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Humans tend to take their habits for granted. Everything seems self-evident until the perspective shifts. It forces us to reflect on the way we are: humans are not all sunshine and rainbows, as the saying goes. We also have a darker side that we prefer to be swept under the rug.

Barbara Daniels has a calling to reveal these dark things that people do. She shifts the perspective by swapping roles of humans and animals, which in turn raises our awareness of how we behave with other animals, which is brutal and unethical most of the time. There's much room to grow for our species. Her illustrations are a sobering reminder that our society is far from perfect. Though we tend to admire the progress of our own species, we tend to forget that we did it at the price of others.

More info: Instagram | barbaradanielsart.com | Facebook | twitter.com

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Artist Shows When Animals Take The Place Of Humans In Stunning Illustrations

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Bernardita Valdés
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just like psycopaths, child abusers and pedophiles, hunters are the worst kind of human beings in existance. How can u take a pic of urself smiling proundly with the corpse u just killed? Not forgeting to mentioning that a lion, a tiger, an elephant, an eagle, any animal, worths countless times more than a single hunter that couldnt even be used as food for animals cause of its toxicity. F**k i hate hunters.

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Barbara shared about her "Dominion over Man" with Bored Panda: "It was an unexpected surprise when this art came into my life. The idea of exploring the relationships between humans and animals first came to me while I was eating chicken wings on holiday in Strasbourg, France. I sketched what the situation might look like if the roles were reversed. The idea resonated with me from that moment on and I began to see the world in a new light. I started to focus on the role reversal concept after moving to Berlin in 2013."

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Magdalena Zając
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it's declawing shown here. Cat claws grow directly from the bone so removing one is pretty much like snipping the end of the finger.

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"I learned so much from all the research I did for the artwork that I began to question my own lifestyle, and this led to my decision to become vegetarian. I still learn a lot about the world from each picture I create, and I've received a lot of positive feedback from many people inspired by my work. That really motivates me to continue with the 'Dominion over Man' series."

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Barbara tells us what inspired her to create the comics: "The idea of exploring the relationships between humans and animals first came to me while I was eating chicken wings on holidays in Strasbourg, France. I sketched what the situation might look like if the roles were reversed. The idea resonated with me from that moment on and I began to see the world in a new light. I found endless sources of inspiration all around me in everyday life.

The artist also told us what the main goal of the illustrations is: "The goal of my art is to learn about our world by holding a mirror up to humanity and imagining life from the perspective of the many species dominated by the human race. It’s important to me to reverse each situation as accurately as possible, so I need to do a lot of research before beginning each piece. I learn so much from my research, and I receive a lot of feedback from people who believe that my work is spreading awareness."

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Barbara tells us more about how she got into art: "I have been creating art for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a small village, art was a much-needed escape from everyday life with six brothers. Following my passion, I studied fine art at GMIT Ireland."

The artist mentioned what the most difficult part of these illustrations is: "The research I do for my work can be difficult, because it’s often very depressing. I tackle some pretty dark topics, and sometimes it affects my mood. Another difficult part of my work is the process itself. It takes about a month to complete each piece, and my chosen medium of pen and ink can be pretty unforgiving. Once that ink hits the watercolour paper, there’s no going back! Mistakes can’t be erased or covered up."

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Kennedy Johnson
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Eww what’s that in his mouth. Watching dogs fight is it fun at all. I don’t know how people watch this.

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Kennedy Johnson
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never got taxidermy. It’s just disqusting both ways. Why would you cut off something head and hang it.

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Barbara tells us more about what topics she covers and tells us more about her style: "I cover all topics relating to animals in all aspects of modern life. Some of the topics are gruesome, while others are a bit more lighthearted. My style is a mix between realism and caricature, and I like to focus on details. I started to focus on the role reversal concept after moving to Berlin in 2013. I still have a long list of ideas for new pictures, so I will keep going with my 'Dominion over Man' series for some time to come."

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Bernardita Valdés
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That french video of the fur industry... thats the cherry on top. Thats when u realize how not only ridiculous, but mostly stupid, cruel and ignorant ppl are when they wear fur coats and bags and scarfs... u dont look glamourous, u look like a selfish ignorant psychopath carrying a corpse while believing it makes u look beautifull.

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The artist shares what inspired her to keep creating: "I really enjoy creating my own parallel universe with this art, and I still learn so much about our world from each picture I create. That alone would be enough to keep me going, but I also get motivation from the positive feedback I receive from people who are inspired by my work."

