Artist Quill Hyde poses with their exhibit for PETA on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Submitted photos/PETA

WASHINGTON, DC — Visionary artist Quill Hyde has deep ties to Eastern Washington and now Hyde is also making a mark on the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., with a sculpture display unveiled Friday, featuring a seven-foot-tall polar bear; a towering, 1,200-pound elephant; a 6-foot-tall rhinoceros with a chicken perched on his back and a coyote voiced by Battlestar Galactica actor Edward James Olmos.

Several members of Congress attended the unveiling of this collaboration with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) titled The Council of Animals (What to do About the Humans), which seeks to answer the question “If animals spoke in a language we could understand, what would they say about us?”

Washington, D.C., is ranked as the most popular summer destination in the U.S. and the National Mall, where the sculptures are on display, sees thousands of tourists a day in July and August.

Hyde, who identifies as their, grew up on a small rural farm in the Okanogan Highlands above Oroville, Washington and spent their days interacting with animals, fostering in them a longstanding connection to the natural world. After receiving degrees in physics and mechanical engineering at Reed College and Columbia University, respectively, and spending 15 years in New York City, Hyde returned to Tonasket, Washington and set up their own studio and began creating art– specifically giant industrial animal sculptures – full-time.

“All of the living beings on this planet are part of one family and we’re all special and have a right to exist,” said Hyde. “I hope this piece, The Council of Animals, will help people realize that we are not the only ones that matter, that the idea of being judged by our animal peers will inspire us humans to make kinder choices, for everyone’s sake.”

As part of the exhibit, the coyote delivers a speech that challenges speciesism – the belief in human supremacy – and draws attention to the talents, languages, skills, and cultures of various animals, according to PETA. It opens: “Dear friends, we are gathered here today to discuss the problem of humanity.” The coyote continues, “Look around you. There’s the elephant, with her profound emotional intelligence; the rhinoceros, with his majestic horn; the polar bear, with his unmatched resilience; the chicken, with her superb mothering instincts; and me—the clever coyote. But our talents, interests, and autonomy are often overlooked because some humans believe other animals exist just for them.”

Hyde and PETA unveiled the exhibit Friday on the National Mall where guests snacked on vegan pastries as they listened to the coyote’s speech—and they were invited to endorse the “Declaration on Consciousness,” acknowledging animals’ complex inner lives and their desire for freedom, as emphasized by Hyde’s creation.

PETA’s motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way.”

For more information, PETA suggests visiting their website: PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Artist Quill Hyde speaks with some of the visitors to the National Mall about their artwork.