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Katy Perry is a pop star who is also a
self-described feminist, and she has never been one to shy away from making a
statement with her art. With “Bon Appétit”, her latest hit song and video,
people are talking about its vivid imagery that seems to have multiple
meanings. One thing is clear. It shows how absolutely absurd it is to use the
body parts of sentient beings as mere meals.
In the video for “Bon
Appétit”, a NSFW (Not Safe For Work) sign is shown in neon lights, making the
warning an artistic part of the video, too. What comes next is Katy being
packaged like a piece of meat. Chefs soon surround the bed she lies in, slicing
the plastic seal over her open with knifes. They carry her, drop her in what
looks like flour as they “bread” her the way people bread the body parts of
chicken, rabbits, and other animals.
As Katy sings, she continues to be put through
the process of “meat preparation”, as chefs pour vegetables and other toppings
over her subdued body. She sneaks piece in, as she is then dropped into what
seems to be boiling water for cooking. She is still singing and looking at the
camera. She is basted and even helps in basting herself. She seems to be
aesthetically prepared as braids are chopped off, and she is physically
prepared to be served up.
Katy’s body is then presented as people
present roasts and Thanksgiving turkeys. Vegetables cover parts of her body,
and she Is placed in the center of the table. However, she rings a bell, and
the tables are turned. She flips the power around, and she stands up to her
would-be consumers.
The video is then about Katy getting her
revenge. Could it be that she envisions a world where we are able to empower
animals to turn things around and no longer be consumed? Art is open for
interpretation, but the way the video is done inevitably makes one think of the
barbaric and often absurd practices that are the “norm” in modern cooking and
unnecessary animal consumption.
Katy has sold over 100 million records
around the world, and she is one of the most influential pop stars of today. She
is sure to make her fans think twice about meat preparation with her latest
video.