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Barbara gives some advice for artists or people who want to pursue art: "Don’t be afraid to tackle difficult and uncomfortable topics in your art. When I began working on this series in 2013, I received a lot of negative feedback from friends and family who couldn’t understand why I was painting such weird pictures. Although I sometimes had my own doubts, I stayed true to my vision for four years before I started getting positive feedback. Looking back, I’m happy that I didn’t give up on this idea just to please others."

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Bernardita Valdés
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some ppl find this ridiculous and laugh about the pro animal activists. Just put ursefl in the place of the one whos being abused or tortured. Thats empathy.

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TimesNewLogan
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fun fact: alligators were an endangered species in the late 1800s and early 1900s, to the point where there were often more hunters than gators in the swamps and bayous during hunting season. Thankfully, they were saved through conservation efforts. This is referenced in Red Dead Redemption 2.

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The artist tells us more about herself, her life, and her journey: "I grew up in a small village in County Galway, Ireland. After graduating with a fine art degree from GMIT Ireland in 2005, I lived in Southern California for almost eight years before spontaneously moving to Berlin, Germany in 2013."

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Kennedy Johnson
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Terrible. If you show people who do this stuff these pictures. They make me feel bad. Think about how you’d feel.

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"The goal of my art is not to preach about what’s right or wrong. Because of the topics in my work, some people assume that I’m trying to shove a political agenda down their throats, but really I’m just an artist exploring an idea and learning more about the world every day. I actually ate meat for most of my life, but as a result of my research for this art series, I began to question my own lifestyle and became vegetarian."

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Bernardita Valdés
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Btw this is in hydra, greece. Nice place, but the donkeys... man its so sad 😢, all under a roof, waiting to be used to carry a person in an upway hill... its too cruel.

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Jayne Kyra
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

On another note: F P.E.T.A.. They steal pets, euthanize 90% of animals they "save" and are a deplorable organization.

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Bernardita Valdés
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh no... one of the worst... just wanna crush their f****n skulls when i see those psychos slamming baby seals

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Emilycookie
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i hate shelters like this. there is a cat shelter near me that i foster from, it has cages but they are big with plenty of room for the cats to roam, and they rotate cats being in the big rooms with a bunch of cat toys and other cats.

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NinjaWolfy94
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one just reminds me of my dog Tara (a malamute). She LOVES little dogs, but, understandably, until the owner knows she's friendly and won't eat their chihuahua, they don't let their dog say hi. That's why dog parks are awesome.

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Bernardita Valdés
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Once my family discovered a little mom mouse with all her little baby mice in our house. So cute, so precious. Little mouse mom rushed out the place when her nest was discovered. Everyone in my family was like “ dont touch it! Ull get infected!” Yeah they would have been right. They wanted to kill them, to just get rid of them like if they were toxic garbage. NO FCKIN WAY! WHY THE FCK? I took the babies away n put them in place where they would be safe. I thought that's the best i could do under the conditions in that moment. After a moment, the little babies where gone. I really hope her mom found her and took them to a better place and didnt eat then or something like that... the worst case scenario was a death/death fate for the mice family.

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Phica Afton
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why whenever there is an insect inside I pick it up and put it outsode

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Freya the Wanderer
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Far too often we treat animals as objects, as though they have no feelings. Sometimes we do the same to members of our own species.

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Terilee Bruyere
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

While I imagine it's confusing for bees to be smoked and have a portion of their honey harvested, bee keepers care for their bees and with the steep decline in wild populations many crops would also be in trouble.

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Sista of the moon
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Are they being spayed/neutered? Bc this is the right thing to do.

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Paul Aguilera
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

humans need to be fixed too. if you think the cat and dog population is out of hand, just walk into a mall :/

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Xenia Granados
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dude spaying and neutering saves lives. I think one surgery is better that 8+ lives

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Blue of the yams
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey now- spaying and neutering is important. The more animals reproduce, the more babies they can have, the more go homeless. Fixing animals keeps animals from starving in the streets.

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Lilliann Brown
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Spaying and neutering your pets is important. There are already so many strays on the streets, and when they aren't spayed or neutered, it gets out of control. Cats and dogs multiple f a s t. Many many argue that women need their tubes tied and men need vasectomies, but when it comes down to it, those surgeries are much more invasive and it takes so much more healing, especially for women. Animals aren't able to control their urges and they aren't able to use protection. Humans are able to though. We're in so much more control than animals. Spaying and neutering your pets is so important.

