Working with dead animals can be a fulfilling job
The Horniman Museum and Gardens crowdfunded Collected and Possessed exhibition, which features artist Mark Fairnington’s portraits of its taxidermy objects, runs until 24 January 2016.
How does the exhibition look?
There are some gigantic paintings alongside the specimens that inspired them. Mark became interested in the packaging we use in the museum stores and was attracted to the strange look of certain objects once they were covered in plastic to protect them from dust and pests.
He found all sorts of things, such as a taxidermy monkey in a bag and a stuffed owl wrapped up ready for transportation.
How did the crowdfunding idea develop?
We had already suggested that Mark should submit a proposal to the museum for a show when the Art Fund’s Art Happens campaign asked us to pitch for projects.
It’s been an interesting process -- the campaign lasted eight weeks and showed early momentum before it got a bit touch and go towards the end. We raised nearly £10,000 through rewards like a limited edition print for £450, a tote bag and a scarf.
When you are in the Horniman’s stores, does it feel as though you’re being watched by thousands of glassy eyes?
We don’t tend to think of the exhibits like that or give them names except for the objects that may have been pets in former lives.
We do have one odd dog-type object in a case that’s half taxidermy skin and half skeleton, and who we call Patches because he’s covered in them.
Taxidermy fell out of fashion for a while but it’s having a renaissance with contemporary artists using it in their work, and people realising that specimens are part of our history as well as being science objects. These items were, after all, collected by someone’s great-grandparents.
How did you get into stuffed animals?
My biology course at university offered a year out so I worked in the entomology department at what was then called Liverpool Museum.
I realised that I could learn about taxonomy and contribute to conservation without becoming a park ranger. That’s what I thought I’d end up doing, working with live animals, when here I am perfectly fulfilled by dead ones.
Before I found a permanent museum job, I did some work in laboratories but didn’t enjoy it. You can hold an educational session in a museum and immediately see the difference it makes to someone’s understanding; if you’re working on a lab experiment and it goes wrong it can be quite demoralising.
The Horniman Museum and Gardens crowdfunded Collected and Possessed exhibition, which features artist Mark Fairnington’s portraits of its taxidermy objects, runs until 24 January 2016.
How does the exhibition look?
There are some gigantic paintings alongside the specimens that inspired them. Mark became interested in the packaging we use in the museum stores and was attracted to the strange look of certain objects once they were covered in plastic to protect them from dust and pests.
He found all sorts of things, such as a taxidermy monkey in a bag and a stuffed owl wrapped up ready for transportation.
How did the crowdfunding idea develop?
We had already suggested that Mark should submit a proposal to the museum for a show when the Art Fund’s Art Happens campaign asked us to pitch for projects.
It’s been an interesting process -- the campaign lasted eight weeks and showed early momentum before it got a bit touch and go towards the end. We raised nearly £10,000 through rewards like a limited edition print for £450, a tote bag and a scarf.
When you are in the Horniman’s stores, does it feel as though you’re being watched by thousands of glassy eyes?
We don’t tend to think of the exhibits like that or give them names except for the objects that may have been pets in former lives.
We do have one odd dog-type object in a case that’s half taxidermy skin and half skeleton, and who we call Patches because he’s covered in them.
Taxidermy fell out of fashion for a while but it’s having a renaissance with contemporary artists using it in their work, and people realising that specimens are part of our history as well as being science objects. These items were, after all, collected by someone’s great-grandparents.
How did you get into stuffed animals?
My biology course at university offered a year out so I worked in the entomology department at what was then called Liverpool Museum.
I realised that I could learn about taxonomy and contribute to conservation without becoming a park ranger. That’s what I thought I’d end up doing, working with live animals, when here I am perfectly fulfilled by dead ones.
Before I found a permanent museum job, I did some work in laboratories but didn’t enjoy it. You can hold an educational session in a museum and immediately see the difference it makes to someone’s understanding; if you’re working on a lab experiment and it goes wrong it can be quite demoralising.
