NEW VIDEO: “Sue Coe: Art of the Animal”

NEW VIDEO: “Sue Coe: Art of the Animal”

Posted on 20. Dec, 2011 by in Art of the Animal, Video

Sue Coe is one of my heroes. She basically epitomizes the essence of our Art of the Animal video series, which features artists of all kinds who speak up for animals through their medium. We are, to say the least, thrilled — beside ourselves, really — to be featuring Sue Coe in our newest Art of the Animal video. As I write this, I am staring at a print of one of my favorite works of hers that hangs in our living room. It tells the story of Queenie, a cow who escaped a slaughterhouse in Queens, and wound up at Farm Sanctuary.

Queenie Poster by Sue Coe

Our video-short takes you on a journey narrated by Sue herself, and features selections from her vast body of work. In it, she describes the impetus behind her life’s work – growing up next door to a hog farm and hearing the hogs’ screaming as they were led to slaughter. These experiences left an indelible mark on her. In turn, she leaves her own mark on the hearts and minds of anyone who views her images, which have been shown in galleries and museums all over the world. The unapologetically graphic nature of her work results in us, the viewers, bearing witness to suffering – a fate that began for Sue so many years ago – yet also leaves us feeling inspired to create change. For Sue Coe, and for many of us who take in her images, complacency is no longer an option. Though many vegans and animal rights advocates are already aware of these realities, even seasoned activists will be moved and inspired by Coe’s artistic explorations of animal suffering.

Now, we invite you to experience the revelatory images that document the reality of animal exploitation, and to learn first-hand from Sue Coe how her journey into this oftentimes dark, but very real world, manifested.

UPDATE:

Keep your eyes open for Sue Coe’s book, Cruel, which will be available from www.orbooks.com in Spring 2012.

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16 Responses to “NEW VIDEO: “Sue Coe: Art of the Animal””

  1. JL goes Vegan

    20. Dec, 2011

    I love that you’re doing more videos! Can’t wait to watch this one. I love Sue Coe (I have her “go vegan and nobody gets hurt” print. Love it). The segment on episode 101 about her first dog? Priceless. It’s not about us. Words to live by.

  2. Katrina

    20. Dec, 2011

    Very powerful!

  3. Jasmin Singer

    Jasmin Singer

    21. Dec, 2011

    Hi JL. I actually saw that photo of your print when I was googling her images. :-) And yes, thanks for mentioning the dog story that we put in episode 101 (http://www.ourhenhouse.org/2011/12/episode-101-knowing-is-not-enough-we-must-apply-willing-is-not-enough-we-must-do/ and http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/our-hen-house/id350069146). We LOVE that story of Sue’s that we published on that episode where she tells how she got her first dog. So happy you listened to that. Thanks, as always, for your support.

  4. Sky David

    22. Dec, 2011

    This is a treasure given to share by one of the greatest artists here who has made art to bring awareness in this realm so that there is less suffering for all life. That is the vision, the beauty of the Heart to Heart. If we only had such a living document from Kathe Kollwitz.

  5. Alyx Williams

    22. Dec, 2011

    So moving!! I totally want one of her prints. Thank you so much for posting this. I have an Arts Education degree, and I LOVE her work! A very inspiring woman!

  6. Joy Askew

    28. Dec, 2011

    Thank you guys- a wonderful video. She is so straightforward with what she says that I could feel myself squirming and wanting to pull away. No wonder people cry in front of her paintings. Sue Coe makes me want to brave the world and activate!!

  7. Carrie (Carrie on Vegan)

    02. Jan, 2012

    I’m starting to see the connections between art and activism. I haven’t had much art in my life although I love writing and music, but seeing the images made me feel something. I’d like to see more of Sue Coe’s work (and that of other vegans) because I feel the connection now. Thank you for sharing this.

  8. Jasmin Singer

    Jasmin Singer

    04. Jan, 2012

    what a wonderful message, carrie. i’m so glad that this video enlightened you more to sue’s work, and to the importance of combining art with advocacy. thanks for watching, and for commenting. xo

  9. Jasmin Singer

    Jasmin Singer

    04. Jan, 2012

    thank you, joy. we are so glad you watched this video. sue is indeed incredible — as are YOU — and we were thrilled to have featured you in our art of the animal video, too. you both make me want to be the best activist i can be. xo

  10. Jessica

    30. Jan, 2012

    Her work is so stunning and powerful. Is her animal-centric work featured in any current exhibitions?

  11. Jasmin Singer

    Jasmin Singer

    30. Jan, 2012

    Thanks, Jessica. She has a gallery in NYC, but I don’t believe she’s currently being featured there. Yes, we agree — her work takes your breath away.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Sue Coe’s slaughterhouse stories | Art Threat - 24. Jan, 2012

    [...] the above video, directed by Our Hen House’s Executive Director, Jasmin Singer, as part of their Art of the Animal series, Sue takes the viewer on a verbal journey of the inspiration behind her thought-provoking [...]
  2. Your Mission: Figure Out What You Want to Be When You Grow Up | Our Hen House - 20. Feb, 2012

    [...] Specifically, this might include switching up your tactics (ditch the leaflets, focus on media), the type of animal issue you’re focusing on (perhaps go from anti-circus work to vegan outreach, which also effectively takes you from a “no” campaign to a “yes” campaign — a refreshing change), or zeroing in on another talent you have and figuring out how to best use that to create change for animals (like dusting off your easel and paint brushes, and creating art with a conscience — like Sue Coe). [...]
  3. 10 Random Things You Should Know | Our Hen House - 19. Apr, 2012

    [...] and in the coming weeks. Tonight, artist Sue Coe — who we featured in our most recent Art of the Animal video — will be signing copies of her new book, Cruel, at MooShoes (MooShoes was featured in [...]
  4. Episode 121: “I belong to no party and am militant for no one. All my causes, including the most radical, are motivated by the defense of animals.” | Our Hen House - 05. May, 2012

    [...] on some vegan events we attended here in NYC — including the gallery opening for artist Sue Coe, an event which was held in conjunction with her new earth-shattering book, Cruel. And we will tell [...]
  5. Grants for Video Projects | Our Hen House - 11. May, 2012

    [...] Hen House, we are big fans of all things video. We love to make them (check ‘em out, like our video on Sue Coe, or Jasmin’s video tour of NYC Vegan Weekend on a Budget), and we love to see other people [...]

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