I Can't Hear You: natalia palmer

18 Mar

I created “I can’t hear you” to shed light on animal testing, replacing the animal element with a human model to show how inhumane cosmetic testing on animals can be.

The first image in the series represents the “testing” aspect. It shows the model chained and beaten, with her eyes forced open and make-up swatches applied all over her, creating an uncomfortable and distressing scene.

The second design illustrates the “outcome” of animal testing. It depicts the model as beautiful, with gold and black makeup applied in a glamorous way. However, on closer inspection, a prosthetic ear is growing on her chest.

This references the 1996 Vacanti mouse experiment, where scientists managed to grow cartilage in the shape of a human ear on the back of a laboratory mouse.

This experiment sparked many debates in the 1990s about animal testing. However, many people viewed it positively, as a breakthrough in science.

The earrings on the prosthetic ear represent society’s tendency to glamorise animal testing for cosmetic gain.