27 July 2009

Nature Morte, Part II: The Artful Taxidermist

Stillborn fawn and butterfly, 2008

"Why are we so afraid of death, something so natural and so inevitable, and why do we make such an attempt to hide it? Can death be.... beautiful?" - Melissa Dixson

Melissa Dixson is not afraid of death. In fact, she contemplates and confronts it on a daily basis in her Brooklyn taxidermy studio.

"I am beginning to explore the possibilities of taxidermy as the "ultimate" trophy, whether it be the spoils of the hunter, or the spoils of merely having reached a certain level of power or accomplishment. Art, in itself, is a trophy. In the context of my work, nature becomes art, and therefore, trophy."

Henri by Melissa Dixson, available here

To delve deeper, visit her newly launched website http://www.melissadixson.com/works.html, complete with links to her Etsy shop and fascinating blog.

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