Disturbing Use of Animals at Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

I found the art installation, The Erich Weiss Suite by Matthew Barney (see Björk), utilizing Jacobin Pigeons in a room barren of of anything except for their own feces, a shrine to Harry Houdini, and a glass coffin, to be sadistic and cruel.  The pigeons are left to wander the room while people gawk at them through a glass door - their feces are allowed to collect without being cleaned for three months (Note: I am not sure exactly what is being cleaned or how often, but several blogs and newspaper articles on the exhibit refer to the 'accumulation' of feces during the installation - which is what I am referring to).

Here's a photo:

In a previous work, Cremaster 5, he uses pigeons in a film in which they are tied to the artists genitals by ribbons, so in my opinion Barney has some conflicted feelings about the appropriate care and use of 'theatrical animals.'  In the Weiss Suite tribute, I would not be surprised if the use of the pigeons is in violation of local animal care codes - but in any case, it is in extremely poor taste and shows a disdain for the rights and quality of life all in the name of 'art.'

The piece is part of the Harry Houdini exhibit at Madison's Museum of Contemporary Art which runs through February 11 through May 13.