The representation of game animals in contemporary art

The aim of this thesis is to examine artworks that address the concept of hunting in art and to propose a new perspective through examples of game animals in contemporary art. It seeks to demonstrate that the hunting style holds an important place in the development and transformation of art. The complex relationship between game animals and humans has changed from the past to the present. In cave paintings, regarded as the starting point of art, the most frequently encountered depictions are those of game animals and hunting scenes. Game animals have been represented not only in cave paintings but also through different cultures, myths, belief systems, and political events. Hunting activities, originally carried out for sustenance, have over time been depicted in artworks with different purposes. It was used as a display of power and later evolved into a language of expression. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, various examples can be found in which hunting served as a representation of power. In contemporary art, the game animal is addressed as an object, while also being referenced in video art with allusions to earlier periods. Hunting scenes have played a significant role in the development and transformation of art up to the present day, and this has also been reflected in modern art movements. Within this scope, the literature review method was used in the thesis. Artists and artworks for analysis were selected in accordance with purposeful sampling. This study, while seeking to make visible the ways in which game animals have been represented throughout art history, approaches this as a form of situational assessment. Keywords: Contemporary Art, Hunting, Animal