The Art of Death

SMSU Event Center BC

Traveling to research and explore the art and science of taxidermy, while also visiting museums related to my interests, will further expand my practice as an emerging artist in graduate school. I use dead animals in my work; pushing to expand my practice by learning other methods and techniques (not only as an art material, but in understanding the science behind it). My goal is to build a very real and intimate relationship with what makes us uncomfortable (to confront inevitable death) and to accept it. My methods in expanding my knowledge base and skills is trying new practices and techniques to strengthen my foundations in the art world. I want to see what I can do with the actual material (knowing how to properly work with the bodies) and seeing the ways in which manipulating the material can be an explorative, educational, and a creative process. I want to push the physical forms of my pieces and compositions (sculpturally) as well as in my photography work. In conclusion to this experience, I learned what I liked and didn’t like about taxidermy as a science and as an art form. I gained knowledge of tools and hands-on experience; learning to skin, dissect, stuff, and form a sculptural object. I learned what materials are needed and the steps it takes to preserve and construct. I gained valuable knowledge, skills, and ideas by experiencing the class, as well as exploring museums related to my interests.