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Lindy Mac
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jackie: How do you know animals don't have souls? They are kinder than humans. If they are treated with love they give 10 fold back. While I get the point of this panel, I do support neutering pets. Thousands of animals are euthanized because there are more abandoned or put up for adoption than can be adopted out. You can't not be 100% sure your pet will not procreate unless they are neutered. A lot of shelters insist the animal be neutered before they let you adopt or make you promise to do it when it is old enough. Another thing: Get you pet chipped. Many, many animals have been returned to owners, even several YEARS later..because it was chipped and they kept their contact information up to date in the data base.

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Maciej Zajaczkowski
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is still technically harming the animal but it is probably the lesser of two evils; either spaying or overpopulation and excess animals in bad conditions

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Bernardita Valdés
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The guy who said that the animals dont have souls must be the same one who started his tweet with “as a white christian adult male” (was it like that?)

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VeninTheNonBinaryRogue
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Replying to Jackie. First of all PROOF?!?!?! You have absolutely no proof of them not having souls. Second of all, if you won’t start this argument, I one hundred percent will. Animals DO have souls. They CAN feel pain. They DO experience emotions. They CAN suffer. So what if we’re slightly smarter than they are? Who cares?!?! I have a bird, her name is Skittles, and she has feelings. She gets mad. She gets hungry. She gets happy. She has a soul. I DARE YOU to find proof she doesn’t have one. Human beings are terrible. Animals are better than we are, yet we act like we’re better than them. Animals care if one of their own dies. Animals don’t murder each other ruthlessly for no reason. Humans do. And humans treat other beings like s**t. Animals don’t do that. Animals definitely have souls, and they’re better than we are. Jackie, your comment needs more downvotes.

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Nerida D. Ortega
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But I thought by spaying your pet you where actually helping them to live fuller lives... sorry kitties idk :(

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Hayley Rodgers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It does help them look fuller lives. Animals that are not fixed can end up getting horrific infections and have other serious problems. Not to mention the starvation of having more animals than there are food sources

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Arctic Fox Lover
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

...But isn't spaying and neutering good for housepets? And doesn't it also help prevent them (females) from getting uterus diseases? Confusion-

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Sugar Cargill
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Prove it that animals don’t have souls. How ciuld you possibly know.

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Flufflefox
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now I would like people to be sterilized as easily as pets. I am an adult person yet I still do not get sterilization even if I want it. It is wrong. There are too many people.

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Keith Wollenberg
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm all for surgical sterilization. The point is, that doesn't have to mean castration. We have developed better methods to surgically sterilize humans. Why don't pets deserve the same consideration?

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Keith Wollenberg
Community Member
2 years ago

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I have a theory about that. For some people, pets become surrogate children. We are uncomfortably (rightly !) with the idea of children having sex, so by extension, some people become uncomfortable with their pets having sex. That means that for them, the point of the surgery is not just sterilization, but de-sexing.

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Elizabeth Gardner
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Spaying an nuetering are necessary for many animals that we have chosen to have . Done right it is no worse than a human who has the same surgery to avoid having more children or any children unnecessarily. Vets are usually very good I have had my dogs and cats done as I have owned them. No masses of puppies and kittens everytime the females are on heat.

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Brenda Pereira
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I assume this is anti-spaying and neutering. It is more cruel to allow uncontrolled breeding for dogs and cats as they end up wandering the streets or woods, starving with mange and other illnesses, and getting injured. I don't think there is anything cruel about this, as long as it is done correctly.

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Bacony Cakes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Look, we either neuter the humans, or we get tons of unwanted humans running around everywhere. one or the other.

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AuBurney Tuckerson
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I got fixed three days ago. XD I'm perfectly fine. Then again, I'm female. My organs aren't external, and I didn't miss a thing, waking up.

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Bára Menhardová
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Spaying/neutering pets is the better option. You know what people did before it was widely available and they had an unexpected litter? They put them in a sack and drowned them. And honestly some people should probably be "fixed" as well (I'm talking mostly about like, sex offenders and murderers, btw. And maybe child abusers.)

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Margaret Martin
Community Member
2 years ago

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THIS is one I can agree with! Far too many lazy people breeding just for the Welfare checks.

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Jackie
Community Member
2 years ago

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Okay after going through this post I have something to say. Humans have souls. Animals don’t. Animals are not human beings. I could go further but I’m not willing to start an argument.

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