WEIRDNESS IN TAXIDERMY

Three artists in Minneapolis are trying to breathe new life into the art of preserving death. Dead animals, that is.

The three, Scott Bibus, Sarina Brewer and Robert Marbury, are passionate about twidermy, a practice they consider an art form and one that they say has suffered from the bigotry of the art world and the provincialism of professional taxidermists. The artists call themselves the Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermists, and they are dedicated to exploring the artistic possibilities of stuffing and mounting animales remains -and not without a certain sly humor.

While some traditional taxidermists have aplauded their efforts, the group has been critized by the world’s largest taxidermy organization.

In a recent interview, the Rogue Taxidermists acknowledged a certain spirit of mischief in their work. "I think the point of the association should be to get as many people doing weird tawidermy as possible" said Mr.Bibus, with a prankster’s glee.

All are animal lovers, with a number of pet dogs, cats, birds and fish amoung them; they use only animals killed on highways and roads, donations from veterinarians and unused animal remains from museums. A strict waste-not-want-not policy accounts for Mrs.Brewer’s mummified squirrel heads and pickled internal organs, what shed calls "carcass art", which is not technically taxidermy.

They hope that through their exhibitions they can inspire people to recognize the natural world around them and to reconsider their position in it -whether, as Mr.Marbury said, the reaction is "revulsion, love or distrust".

In Mr.Marbury’s opinion, taxidermy has a unique capacity to evoke the mystery of death. "When you deal with a dead object and then you are imbuing it with life and giving it characteristics", he said, "people became uncomfortable".

Mr.Bibus, 25, is the only formally trained taxidermist of the three. Ms.Brewer, 34, combines parts from different animals to create mutant creatures and mythological beasts, like her half-cat, half-raven "Goth Griffin".
Mr.Marbury, 33, is not an actual taxidermist. "I’m the vegan taxidermist of the group", he said. He uses stuffed toy animals exclusively. Mr.Marbury lived for a time in New York, wher he became fascinated with the way garbage collectors sometimes decorate the grills of their trucks with stuffed toy animals.

The three held their inaugural show in October 2004 in Minneapolis. Through the show was not reviewed, they received prise from some traditional taxidermists.