visitor put the animals out of their misery with a captive bolt pistol.

The Danish police are now searching for the kidnapped piglets.(Bild: APA/AFP)

The Danish animal welfare organization Dyrens Beskyttelse has already threatened to press charges. But this was no longer necessary, as unknown perpetrators gained unauthorized access to the piglets on Saturday and stole them. A cleaner noticed the break-in and the empty "enclosure". The police were then alerted.

Numerous death threats against artist and son
There is still no trace of the animals. However, Evaristti announced that the project was over. Apparently the excitement became too much for him. Especially as he and his son had received numerous death threats. The author of one threatening email had added a swastika to a photo of his 25-year-old son and, according to a TV report, wrote: "I hope nothing happens to your son if you really go ahead with this exhibition."