These bird sculptures are beautiful. Created by Maarten Kolk and Guus Kusters, Avifauna consists of a Grey Heron, Tawny Owl and a Blackbird sculpture. Each is made from a single piece of fabric, wrapped around a taxidermied bird's body. While I love the way that the choice of fabric and the wrapping suggests the bird it represents, I would like the project more if it were just fabric, and not an existing bird. This seems to be the direction that Maarten and Guus are headed in:
Avifauna is about bringing two common worlds we love together, nature and textile. We’ve started to materialize the beauty, shape and language of form that we see in animals and what's better to start this search than to mold on the animal itself. The 'Dutch' Grey Heron, Tawny owl and Blackbird were stuffed without their plumage and used as dummies to design on.
Right now we’re working on designing still animals out of paper. We're trying to find new shapes, techniques and textures from the motion of flying owls, fighting hares, walking storks and other animals.
The Grey Heron, Tawny Owl and Blackbird were first developed for Janice Blackburn's 'Small Show Huge Talent' earlier this year. None of the animals were killed for this project.
Hmmm. can't agree this time. To be honest, it looks to me like several birds have been kidnapped and brutalised! Quite disturbing!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I think they're beautiful. The real bird underneath is a bit disturbing, but I also think the shroud aspect of it is intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see their paper models.