3 weeks ago
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AMSTERDAM: A fearsome stuffed crocodile hangs menacingly from the roof, rima wide open, crisp teeth acceptable to strike: invited to the Art Zoo, the caller offbeat depository opening successful Amsterdam.
Aiming to elevate taxidermy to precocious art, Art Zoo opens Thursday successful the bosom of the Dutch capital, successful a celebrated gathering from the 17th century, a play that inspired the 2 artists that created the show.
“Our enactment is inspired by 17th period sculptures and painters from the Golden Age, the Dutch painters who painted carnal scenes,“ said creator Ferry van Tongeren.
In that period, Dutch Golden Age painters drew inspiration from brightly coloured parrots, large cats, and exotic animals captured successful distant colonies and brought backmost to Europe to large amazement.
They were often painted successful theatrical poses, wings dispersed oregon cervix extended, which the artists tried to replicate with their stuffed displays.
A stuffed swan with wings deployed successful antiaircraft posture is simply a motion to “The Threatened Swan” by Golden Age maestro Jan Asselijn, presently hanging successful the Rijksmuseum nearby.
“It’s a sculpture of a skinless carnal but it’s inactive a sculpture and we make the drama, we make the story,“ Van Tongeren told AFP.
He has been moving with workfellow Jaap Sinke for much than a decennary arsenic taxidermy-artists -- a satellite distant from the advertizing manufacture wherever the 2 men met much than 20 years ago.
Sinke, 52, said helium had ever enjoyed the varied quality of being an artist.
“You’re a small spot sculptor, you’re a small spot surgeon, you’re a small spot hairdresser and you’re a small spot painter,“ helium said.
“I deliberation it’s bully to harvester each those crafts into one,“ added Sinke.
In different exhibits, majestic tigers are displayed poised to attack, portion birds of prey grip agelong snakes successful their claws.
To caput disconnected disapproval from carnal lovers, the artists person prominently displayed a motion with their “Golden Rule.”
“None of the animals successful our taxidermy artworks were taken from the chaotic oregon bred specifically for the Art Zoo Museum. All died of earthy causes, nether the attraction of zoos and breeders.”
Eva Krook, depository director, described the accumulation arsenic an “aesthetic tribute to nature, wonder, and everything fragile and cherished.”
“In a metropolis wherever everything is becoming bigger, much high-tech, and portion of a chain, this depository offers an intimate abstraction successful the metropolis centre wherever the creation of taxidermy is celebrated successful each its beauty,“ said Krook.
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