Get stuffed at the taxidermy exhibition that's not for the squeamish
Published Date:
08 February 2008
RATS with painted nails, a fox caught in plastic wire and rabbit head shoes - Dean Clough's latest exhibition Dominion is certainly not for the squeamish as our shocking pictures show.
But the woman behind the mix of neon lights and stuffed animals is unrepentent.
Please be aware the pictures may offend. Click 'view gallery' to see all the pictures at full size and tell us what you think of them by posting a comment below.
Ebony Andrews - a 25-year-old registered taxidermist - composed the ghoulish display to highlight the view of animals in the 21st century and bring a fresh approach to the craft.
"I decided to use pure objects together with man-made things like the acrylic to show how animals are taken for granted.
"I want to be able to engage people with my work and am confident about the reaction from the public."
Many of the animals used by Miss Andrews for her projects are found at the roadside.
"Sometimes if I'm going on a journey somewhere I will take a bag with me in the car and look on the roadside as I drive.
"I am a naturalist and love animals so I would never do anything to harm them. I believe in recycling and finding another use for things which in a way this is."
Miss Andrews found an interest in taxidermy during her time at university when she used bird feathers for her art work.
"In my third year I came away from painting and started to look into objects, which is when I decided to try out taxidermy."
She took a course in taxidermy in Boston Spa, where she learnt the basic skills of stuffing a bird.
"When I first started doing it, I thought it was a bit squeamish but understanding the animals anatomy overrode that and instead of turning your nose at it you think, 'oh wow'."
Miss Andrews, of Bradford, is an assistant taxidermist at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
The exhibition runs at Dean Clough's upstairs gallery until June 1.
What do you think of the display? Post your comment below.
The full article contains 366 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
-
Last Updated:
08 February 2008 10:05 AM
-
Source:
n/a
-
Location:
Halifax