Humanimal-Illustration Book
This illustration explores different forms of animal torture and social violence and abuse. I draw my inspiration for this work from the news. There is a strong connection between animal abuse to human abuse. There are studies showing that serial killers often start by killing little animals and then humans.
In this illustration book, each animal is a metaphor that represents a different kind of society’s violence based on the background story I created for each animal. Tiger is domestic violence, dog is school bullying, bird is children and women kidnapping, and rabbit is sexual assault.
Humanimal Concept
The little boy saves and heals animals that have been abused by humans. However, his methods of saving and healing these animals are unusual and horrifying.
The little boy finds a tiger after it escapes from the circus. When he finds it, the tiger's body is covered in cutting marks and whip scars, some of which reveal its bones. The little boy heals its minor cuts, but for the deeper wounds, he grafts tissues and body parts to help them heal.
Next, the little boy discovers a sphynx cat, a small kitten that has already lost its eyes due to abuse by a man who cruelly removed them while the cat was still alive. Though the kitten's skin can still grow, it remains sightless. Determined to help, the boy installs numerous human eyes in different parts of the cat's body so that it can see in all directions.
Another case involves a puppy whose left eye was injured when a group of kids threw a rock at it, causing tissue death and decomposition. The dog's face becomes infested with maggots, leading it to the brink of death. The little boy intervenes, using a special fungus to parasitize the dog and keep it alive.
Lastly, the little boy encounters a rabbit that was set on fire by a man in a cruel attempt to kill it. When he finds the rabbit, its back is burned, but it survives. Later, the boy comes across the body of a dead bird stuck in a steel net. Taking the bird's fur attaches it to the rabbit's back, and adds the peck to the rabbit’s mouth.
The animals do not harbor any fear or hatred towards the little boy; instead, they hold deep affection for him because he saves their lives and treats them with kindness. They eagerly engage with him, playing most endearingly and displaying their cutest behaviors exclusively for him.
