Performance at Regina Farmers' Market highlights human animal relationships

The Regina Farmers’ Market had an atmosphere like no other Saturday morning with folk music blaring from the main stage.
The music was part of an artistic performance by local artist Bill Burns, titled ‘The Salt, the Milk, the Donkey, the Honey, the Folk Singers.’
The performance considered humans relationship to animals and is part of the ongoing series about global trade and food production.
“It's a burden to think of animals and nature and I think of the farm animal as a kind of something between species for us to learn about animals,” said Burns.
In addition to the music, the performance consisted of a parade around Victoria Park with goats, a donkey and a local beekeeper.
The combination of products were then mixed together, including milking a goat and creating some fresh homey from a local beehive, before parading around the park one last time.
The performance was curated by the Dunlop Art Gallery and organizers said there are many benefits to having the performance outside of the gallery.
“It really makes sense to do it in a context like this with the Farmers’ Market and understanding our relationship to food and food production in this context,” said Tomas Jonsson, one of the Dunlop Art Gallery curators.
Beekeeper and artist Jeff Meldrum was also part of the performance. He agreed with Jonsson and said having the art outside can be less intimidating for everyone involved.
“Before I became an artist, I was intimidated by the gallery setting and so this is just a more accessible way to bring arts out to the community,” said Meldrum.
Meldrum supplied the final product in the performance, which was honey. He said bees and humans have a unique relationship.
“I kind of see beekeeping as sort of symbiotic relationship where both the bees and the humans are benefiting,” said Meldrum.
Meldrum added the honey symbolizes how economists can come in many forms.
“The honey comes last and it's part of this sort of the trading and the demonstration,” said Meldrum. “Always kind of showing you how economists can maybe be a bit simpler than they are.”
Many young children were in attendance, which was an encouraging sign for Burns.
“I think we need engagement to be part of the solution to these problems,” he said.
Burns added he hopes people who attended will consider the environment and their relationships to animals.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | U.S. actor Anne Heche to be taken off life support, 9 days after car crash
American actor Anne Heche will be taken of life support on Sunday, nine days after suffering severe injuries in a fiery car crash, as a compatible person was found to receive her donated organs, a spokesperson said.

Weapon in deadly 'Rust' film set shooting could not be fired without pulling the trigger, FBI forensic testing finds
FBI testing of the gun used in the fatal shooting on the movie set of 'Rust' found that the weapon handled by actor Alec Baldwin could not be fired without pulling the trigger while the gun was cocked, according to a newly released forensics report.
Republicans demand to see affidavit that justified FBI search of Trump's home
Republicans stepped up calls on Sunday for the release of an FBI affidavit showing the underlying justification for its seizure of documents at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home.
Warming climate could see a future California flood become the world's costliest disaster, study suggests
A new study is offering a dire prediction for the U.S. state of California, where scientists say catastrophic flooding could become twice as likely in the future due to the effects of climate change.
Antarctica ice melt is accelerating, and research says an overlooked coastal current is to blame
A new study suggests that Antarctica’s ice shelves may be melting faster than previously believed, which is causing sea levels to rise at a more rapid pace and accelerating the dangers of climate change.
Fire at Cairo Coptic church kills 41, including 15 children
A fire ripped through a packed Coptic Orthodox church during morning services in Egypt's capital on Sunday, quickly filling it with thick black smoke and killing 41 worshippers, including at least 15 children.
Norway puts down Freya the walrus that drew Oslo crowds
Authorities in Norway said Sunday they have euthanized a walrus that had drawn crowds of spectators in the Oslo Fjord after concluding that it posed a risk to humans.
About 4,000 beagles destined for drug experiments finding new homes
About 4,000 beagles are looking for homes after animal rescue organizations started removing them from a Virginia facility that bred them to be sold to laboratories for drug experiments.
Arizona parents arrested trying to get in locked-down school
Police arrested three Arizona parents, shocking two of them with stun guns, as they tried to force their way into a school that police locked down Friday after an armed man was seen trying to get on campus, authorities said.