Vanitas Sculpture

SPECIES Scientific name : Papilio Iswara Common name: The Great Helen My techniques combine traditional methods of preservation and taxidermy with modern tools and technology to create beautiful pieces of artwork that can equally inspire emotion and wonder. Given the variation in every specimen each piece is unique and is hand crafted by myself in my studio or the lab. I would hesitate to describe my work as taxidermy where the artist seeks to present a species in a natural state in order to capture the beauty of nature in a recreation of life. In much of my work the specimens are more akin to a precious paint, a paint that not only delivers diversity and beauty but also holds within itself a natural emotional value and meaning from our response to the species. One would be pressed to find an artist who’s work is not personal and I have come to understand much of mine as a reflection of my experiences through life, indeed many of the pieces could undoubtedly be interpreted as self-portraits. The contradictions, misunderstandings and inconsistencies in our lives are present and I often find myself exploring extremes in the highs and lows our loves and losses and life and death. My Butterfly Collection is a range of work which was conceived at a time in my life when the fragile and temporal nature of the species resonated strongly with me. As this series has developed I have discovered that however personal and exclusive many of my own experiences may seem my emotional response to situations is shared. Much of this work explores the journey of a fragile physical and emotional being in a beautiful but often complex and overwhelming world.