Festival of the Mind: Whose Hooves?

human–animal relationships and folklore traditions

human–animal relationships and folklore traditions

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Professor Robert McKay

Co-Investigator

Robert McKay is Professor of Contemporary Literature at the University of Sheffield where he co-directs the Sheffield Animal Studies Research Centre. His research focuses on the politics of species in modern and contemporary literature, film and critical theory. Publications include Anthropofugal Fictions: Literature, Species Politics and Flight from Humanity (Edinburgh University Press, 2026) and several co-edited volumes including Animal Satire (Palgrave, 2023) and The Palgrave Handbook of Animals and Literature (Palgrave, 2021). He is the co-editor, with Susan McHugh and John Miller, of Palgrave Studies in Animals and Literature, and Managing Editor (Humanities) for the journal Society & Animals.

For more information about their research, please visit Robert’s full academic profile.
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Have you ever wondered what became of Milky White, the cow traded for a handful of magic beans in Jack and the Beanstalk? Was she cared for, exploited, or forced to use trickery to secure her own freedom? Drawing on Professor Robert McKay’s research into human–animal relationships and folklore traditions, Whose Hooves? is an interactive exhibit by artist Anthony Bennett, that prompts you to reconsider classic stories from the perspective of their non-human characters and question how we treat animals across history and myth.

Illustration of a cow’s face surrounded by distressed wooden panels in blue, white and rust-orange tones, with the words “WHOSE HOOVES?” above it. The artwork includes splashes of red, sketched farm animals and landscape details.
Whose Hooves artwork – Festival of the Mind

A collaboration between artist Anthony Bennett and School of English academic Robert McKay, Whose Hooves? draws on their shared fascination with fairytale and folk wisdom to explore the realities and fantasies embodied in humanity’s prizing of cows and their milk. The collaboration builds on the work of Multispecies Mutualisms, which aims to develop a transformative understanding of the conviction that partnerships between humans and animals can underpin mental, physical and material health for all.

Opening Times: 6 – 15 Nov | Tuesday – Saturday (11am – 5pm) | Sunday (11am – 4pm)
Location: Persistence Works (Yorkshire Art Space), 21 Brown St, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield, S1 2BS

Festival of the Mind is the University of Sheffield’s flagship and largest public engagement festival, in which the University’s academics partner with local creatives to develop an engaging way to translate their research into an event showcase for the general public. The research is showcased in a variety of innovative ways, including live performances, exhibitions, talks, films and interactive events. Events are free to attend and open to all. As such, the Festival makes our world-leading research accessible to new audiences and invests in the local creative community, contributing to the cultural vibrancy of the city. There are over 40 Festival projects for 2026. Explore the festival programme and plan your visit.

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