The Art of Taxidermy and Why it Should Be Considered an Art

The Art of Taxidermy and Why it Should Be Considered an Art â€Å"Let’s say you’re watching an old horror movie, one about a crazy madman who lives in a spooky house up on a hill. Local kids will become curious and decide to step foot into the house. The majority of the time the creepy man will have two things; paintings with the eyes cut out and a nice collection of mounted animals to give intruders a sense of fear. Then all of a sudden lightning flashes and a growling black bear is lit up, sending the kids screaming into the front yard† (Bryant). It turns out that terrifying black bear is actually a valuable piece of artwork. Taxidermy has been an underrated art form throughout its history and it does not get the recognition it†¦show more content†¦With this being said, whether or not one uses a specimen for science, or for a trophy, it is still in a sense, a piece of artwork. Frederic Lucas, a former natural historian, taxidermist, and the Direc tor of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York said in 1927 that, â€Å"In spite of the thousands of words†¦ recorded in our ponderous dictionaries, there are some that still to be needed, among them one to define the modern taxidermist†¦ whose work can only be considered as art because it’s certainly not nature† (Xu). Lucas had a difficult time trying to give taxidermy a place in the art world yet taxidermy uses many principles of art such as painting and sculpting. Amy Stein, a New York based photographer who uses taxidermy in much of her work argued that clients and their trophies relate to art. â€Å"People who have taxidermied animals usually have more than one; it’s the evidence of their success. It is art collecting in a sense† (Xu). Art lovers all around the world collect the art work that they prefer whether it is painting, drawing, pottery, etc. Why not fit taxidermy in there among them? Seth Smith, owner of Wil dlife Expressions Taxidermy, a commercial taxidermist business, was asked what the criteria is for a good mount. He believes it should be as â€Å"Lifelike as much as possible. Customers want it to look as original as possible† (Smith Interview). Indeed, extraordinary taxidermy is qualified as being able to make a specimenShow MoreRelatedDo Tattoos Make A Mark On More Than Just Your Skin?4666 Words   |  19 Pagesevolving. There are currently 987 registered tattoo studios in Australia employing more than 2000 staff, many tattoo artists within Australia have a social media following on Facebook and Instagram of over 200,000 people and The Australian Tattoo Body Art Expo is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere with over 40,000 visitors attending each year. I investigated my topic using a variety of primary research and secondary research methodologies; a questionnaire with open and closed endedRead MoreMary and Max9879 Words   |  40 PagesOver time, Marys increasingly sensitive questions about the adult world give Max progressively worse anxiety attacks, and he is ultimately institutionalized. During his time there, Max is diagnosed with depression and Asperger syndrome. Now aware of why he has difficulty relating to other people, Max finds a new lease on life and resumes his correspondence with Mary. The two remain friends for the next two decades, keeping one another updated on various events in their lives. Mary (Toni Colette), inspired