Animal taxidermy becomes art at the on campus art exhibit “Trophy Room,” where an artist’s prized animals sculptures are on display.
Senior sculpting major Michael Kuehn brings his love of the outdoors inside for his art exhibit.
Kuehn’s exhibit features carefully crafted mannequins of coyotes, birds, bobcats and rabbits. His lifelike reproductions of these animals stem from his experience as a hunter, fisherman and taxidermist.
According to Kuehn, he has been involved with taxidermy since high school.
“It’s funny, because I graduated high school with a taxidermy project, and now I’m using taxidermy to graduate college,” he said.
Kuehn’s passion for the outdoors and his experience with taxidermy is what drives his art.
“Taxidermy allows me to connect with nature in a personal yet unconventional way,” Kuehn said in his artist’s statement. “There is a strange balance between the once living and now deceased animal which I manipulate into lifelike form.”
“Trophy Room” is about re-thinking taxidermy, Kuehn said.
“Taxidermy is kind of art in a way,” he said. “I think they just go side-by-side.”
Kuehn’s “re-thinking” of taxidermy in art form can be visualized in his work. Instead of using actual pelts, Kuehn said his sculptures are re-skinned with images.
His sculpture of a coyote has been re-skinned with images from a projection from the ceiling, and his bobcat sculpture has been re-skinned with digital computer prints.
The digitally skinned bobcat sculpture caught the attention of many viewers. Its lifelike composure wasn’t made easily as it had to be cut out into little pieces and shaped “almost like origami,” Kuehn said.
Kuehn’s art also includes actual materials used for taxidermy. He said his coyote sculpture, bird and rabbit busts are made from the same type of foam that is used by taxidermists
“[I use] a two-part expanding foam that’s mixed together and put in a mold, where it expands into the right form,” Kuehn said. “They’re a very lightweight material, yet pretty sturdy.”
Kuehn said that “Trophy Room” will leave viewers feeling surprised about seeing taxidermy as art, but also hopes that viewers will be able to appreciate what he’s brought to the table.
“Trophy Room” will be free for public viewing Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 5 p.m. and Wednesday from noon to 7 p.m. in the Marilyn Werby Gallery located on upper campus.
