Cannibal Island Meats

Throughout the Human Earrings trial, journalists had criticized the sculpture for being anti-women. For example, Rosalind Coward wrote in the New Statesman magazine:

In many ways I dislike the sculpture. There seems to be an implicit message about women’s indifference to life, while playing on the fact that it is women who are most likely to be distressed by the sculpture.

In the same magazine, the journalist Sean French wrote:

For me, the work is a disgustingly flippant piece of misogynism and without artistic merit.

I was shocked when I read their comments. In my mind, the Human Earrings sculpture was about species, not gender. So to clarify this point, I ate a slice of human testicle.

Buying the testicle was easy. I bought mine from an educational supply company which sent it directly to my home in London.

Color photograph of the outside of the shipping box the educational supply company used to send the human testicle to Gibson

The shipping label on the box said that it contained a preserved human testis valued at $74.

After opening the box I pulled out a jar protected by plastic bubble wrap.

Color photo of a glass jar with a metal lid wrapped in clear plastic bubble wrap

When I removed the bubble wrap I saw that the jar contained a human testis preserved with embalming fluid.

Color photo of glass jar containing the embalmed human testicle

I then unscrewed the lid, stretched out the testicle and sliced off a piece.

Black and white photo of the tip of Gibson's finger pointing at a freshly sliced embalmed human testicle

As I had done with the tonsil slices, I soaked the testicle slice for a week in baths of at least 70% strong drinking alcohol to remove the poisonous embalming fluid.

When it was safe to eat, I sent out this press release:

On Saturday, 15 April 1989 shoppers in central Lewisham will be able to watch artist Rick Gibson eat an hors d’oeuvre with sliced beef, pork, chicken and human testicle.

Rick will start at 11:00 from the small park on Molesworth Road and walk to the Clock Tower where he will eat the assorted meats.

Gibson, who previously ate a slice of human tonsil, says, “Its all about meat that’s legal to eat.”

I decided to make the canapé ahead of time so that I could show it to shoppers while I walked to the Clock Tower.

Color photo of a slice of human testicle on top of slices of chicken, ham and beef piled on a biscuit

During my walk, I was accompanied by journalists and supporters.

Color photo of Gibson wearing a sign reading "I will eat meat soon" walking with journalists and supporters

At one point a curious shopper asked me, “What’s this all about?” So I showed her my prepared snack and talked about the various meats I planned to eat. Upon hearing this she said, “It doesn’t sound very appetizing.”

Color photo of Gibson showing the meat hors d'oeuvre to a woman

Eventually I arrived at the Clock Tower where I put the prêt-à-manger hors d’oeuvre into my mouth.

Color photo of Gibson posing for photos with meat hors d'oeuvre in his mouth

Then I bit off my first piece, washed it down with a medium white wine, and paused to pose with the half-eaten snack.

Color photo of Gibson showing photographers the remaining half of the meat hors d'oeuvre

Then I ate the rest of it, finished the wine and went home, confident that I had clarified myself.