Story: Arts funding and support

'Dead steer'

'Dead steer'

This image, by New Zealand photographer Peter Peryer, of a dead cow lying by the roadside, ears chewed, flies buzzing around, was used to advertise his 1996 exhibition in Frankfurt. Many of those who saw it thought it a political metaphor, a reference to mad cow disease which had spread to people who had eaten meat from infected animals. New Zealand Minister of Agriculture John Falloon was greatly concerned, attempting to have the exhibition closed or the photograph removed, and instructing the New Zealand High Commissioner, who was to have opened a second showing of the exhibition in another German city, to withdraw from the event.

Using this item

Auckland Art Gallery – Toi o Tāmaki
Reference: C1998/1/18
Photograph by Peter Peryer

Permission of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Martin Durrant, 'Arts funding and support - Government support for the arts', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/42978/dead-steer (accessed 26 April 2024)

Story by Martin Durrant, published 22 Oct 2014