Every organism has a “skin”. Most have skin that we can see, touch, or even taste. The idea of “stuffing” the skin of an organism to preserve it is called Taxidermy. Taxidermy by Merriam-webster.com is, “the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals and especially vertebrates”. Taxidermy dates back to the Egyptians according to “bonesandbugs.com”, “In ancient Egypt, taxidermy was not used as a means to put animals on display, but rather, to preserve animals that were pets or were beloved by pharaohs and other nobility. They developed the first type of preservation of animals through the use of embalming tools, spices, injections, and oils.” Taxidermy evolved from something that was noble to everyday practice. Many museums today, use taxidermy to show animals. Taxidermy is also used by many animal owners who
wish to preserve their precious animals.
Since taxidermy is a bit odd for many people, there has been a backlash against it. According to “adventure.howstuffworks.com”, the downside of taxidermy is that people think of it as a way to boast about hunting an animal. Also the risk of getting “Chronic Waste Disease (CWD), which is in the same family as the human disease Creutsfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)”. Humans have not been contaminated with the disease, but can be spread throughout the area, possibly to other animals.
Taxidermy Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster
I am drawn to the comparison your research presents – that of an emotional attachment to a loved one/pet vis a vis a collection and display of trophies. I am curious is there are any similarities between the two practices (other than the actual practice itself)? What lies below the surface of preservation?
It’s super interesting you pointed out the emotional value and practical value of taxidermy. Other than historical uses, what do you think are the meanings to it in the contemporary world, in the realm of art, personal attachment, political settings etc? Very excited to see your ideas and works to come!
It is interesting how Taxidermy seems to be against all the functionality and purpose of skin, at least based on the group readings. For instance, while skin’s function for animals is to protect the internal body’s organs. Through the practice of taxidermy, the body becomes empty internally, and what’s left is only the exterior. That being said, I guess the “performative” and “aesthetic experience” purposes of skin mentioned in the two readings are still a part of taxidermy.
In addition, since Lu mentioned taxidermy’s relation to contemporary art, I thought to bring up examples such as:
1. Artist Peter Friedl’s stuffed giraffe in 2007’s documents exhibition;
2.”The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living” by Damien Hirst, which is a preserved tiger shark in 1991;
3. Cai Guo-Qiang’s “Head-on” 2007, “Heritage” 2013;
4. Yang Maoyuan’s stuffed animals inflated into balloon-like taxidermy 2014;
In a broader sense, there are also many hyperrealistic cultures that create human skin works that can somewhat feel like taxidermy.
correction, last sentence, * hyperrealistic sculptures