All Creatures Great and Stuffed

28 August 2014

Taxidermy is on the increase; from the number of people participating in it, to the number of people purchasing it, stuffed animals seem to be all the rage, and this global revival in the ancient art has a modern twist. With high street shops popping up, night classes selling out and demand outstripping supply, why are deceased beasts so sought after?

From hobbyists attempting to preserve a dead mouse, to artists using it to create airborne art, this one-hour documentary from BAFTA nominated director Matt Rudge, features some of the world’s most jaw-dropping modern examples – good and bad – from some of the weird and wonderful people who are skinning, shaping and stuffing to their heart’s content.

We begin in Holland where Dutch artist Bart did something unexpected when his cat Orville was killed by a passing car. With the help of a local engineer called Arjen he created the Orville-copter – the world’s first radio-controlled flying cat. Bart has always been fascinated with death, and loves animals and nature, so this to him was the perfect opportunity to pay homage to his beloved pet. But it’s not just cats that Bart makes fly. He’s also made the world’s most famous flightless bird take to the air – a flying ostrich, and his next project? A turbo shark.

Over in the States however, American’s take mourning the death of their pets to a different level. Daniel Ross runs a specialist taxidermy service in Arkansas, which sees your darling Fido or Felix being freeze dried. The family run business, which started out making wall mounted animal trophies for hunters, now specialises in preserving pets, but with costs reaching into the thousands of dollars it means Daniel’s clientele can be very attached to their forever preserved mutts and moggies, and the reunions with the recently deceased can become rather emotional.

Back in Blighty, Blackburn’s resident taxidermist Nicola uses roadkill to make her creations. While her handiwork may sell-out online she is about to take her products to the masses, but is a taxidermy shop boasting a £300 mounted unicorn rat surrounded by bubbles, what the locals are looking for on their local high street? Could a place that sells a fox face mask and a fortune-telling squirrel rival the goods that another pound store might have to offer?

Meanwhile, on the Essex coast, shot-girl Jayne is putting down the tequila bottle and turning her hand to the preservation of dead animals. Her aim is to dispel the stuffy (!) preconception of taxidermy, bringing with her a touch of leopard print and an eye for interior design. Jayne is a firm believer that dead animals can be beautiful but with her own beloved pet poodle reaching a ripe old age, she draws the line at making an ornament out of her own adored companion.

With the topic of death at the forefront we discover how this resurgence can not only be a coping mechanism for some but a way of controlling death and avoiding grief for others. But how do these taxidermy revivalists respond to those who find the practice bizarre, or even offensive? As the song goes, all creatures are great and small, but does stuffing them make them all the better?

 

Production Credits

Producer/Director: Matt Rudge
Executive Producer: Tayte Simpson
Production Company: Mentorn Media