Erik Kessels - Human Zoo

Erik Kessels delves into the zoological collection of the Museum of the University of Latvia, Riga, purportedly to remind us that we, as humans, are also predators. Humans collect and catalogue examples of their animal counterparts, immortalising them in death for the education and enjoyment of human generations to come. In an abrupt switch, Kessels gives human animals "a taste of their own medicine" by juxtaposing found examples of our species with those from other animal categories: arthropods, birds, butterflies, coral, fish, insects, invertebrates, mammals, and reptiles. 'Human Zoo' was commissioned by the 1st Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art.