Taxidermy - by Alexis Turner (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

An unsurpassed survey of the world's finest examples of this popular art form--in situ from the greatest private and public collections to the beautifully assembled rooms of contemporary artists, stylists, and cutting-edge interior designers. Taxidermy is everywhere these days, from hip restaurants to posh clothing stores, and practically every luxury brand can be seen offering its wares on the backs of preserved, stuffed animals or incorporating them in their interiors. This is the first volume to consider taxidermy as an art form, and it balances showcasing classic work (such as pieces by Walter Potter) alongside innovative and modern contemporary pieces by various practitioners, from traditional taxidermists to interior designers, fashionistas, stylists, and fine artists. Collected here in one volume are the greatest examples of taxidermy, freshly photographed in situ, from contemporary apartments and rarely seen private interiors to luxury fashion shoots, hipster lounges and restaurants, and museums and galleries. A who's who of contemporary artists' work is also featured, including Daniel Firman, Kate MccGuire, Cai Guo-Qiang, Charles Avery, Adel Abdessemed, Alex Randall, Charlotte Cory, Claire Morgan, Neil Harmon, Polly Morgan, Tessa Farmer, Iris Schieferstein, Thomas Grunfeld, Tim Noble and Sue Webster, and Wim Delvoye--artists creating inventive interpretations of the genre, reaching new audiences and bringing taxidermy further into the mainstream. This intriguing and engaging volume offers inspiration to anyone seeking to incorporate taxidermy into any type of setting, historical or modern, commercial or residential.

Review Quotes

"This beautifully bound book covers taxidermy's story, starting with the Egyptian mummification of cats to contemporary feather fashion on the catwalk." San Francisco Chronicle

"Taxidermy is Alexis Turner's beautifully designed homage to the long- established, curious and flamboyant art of skinning and stuffing dead creatures. Turner's examination of the practice encompasses religious beliefs, science and museums, interiors, fashion and advertising, tracking it all the way to the present day in a fascinating and occasionally queasy-making narrative. Taxidermy is a cabinet-of-curiosities of a book. It's beautiful, odd, intriguing, strange and sometimes repellent, just like the history of taxidermy itself." The Irish Times

"The 337 images in Taxidermy are artful and immaculate-- everything that a taxidermy workshop, with its dust, fumes, stench, viscera and decay, is not. This book is eye candy, which makes sense because Alexis Turner is the founder of London Taxidermy, a business that supplies natural history artifacts to the fashion and film industries, among other clients. You can see his stuffed and pickled props in the "Harry Potter" films, "Sherlock ­Holmes," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Les ­Misérables," "Anna Karenina," "Skyfall" -- and now in this book." The New York Times

"Alex Turner's Taxidermy is historical, romantic and curiosity-shop voyeurism. Turner's book is the first to consider this medium as an art for. The renowned London dealer and collector showcases the very best of both classic work and modern contemporary pieces." Huffington Post

About the Author

Alexis Turner is the founder of London Taxidermy, one of the world's leading dealers in antique and contemporary stuffed and preserved fauna and related objects. Clients include set designers, interior designers, fashion stylists, photographers, museums and galleries, and collectors.