The Lives of Animals

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“It is true that animals are usually not able to participate in their liberation, but they behave differently when they are liberated and have better living conditions.”
— Speaking Beyond Language: Lin May Saeed Interviewed

Pierre Bismuth

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08 June - 22 September 2024
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Pierre Bismuth is a French artist and filmmaker based in Brussels. His artistic practice can be situated in the context of conceptual art and appropriation art. Bismuth’s work is characterised by an ironic approach to our relationship with established cultural codes.

In The Jungle Book Project (2002), the artist appropriates Walt Disney’s classic, which highly influenced the portrayal of animal characters in subsequent animation films. Assigning one of the 19 languages from several versions of the film to each character, Bismuth challenges our perception of behavioural patterns commonly associated with specific cultures. The Jungle Book Project presents a utopian world. The naturally hostile jungle environment is transformed into a paradise where all the species find a way to communicate despite speaking different languages. Inviting the visitor to sit down on cushions of various colours while watching the film, the installation encourages further reflection on ideas of diversity, familiarity, and foreignness.

© image: M HKA

Exhibited work:
The Jungle Book Project, 2002
Collection M HKA / Flemish Community

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