When people come together to create a social organisation, consciously or unconsciously, a hierarchical system is created. It seems only human that we cannot live without a “pecking order”, intended to create a balanced system of security, safety and prosperity.
Both in their immediate community as well as in broader society, individuals are aware of their status, rights and obligations, and position themselves accordingly. Within this framework, it should really be possible to self-govern.
‘The Pecking Order’ starts from the idea that we cannot free ourselves from dominant hierarchies, which shape and impact our behaviour. In extreme situations, boundaries separating the oppressor and the oppressed can be clear, but often they become blurred. The position of an oppressor or oppressed can in fact be interchangeable, depending on the environment, the circumstances and the era one lives in.
In this work I refer to the animal most literally associated with a pecking order: the chicken. These two costumes are made from chicken leather and stuffed chickens. The costume functions both as a dress and as a table.