Veggie Carnage
Very Bravo, the sassy Italian upstart purveyor of toys, graphic prints and other fun miscellany has just made the world of play a tad more compassionate. One of VB’s first editions, the product of designer and founder Mario Gatti, combines social consciousness and dietary conscientiousness in the the world’s first and only vegetarian toy: Carrot Slayer. Our man (and his vermilion root victim) comes decked out in both ‘Hippie’ hashish-loving and ‘Gruesome‘ leather-clad S&M dominator guises (sadly, there are no carrot handcuffs included).
While mostly a cheeky exercise the toy posits a seriously relevant perspective on the great vegetarian/omnivore divide: our food is inevitably our victim and its ritualistic preparation is a visceral experience. Yet, its source (which we have become all but disconnected from) may or may not be a cause of tremendous suffering. The personified carrot, although clearly conscious of his impending doom, seems pretty enthusiastic about the prospect of becoming salad garnish. Something tells me that if the happy carrot were a cute cow excited to meet an evil slaughterhouse axe, the message might not go over so well. And conversely, a carrot executioner, no matter how sinister, is just plain awesome. Orange blood spatter and all.
The toys are limited to 250 pieces each.
By Tag Christof, Images courtesy of Mauro Gatti
