Monday's review and giveaway of Jane Wynn's book Altered Curiosities: Assemblage Techniques and Projects
got me to thinking about an amazing necklace she once made. The bauble included your typical beads and such, but the pendant was made with a taxidermy bird head. The more I got to looking the more wearable taxidermy I found. Now before you send me hate mail or put me on the PETA watch list remember I am not condemning or condoning these baubles, simply pointing them out. I don't however see how they are any more or less cruel than a leather handbag, beetle bracelet or feather hair clip - they just happen to be a lot more interesting.
BIRD ON A WIRE
Sparrow Love - Jane Wynn
Bird Necklace - Idiots Afke Golsteijn and Floris Bakker
Taxidermy Parrotlet Bird Head Silver Plaque Necklace - Loved to Death
Swan Collier -Idiots Afke Golsteijn and Floris Bakker
BATS AND BOWS
Rat Bow Tie - RP Encore
Bat Head Hair Clip - Tokyo Macabre 
Taxidermy Black Bat Wing 24K Skull Cameo Necklace - Loved to Death
BAG, BORROW or ROADKILL
Vintage Armadillo Purse - Klassic Line
Large White Rat Coin Purse - RP Encore
Alligator Purse - Mmatins
Thoughts? Are you disgusted or intrigued? I gotta say I own a vintage taxidermy alligator purse and would wear one of those bird necklaces in about 0.5 seconds. The rat change purse is a little much for even me. I like to think that all of these accessories died of natural causes, or at least that is what I am telling myself. Oh and don't forget my blog post Trendy is as Trendy Does - Upcycled Taxidermy.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Trendy Is As Trendy Does: Decked Out in Dead Stuff
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23 comments:
New to your blog and not thinking a bat anything is for me, but love your creativity! It would be a funny gift to give to a girlfriend...
My boys ( teen and pre-teens) are in throws of ewwws and giggles. Thanks for giving my crafty blog reading time some cool points this AM.
The coin purse is way too much for me but the Bird on a Wire necklace is awesome. We're vegan and this doesn't throw up any red flags for me at all.
Ewww. That is not my thing at all. I very rarely even wear leather shoes if I can avoid it. I certainly can't imagine wearing a whole alligator or carrying a dead rat coin purse. His poor sad looking rat face!
I don't think I'd wear any of this, but it's fascinating. I will be sure to feature your post when I launch www.scificrafts.com next week. THis is brilliant.
Well I'm sorry, because I don't know about the rest of you, but I find that all just a little bit f***ing sick! . . . . And TOO bloody WRONG!
Now that's what I call recycling! I honestly don't believe that any of those animals were murdered in the making of the accessories. I prefer to think that the artist(s) were just making use of naturally available materials. Waste not, want not! Heeeeere kitty-kitty! LOL
I usually love what you post but this just freaks me out.I'm sure some people are cool with this but it's just creepy
Some of them creep me out too, but some are pretty interesting. Some of the artists even do their own taxidermy and most have disclaimers that they work with animals they found dead or vintage taxidermy they found.
Im grossed out- eww eww eww - LOL
Thank you my dear for being BRAVE in posting your thoughts about this kind of work.
I say "brave" because this kind of work can quicken peoples emotional responses as we have seen in a few comments above.
That being said, artists all though-out the ages have used animals as art and in art. My first introduction to this sort of odd art thing came during Grad school when I was told by my Art History Professor to go "check out" the works of Annette Messager: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annette_Messager
She created an amazing installation using taxidermy sparrows which she displayed/dressed with her beautiful little hand knitted sweaters- it made me gasp when I saw it and I was completely moved & hooked by her work:
"Her obsessions with sewing, knitting and embroidering shapes, with collecting strange bits of ephemera, with personal relics and hair and morbid fairytales gives the impression of an artist who would have been much happier living and working in the 19th century."
I even found a post I did about her in relation to my work on my blog in 2007 when I was looking her up on Google: http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451736269e200e00987da6e8833
Ha! Thanks Google!
And so I am thrilled that you Jennifer, have such a deep passion & understanding for art. Strangely not many people do? If it looks pretty then it passes the "sniff" test- but if it causes you unease in any way- then it must be crap.
I get this from time to time of course- when someone sees my bird reliquary pendant. It comes with the territory I suppose. Sadly my work is passed over quickly by so many. Not many are willing to give me more than a curious-horrified glance.
Ha! AND I WONDER why I am not fitting in??? I think-"I am a nice person with a lot of heart and have such good intentions??? Why am I not very popular? Why don't I fit in?"
I guess I hope one day, I will be understood by all. So I just keep making the things which "move" me.
Finally- because of your post I decided to write a blog post my thoughts on my weird work which I think helps to express my thoughts and feelings about all of it. Well-I hope? http://idolatrieartist.typepad.com/
AND I am so very glad you have been my champion these past few days here on your blog. You Make me blush! I love being considered by others like you-who I admire!!! It truly feels so good to be recognized like this.
Not only have you brought me this attention on an otherwise dreary January Day- you are not afraid to talk about controversial artists and generate great conversations.
Thank you again and again...
XoxoX
j a n e
Ok enough! This has ruined my breakfast! Yuck absolutely digusting, why promote this nasty stuff. Someone call PETA!
Assuming that these animals died of natural causes leaves room for animal cruelty. This is disgusting! Your are kidding yourself if you really think all these animals were found and had died of natural causes in mint condition. You cant honestly be that ignorant. You are supporting animal cruelty!
Hey anonymous, don't shoot the messenger. Also I'm sure some were killed for taxidermy, but I am also sure most of these artists found these items vintage. Is it better for the items to go in a land fill?
Hey anonymous, don't shoot the messenger. Also I'm sure some were killed for taxidermy, but I am also sure most of these artists found these items vintage. Is it better for the items to go in a land fill?
Definitely not my thing, but it is interesting.
I would totally rock one of those! I don't care what any crybaby says about it. Darn it, that celery was alive when you bit into it. So was that yogurt. So, hmph!
definitely grossed out here !
You are seriously the BEST at finding the most random things. Could I ever carry a rat coin purse? Um, probably not, but do I think it's a totally amazing and interesting way to look at taxidermy? Hellz Yeah.
Everyone, lighten up a bit, like Jen said in her opening paragraph, these are really the same as a leather purse or shoes, just in this case you're forced to face the little animal from which it came.
Sorry I missed out on this... pass on the rat purse, but I do find it interesting as an object. I don't really think anyone went out and killed the little guy just to make him into a purse, but to play the devil's advocate, what if they did? People kill rats on purpose all the time and no one makes a stink about it.
Great round up.
oh now thats just freaky!
Hi Jennifer - I just loved this post so I had to link to it on my new blog www.scificrafts.com. Thanks again for the interesting post, fabulously creepy.
The little mouse purse is the creepiest thing. Just imagine going to a store and putting your coins in one these things.. :)) On the other hand, you are perfectly right: people are grosed out by the fact that they can see little faces and feet, but few have a problem wearing a leather bag because they don't relate the object to the animal. Thank you for the food for thought!
I too would not care to use the rat coin purse but I like the bat wing and skull necklace. I also would not care to wear a bird's head, but it really is no different then those people who have deer heads or other animals stuffed and on display in their homes. I love animals and I hate to see any little creature hurt, but death comes to all, only some sooner. And with so many ignorant people who would blame those poor helpless creatures for wanting to die sooner. Let's just all close our eyes and pray they died quick and painlessly.
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