Yesterday I went to the Dolphin Gallery with a friend. I have deadlines swirling, both mine and the boys’, so I hope to be able to post more on this wonderful resource soon. In the meantime, I am sharing my favorite piece, a photograph (top) by Terry Evans.
Evans photographed collections of flora and fauna from Chicago’s Field Museum that, I think, are stunningly beautiful. You can see more of these pieces here, but certainly don’t miss her narrative on Specimen Work here.
I wonder if
Terry and Walton would get along? I think they have a love an appreciation or infatuation of the same ilk.
pve
Evans is astonishing. I'm so pleased to be introduced to her incredible body of work. Thank you!
Patricia – an engaging thought. These specimens are in drawers that were simply opened for the shoot. Her thoughts on the process were very similar to what I have read of Ford.
Susan – my pleasure.
Interesting;
speaking of photography, this reminds me of an episode I caught on the tele yesterday of the series 6 ft under. Claire, the art student photographer would randomly go about photographing not always the sweet and beautiful that was obvious but the beauty from within and sometime non related subject matter and what could be labeled as disturbing to the naked eye.
Thanks for sharing,
Leslie
I am sorry, I must be truly missing something…these are dead animals…so sad
sorry not what I open your blog for… somehow even an hour later I am creeped out.. what am I missing?
Death is disturbing. And those pictures are disturbing. Ann
Years ago I had several friends who worked upstairs at the Field Museum on Chicago and saw many images like this in person. Yes, they are disturbing, but there is a beauty there, of nature, of God's perfection. I find also, an emotion of sadness for the long ago scientists who may not have done things the way we do now but who were trying to understand their world, to document nature as best they knew how.
They are haunting as is a lot of art. Much of the most disturbing art garners mush attention these days. These are museum pieces that serve a specific purpose, just not in my home.
Karena
Art by Karena
Camdesign – Art speaks to people differently, so I can't say that you are missing something. As always, there is something lost in the translation from life to the screen. When I saw the piece, top, I was struck by the beauty of her feathers and the grace of her neck, the careful tag that is affixed to her foot – an attempt to define her. Death is disturbing, and part of the question of these works is, I think, how we feel when it seems senseless, when we cannot pick out the meaning from the creepiness.
If you check the site, Evans explains the process:
"Another question, harder to answer, was, why kill all these beautiful creatures? They are lost to the world often in the prime of their lives. And why kill so many? Is it that important to gain the information we get from killing so many? Look at the coyote (Figure 2), glossy, gorgeous and dead. It was hard to photograph this coyote. I visited it four or five times before I was able to bring myself to set up the camera. I was in the process of losing my parents during this time, and the sad beauty of the coyote deepened my mourning."
Her pieces make me think; they are beautiful to me.
I agree, purposely disturbing and yet the white feathers are rather ethereal, beautiful. The artist succeeded in capturing both aspects and she is eliciting a strong response from the viewer. Patricia, I can definitely see why you took time to learn more.
I think these images are just plain haunting, and they make me feel like I am at an open casket funeral. Would you hang something like this is in your foyer? I doubt it.
Ninja – if I had had the money I would have bought it on the spot, had the Dolphin frame it and put it in my house the day it was complete – rushing home to find the spot. The only thing keeping me from putting it in my entry is space, but I'd try it over the mantle in my living room first.
I think human nature is such that we are drawn to such things, even if they disturb us. Just beautiful, I think.