Sunday, November 1, 2009

11-01-09 Artist Post

Andrew Tunnard

Andrew Tunnard is a commercial, fine art, and conceptual photographer as well as an illustrator. He only recently graduated from the University of Cumbria (UK) with a BA in photography. I am particularly interested in his Skins and Skeletons and Taxidermy projects.

Skins and Skeletons is an investigation into the museum taxidermy process.
"Taxidermy is a method museums have used since the Victorian era to display animal specimens to the general public. Since then, wildlife television programs and photographs can display the animals within their natural environment, negating the original necessity for taxidermy. However, it still remains a valuable and intriguing method of education to this day, and no other method of display allows the public to get so close to physical representation of these animals."




Taxidermy explores the more modern use of taxidermy: hunting trophies.
"This project investigates the representation of taxidermy, an interior specimen of an exterior animal. Paired with careful dioramas of their natural habitat and floral wallpaper, these animals occupy a context completely of their own, both real and wholey faked."




Something I have recently been considering is the traditional use, placement, and meaning of taxidermy. Who could have afforded taxidermy? What were the traditional placement of taxidermy within living spaces? Why are head mounts usually placed higher than our traditional sight level? What did the different species of taxidermy represent? Investigation continues this week...

http://www.atunnard.com/

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