Two million cows. That’s a lot of cows isn’t it? Right here before us stands the Koe & slager Statue a monument to their memory. It’s not a celebration of slaughter. It’s a somber reflection on the sheer scale of animal agriculture in Amsterdam.
For years between 1984 and 2017 the Westerpark Foodcenter hummed with activity. It was nicknamed “The Belly of Amsterdam”. Inside this bustling complex two million cows met their end. The Koe & slager Statue stands where this abattoir once stood. It’s a reminder of a past many would rather forget. Yet it’s a past that shaped the city.
Artist Mark Schalken conceived the Koe & slager Statue. He wasn’t directly involved in the slaughter. He simply saw the trucks. Day after day he’d see them. He saw the packed animals their anxious snorting. He smelled them before he saw them. This experience left an indelible mark. When the abattoir closed he felt relief. But it wasn’t really over. The slaughter merely shifted. It simply became larger and more industrialized elsewhere.
The Koe & slager Statue isn’t just a memorial. It’s a call to action. It prompts us to reflect on the industrialization of animal agriculture. It encourages a discussion on how Amsterdam feeds itself. Can we do it in a more humane sustainable manner? The statue advocates for plant-based diets. A way of avoiding exploitation. It aims to create space for a future where animals are treated with respect.
The design of the Koe & slager Statue is yet to be finalized. There’s an open call for artists designers and even school classes to contribute. Mark Schalken envisions it becoming a peace monument. A place where people can reflect on the past and envision a more compassionate future. A future without the brutality that the abattoir represented.
The Koe & slager Statue is more than just a statue. It is a story. A story etched in the heart of Amsterdam a story of two million cows and a call for a more thoughtful way of living. It is a story that will hopefully change our thinking and help us become better citizens of the world. Take a moment. Stand before this monument. Reflect on its powerful message.