9th Apr 2015 6:30pm
M2 Grand Parade
Talk
The skin, our largest organ, is the frontier between the inside and the outside of our bodies. It is one of our chief defining factors and yet it is unique; the pigmentation, the texture, the genetic characteristics, the hair, the fur, the freckles or the feathers mark out each species, each family, and indeed each individual creature. It is the raw material of taxidermy, which is the subject of author Jane Eastoe’s talk: The Art of Taxidermy, on April 9th.
In a world in which we are so insulated from death, the basic reality of taxidermy can upset tender sensibilities. We disassociate ourselves from the essential link between a designer handbag and a cow chewing cud in the field. Those who squeal in horror at the prospect of a beautiful piece of taxidermy find it hard to understand the importance of this apparently grisly craft. ‘Stuffing’ has moved in and out of fashion, been adored and reviled, and symbolises both the best and worst of man’s thirst for knowledge and tendency for ruthless exploitation. But it has evolved and developed into a modern art form, a means of self-expression and a respectful tribute to the beauty of the natural world.
About the speaker:
Jane Eastoe has been a journalist and author for 25 years. She has written or co-written twenty books, many for the National Trust. She has produced two books linked to television series: Victorian Pharmacy and Britain by Bike, which won ‘Outdoor Book of the Year’ at the 2011 Hay Festival. She is the co-author of Fabulous Frocks and Elizabeth: Reigning in Style, also published by Pavilion. She has had a lifelong passion for taxidermy, and her book The Art of Taxidermy was published by Pavilion in 2012.
