Unsettling London Street Art Brings Animals on Farms Out From the Shadows

Have you ever been walking through a city and done a double take because you’ve seen something totally unexpected? That’s the effect that pioneering New York street artist Dan Witz‘s work often has on people – providing a glimpse of another world, concealed within the bricks and concrete of urban life, through the use of sophisticated visual effects such as trompe l’oeil and photorealism.

Now, in an exciting collaboration with PETA, Dan (a vegetarian) has brought dozens of powerful new pieces to the streets of London. These works, collectively titled “Empty the Cages”, show the faces and bodies of chickens, cows, pigs and other animals raised for meat, peering out through grilles, fences and darkened windows, from behind the bars of their prisons.

Visit the Empty the Cages website.

The project plays on the idea that these animals’ suffering is hidden in plain sight. The abuses that occur on factory farms are well documented – but, too often, nobody wants to see them. It can be easier to look away, even though, deep down, we all know that putting sentient beings through this misery is wrong.

At the same time, the project aims to empower viewers. We’re not helpless in the face of this injustice. As individuals, we can all make the choice to stop supporting the industrial-scale exploitation of animals for their flesh or bodily fluids – and millions of people already have.

For advice about how to get on board, order our free vegan starter kit here.

Check out the map of locations here, and let us know if you’ve spotted any of the pieces on the street by tweeting or instagramming a photo using the hashtag #emptythecagesLDN or by leaving us a comment on Facebook.