Daniel Szalai — NOVOGEN: 166 hens, 166 individuals

Droog presents Novogen, a compelling photographic project by the Hungarian artist Daniel Szalai, which explores the hidden relationship between humans, animals, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Central to the project is the Novogen White chicken, which has been 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 appears at first glance to be an almost scientific catalogue transforms, upon closer inspection, into a series of individual portraits. No two chickens are alike.

This is precisely where the power of the project lies. These animals are part of a highly standardised production system in which they are valued primarily for their biological function. Szalai temporarily removes them from this anonymous context, giving each animal its own presence. Differences in posture, gaze, plumage, and character suddenly become visible.

Alongside the portraits, Novogen features photographs that trace the journey of the eggs within the pharmaceutical industry. By doing so, Szalai connects the individual animal to a technological system in which nature, science, and the economy are increasingly intertwined. Novogen, therefore, raises questions that extend beyond 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 once it is no longer anonymous, but confronts us as an individual?

Novogen was exhibited in 2025 at 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 display at the Droog Gallery.