Natalie KingstonPolly Morgan has an unusual job in this day and age: she’s a taxidermist. Gone are the days of stuffing people’s pets or making strange arrangements of animals in clothes for Gentlemen’s Clubs; Polly is an artist. The Yorkshire Museum and Art Gallery are one of three groups of institutions competing to host her next exhibition.
Polly’s work came to public attention when it was displayed in world-reknowned graffiti artist Banksy’s ‘Santa’s Ghetto’ seven years ago. Since then, she’s won praise from Damian Hirst (also known to dabble in the art of taxidermy) and her works are collected by both Charles Saatchi and Kate Moss. Animals are donated by owners and vets, and used to create tantalising displays that explore the fragility of life and the beauty of death.
The Yorkshire Museum already has a large collection of taxidermy dating back centuries. Their collection contains over 200,000 species across all major biological groups, including two Great Auks, of which only 80 specimens survive (non living, sadly!) worldwide, and one of the most complete Moa skeletons in the world.
The Yorkshire Museum and York Art Gallery would be a great venue to host Polly Morgan’s work. If you think so , go to the Connect10 page (here) and vote to bring her and her work here this year.
