A realistic depiction of the different ways pigs are kept as food for thought for more sustainable consumption.
What would happen if people were kept like farm animals?
In June 2019, we caused a stir with a provocative poster campaign for the fictitious “Knuffingen Animal Protection Association”. We swapped humans and animals and showed a “mass human husbandry” in small models. In doing so, we wanted to provide food for thought for a more conscious approach to food. The Facebook post on this topic went viral incredibly quickly and was reported on in the media across Germany.
Over 5,000 people commented on the post, some of them very emotionally, and over 200 angry smileys were a new experience for us. But that was just 1% of the reactions. Overall, there was a lot of encouragement, but we received a real shitstorm from the agricultural sector. Many farmers felt that we had pilloried them.
From controversy to constructive exchange
Initially heated discussions were followed by many constructive talks and a mutual understanding. We accepted the invitation of several farmers to see livestock farming for ourselves. We very quickly decided to build our own special exhibition in Miniatur Wunderland on the complex topic of livestock farming and the associated issues of animal welfare.
Researching the topic proved surprisingly difficult – and if even someone who spends weeks looking for information on this topic does not receive much data, how is the everyday consumer supposed to get a picture of it? After 2,500 hours of work, research and discussions with a wide range of interest groups and experts, we are now opening the special exhibition “Sauwohl”.
In five dioramas, each measuring one square meter, we present the current reality of livestock farming using the example of pig fattening. From industrial mass production to organic farms.
Making visible what you don’t want to see
Anyone standing in front of the freezer or meat counter does not see the stable from which the meat comes, but the price tag is all the clearer. The new exhibition is therefore also intended to make this other side of things visible. It allows visitors to get an idea of the different forms of farming and at the same time see what they mean for their wallet. Both the Facebook campaign at the time and this exhibition are intended to provide food for thought as to whether “greed is cool” is not the wrong approach after all. And if more people switch to more sustainable consumption, we all win.
Pictures
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Organic pig fattening to the highest animal welfare standards 
Organic pig fattening to the highest animal welfare standards 
Industrial pig fattening according to legal minimum standard 
Industrial pig fattening according to legal minimum standard 
Gerrit and Frederik Braun (Miniatur Wunderland) 
Onno Burfeind (S-H Chamber of Agriculture), Sönke Hauschildt and Dietrich Pritschau (S-H Farmers’ Association), Svenja Furken and Stefanie Pöpken (ProVieh e.V.), Gerrit and Frederik Braun (Miniatur Wunderland) 
Gerrit and Frederik Braun (Miniatur Wunderland) 
Gerrit Braun (Miniatur Wunderland), Stefanie Pöpken (ProVieh e.V.), Stefan Zwoll (Deutsche Landwirtschaftsgesellschaft), Frederik Braun (Miniatur Wunderland), from left to right. 
Discussion and interviews at the opening 
Svenja Furken and Stefanie Pöpken (ProVieh e.V.) during the discussion (from left to right) 
Frederik and Gerrit Braun (Miniatur Wunderland), Dietrich Pritschau and Sönke Hauschildt (S-H Farmers’ Association) during the discussion
