Katinka Simons,
aka TINKEBELL.
This is Katinka Simons, aka TINKEBELL. an alleged Dutch "artist" who creates stuffed puppets from dead animals.
She also "researches the issues of contemporary populist movements, including animal rights activism, and their strategies. Hypocrisy within these movements and discourses is the main focus point of her work", according to the following link.
She also "researches the issues of contemporary populist movements, including animal rights activism, and their strategies. Hypocrisy within these movements and discourses is the main focus point of her work", according to the following link.
In 2004 TINKEBELL. made a purse out of her dearest cat Pinkeltje. Pinkeltje was a 'depressed cat' who couldn't be left at home alone. By killing her and making her into a purse, TINKEBELL. could carry her always with her.
In 2005 TINKEBELL. was asked to present a D.I.Y. 'workshop' during the 'Biggest Visual Power Show' in Paradiso, Amsterdam (N.L.) and at the same time she published a website online with this same manual. Later she presented the same workshop during The Biggest Visual Power Show in Eindhoven (NL), Zolverein (DE) and L.A. (U.S.)
The extensive attention her project 'My dearest cat Pinkeltje' received from activists and the media demonstrates that this approach certainly meets with its share of resistance. In this project, she killed her cat with own hands and then had it stuffed and made into a hand bag as a product for consumption, thereby directly bridging the gap between house pet and animal for consumption/production and thus painfully bringing the matter to light. A collection of the threats generated by this and other projects was later published in the book 'Dearest TINKEBELL,'.
Source
There was some confusion on how she went about with the killing, but in the following video she clearly stated at 1:10 that she snapped her neck.
In 2005 TINKEBELL. was asked to present a D.I.Y. 'workshop' during the 'Biggest Visual Power Show' in Paradiso, Amsterdam (N.L.) and at the same time she published a website online with this same manual. Later she presented the same workshop during The Biggest Visual Power Show in Eindhoven (NL), Zolverein (DE) and L.A. (U.S.)
The extensive attention her project 'My dearest cat Pinkeltje' received from activists and the media demonstrates that this approach certainly meets with its share of resistance. In this project, she killed her cat with own hands and then had it stuffed and made into a hand bag as a product for consumption, thereby directly bridging the gap between house pet and animal for consumption/production and thus painfully bringing the matter to light. A collection of the threats generated by this and other projects was later published in the book 'Dearest TINKEBELL,'.
Source
There was some confusion on how she went about with the killing, but in the following video she clearly stated at 1:10 that she snapped her neck.
Looove Tinkebell...
TINKEBELL. provokes by exemplifying the blind spots of modern society. She confronts a public that revels in being indignant about everything that has nothing to do with them, but at the same time is very apologetic about their own actions. She questions why millions of male chicks are brutally killed every day (often by throwing them against the walls of a barn) but she gets arrested for threatening to do the same in public. Why are people who openly discuss the lowering of the sexual age of consent treated as vile pedophiles, but are 'barely 18' websites intensely popular?
By turning her own cat into a handbag she tries to show people their own hypocrisy about the use of animals for consumption and leather production. If anything, her works form a extreme incentive for the discussion of our morals and the way society is developing.
These actions often leave her with a lot of negative feedback. From all corners of the web people have used the relative anonimity of the internet to send her the most foul death wishes. Fascinated by the enormous anger and cruelty of these messages, she tried to find the people behind them. To her surprise these were ordinary people living ordinary lives. For these people the internet was a faceless funnel for their anger, a one-click way of justifying their indignance. TINKEBELL's reaction to this flood of hatemail was publicizing a book, called 'dearest TINKEBELL,', in wich she identifies these anonimous criticasters. In this way she defies the awkward position of an artiston the internet. She no longer is just the reciever of all this faceless anger, but takes charge in responing to it.
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some of her 'works'...
Tinkebell in Rotterdam in 2008
Tinkebell - What is Cruel?
"Brutus"
"Brutus" is a work in the Baby Bunnies series by TINKEBELL.
The Baby Bunnies series provides an analysis of the consumptive attitude that (post)modern man has taken on in relation to pets. The pet is developing from 'man's best friend' into a completely commodified article of consumption.
The Baby Bunnies series provides an analysis of the consumptive attitude that (post)modern man has taken on in relation to pets. The pet is developing from 'man's best friend' into a completely commodified article of consumption.
Pets are no longer bred purely for their function (think of for instance the duck hunt) but are also selected on their aesthetic value and the way in which the animal will fit its (future) urban environment.
Hypoallergenic cats and phospholuminescent fish are just some of the tragic examples of this process.
We're currently witnessing a development which is focused on creating the 'perfect' pet.
Dueto breeding programs and genetic manipulation, we can recreate the petinto its 'ultimate', fantasy-based form, asresembled by (plastic) toypets: Smooth skinned or fluffy. Candy pink orwith 'natural' colorpatches, featuring big shiny eyes and/or limbs you can manipulate.
Mankind has been trying to dominate the animal kingdom for millennia and this on going endeavour will eventually result in the perfect pet.
A pet that can be adjusted to the wishes and desires of its owner. A pet that will be the perfect accessory in daily (social) life.
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"Her name is Sarah"
In the public performance 'Her name is Sarah,..' TINKEBELL. takes a dead dog dressed in a cute outfit for a walk Downtown Chicago (U.S.).
When asked what she is doing while dragging the animal over the streets, she consequently answers by saying: 'Her name is Sarah,..'.
The performance undoubtably refers to the meaning of the animal within upper (middle) circles, in which much more then a living being, the animal is used as a commodity article: as part of an individuals carefully build image and ego, rather then being acknowledged as a being with own needs and characteristics.
The oblivious character of the 'answer' that she provides her public with in this work, relates to the detached, fully commercially appropriated significance of animals in our present society.
'TINKEBELL.', a lady completely dressed in pink, referring to a completely innocent, sweet, naive girl, inflicting these symbols of friendlyness with acts of a violent nature.
It is not only the performance itself that generates a reaction of shock, but especially the lines of text spoken by 'TINKEBELL., for not only is the act of walking a dead dressed dog shamelessly executed, within the act itself, this is above all not acknowledged as such.
Source
When asked what she is doing while dragging the animal over the streets, she consequently answers by saying: 'Her name is Sarah,..'.
The performance undoubtably refers to the meaning of the animal within upper (middle) circles, in which much more then a living being, the animal is used as a commodity article: as part of an individuals carefully build image and ego, rather then being acknowledged as a being with own needs and characteristics.
The oblivious character of the 'answer' that she provides her public with in this work, relates to the detached, fully commercially appropriated significance of animals in our present society.
'TINKEBELL.', a lady completely dressed in pink, referring to a completely innocent, sweet, naive girl, inflicting these symbols of friendlyness with acts of a violent nature.
It is not only the performance itself that generates a reaction of shock, but especially the lines of text spoken by 'TINKEBELL., for not only is the act of walking a dead dressed dog shamelessly executed, within the act itself, this is above all not acknowledged as such.
Source