The series “Well, they were already dead anyway” (in dutch: "Maarja denk ik dan, die waren toch al dood") began with a fascination for bad habits, the “Things I hate to love”. Those things that are so nice to do, but somehow don’t really feel right. After having conducted a study on these ‘guilty pleasures’ for which Merel Bekking collected the bad habits of a large group of people and compiled them in a book.’ But one sentence really stood out. This sentence came from a woman who really liked to constantly buy new shoes. However, these shoes are made from leather and leather is made from cows.

But she condoned her addiction by literally saying: "Maarja denk ik dan, die waren toch al dood.", which translates into “Well, they were already dead anyway”. An incredibly interesting statement.

This sentence was the basis of the current series. Day-old chicks, residual material from the bio-industry, can be bought frozen for 2 euros 35 per kilo at your local pet store. You buy paint by the liter, fabric by the meter, and apparently chicks by the kilo. In this way, the chicks are not chicks anymore but they are turned in to material.

Extensive research preceded the current range of products. Merel Bekking was consciously looking for the tension between what you can do and what you can not do, between chic and tacky. In the series, there is a fashionable fur hat, despite of the very clear reference to the origin of this wonderful yellow fur. A classically stuffed chick refers to the dead, yet remains cuddly. Golden porcelain chick pendants are hung on necklaces which is a beautiful sight. However, for every pendant, a new chick was needed, so these are not as innocent as they look. The chick as a stress ball calls on both emotional and physical feelings. The chick as a puppet refers both to children's toys and entertainment at the cost of a chick’s life. Finally, the trophy heads of plastic, which are, by of the way of making, coated with the fur of one baby chick smeared out over seven screaming heads. 

This series by Merel Bekking shows that you can make design with animals in a non judgmental, pedantic or shocking way. The audience is left to judge the products themselves, based on their own, individual, standards. The series seems to be asking for an opinion, but in fact, does not need it at all. That is the essence of these products. By not wanting to be moralistic, the dead chickens become products and are no longer merely seen as products made from dead baby chickens. Open and uninhibited. The chicks can be petted, they can be worn, hung for decoration or even relieve stress.

It's like a bad habit, you may feel that is not really correct, but it feels so good.

For more pictures of the project: go to www.merelbekking.nl