Previous posts have discussed the revival of taxidermy in contemporary art and design. Some interpretations meander far from traditional definitions of taxidermy, only referencing animals conceptually.

We recently learned of local designer Daniel Planko’s whimical, head trophy-inspired sculptures, created from recycled furniture and accessories. Antlers are fashioned from hooks; noses from tapered sofa legs. Called the Rewilderness series, each head trophy is one-of-a-kind original—perhaps the only quality they share with the animal variety. Click here for more on Planko’s design practice.

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Tomorrow night marks the opening of our latest exhibit, Ravishing Beasts. Long time coming. Most exhibits take years to plan and execute. In a way, this one has taken decades. Some of the animals and specimens on view haven’t been on public display in half a century; others were acquired and have remained in storage ever since. Credit our guest curator Rachel Poliquin for bringing new life to this historic, eclectic collection. Ravishing Beasts features some 110 species, representing two-thirds of MOV’s natural-history collection. The opening party starts tomorrow at 7 p.m. For details and tickets, click here.

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We’re about to dramatically shift gears here: Velo-City closes September 7; on October 22, Ravishing Beasts opens. The Museum goes from a look at local cycling culture to exploring the history and present-day revival of taxidermy. An unlikely follow up, you might say. Velo-City was a strong example of the Museum’s new direction and, to our minds, prescient; Ravishing Beasts explores our past, fitting elements of our collection into a contemporary context. The exhibit features taxidermy and other items from our natural history collection that have not been on public display since the Museum moved to its current location in 1968. Expect an eclectic and dramatic round up of exotic and local species alongside taxidermy-influenced artwork by artists like Vancouver’s George Vergette.  Also expect interesting debate about the past, present, and future course of the Museum of Vancouver—and the changing nature of museum collecting in general—in the months ahead.

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