COWS IN NEW YORK CITY: REINTRODUCING THE SPECIES: Reintroducing the Species – Kaisu Koivisto

Cows in New York City: Reintroducing the Species is a photographic series depicting cows in New York City. The project was created during Kaisu Koivisto’s residency in New York in the spring of 2000. By studying historical maps of the city, Koivisto explored New York’s agrarian past and identified locations where farms and pastures once existed. Her interest was sparked when she learned that cows had grazed near the rapidly growing metropolis’s center as recently as a few decades ago. She began photographing on Staten Island and extended her exploration to other parts of New York City, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.

The cows Koivisto built are crafted from recycled wool blankets shaped into cowhides, which the artist photographed in various urban settings. One of the central themes of the series is the transformation of the environment. These urban cows serve as reminders of places that rapid development has converted into urban areas or that are currently undergoing such changes. The herd of felt cows is homeless within the urban community—distinctly out of place in the cityscape. They stand out in the urban environment, catching the eye as disruptive presences. Through their material, they evoke warmth, safety, and an intimate connection—qualities often lost in urban living. With their bright colors, they compete with the city’s advertising signs or highlight the gray desolation of the urban landscape.

A recurring theme in Kaisu Koivisto’s work is the social coexistence of humans and animals. In her earlier works, she has used animals concretely as part of her art, creating them from materials such as bone, horn, and hair. This is the first time the photographs are exhibited in Finland. Previously, they were shown at the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art (Staten Island, NY) and will next travel to the Hafnarborg Museum in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.

Translated with ChatGPT