Novogen White
Central to the project is the Novogen White , a chicken specially bred for its eggs, which are used in the production of vaccines and other pharmaceutical products. Szalai photographed 166 hens individually against a neutral background. What at first glance appears to be an almost scientific catalog transforms upon closer inspection into a series of individual portraits. No two chickens are the same.
That is precisely where the strength of the project lies. These animals are part of a highly standardized production system in which they are primarily valued for their biological function. Szalai temporarily removes them from this anonymous context and gives each animal its own distinct presence. Differences in posture, gaze, plumage, and character suddenly become visible.
Chickens taken out of their anonymous context
Alongside the portraits, Novogen shows photographs that trace the path the eggs take within the pharmaceutical industry. In doing so, Szalai connects the individual animal to a technological system in which nature, science, and economics are becoming increasingly intertwined. Novogen thereby raises questions that extend beyond just the poultry industry.
What happens when living organisms become part of an industrial production chain? Where does the line lie between care, scientific progress, and exploitation? And how do we view an animal when it is no longer anonymous, but stands before us as an individual?
Novogen was exhibited in 2025 during the Can Reon Festival of Art and Music in Tiana, near Barcelona, and was curated by Renny Ramakers, co-founder of Droog. From September 2026, the project will be on view at the Droog Gallery.
