Taxidermy art

I am very much drawn to taxidermy in art. It gives me mixed feelings that keep me fascinated. I partly believe that it is a sacrilege to (ab)use animals for these artworks (comparable with wearing fur), but I am also attracted by the cuteness and/or sense of humor of these pieces.


















Idiots (Afke Golsteijn, Ruben Taneja and Floris Bakker)


















Maurizio Cattelan
















Annette Messager

Now at Coda in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands: 'De aard van het beest, dieren als spiegel van de ziel', which translates as something like 'The nature of the beast, animals as a mirror to the soul'. The photo on the poster is from a work by Sylvia B.


















And in case you feel inspired and come across some dead animals on the road today: 'Taxidermy is similar to removing the skin from a chicken prior to cooking. This can be accomplished without opening the body cavity so the taxidermist usually does not see internal organs or blood. The skin is tanned and then placed on a polyurethane form. Clay is used to install glass eyes. Forms and eyes are commercially available from a number of suppliers. If not, taxidermist carve or cast their own forms.' (Wikipedia)