Those who are lonely are often advised to get a dog or a cat. Reliable, loyal, and dependent, pets are widely recognized as the better life partner – particularly for those who are disappointed or overwhelmed by humans. At the same time, the shared development of human–animal relations is filled with both stories of subjugation and one-sided exploitation and tales of interdependency and companionship. Under capitalism, this has given rise to a specific cultural form with its own spaces, products, lifestyles, and trade shows. Animals are loved and needed, overbred and overfed, anthropomorphized and idolized. But where are the utopian moments in these types of relations?

A trade show exhibition by, with, and about dogs, cats, doves, goldfish, robotic vacuum cleaners, sourdough cultures, AI companions, dust mites, robotic care units, and much more.

Curated and organized by Robin Klengel, Johanna Pichlbauer, Markus Waitschacher, and the Programmforum