Taxidermy Art: A Rogue’s Guide to the Work, the Culture, and How to Do It Yourself

ART (General)
From home-goods stores to hip bars, the Tate Modern to the most conservative decor magazine, taxidermy is everywhere these days. And for as long as there has been taxidermy, there have been people who are willing to push its boundaries – from the jackalope to Damien Hirst sticking a shark in a tank of formaldehyde. Unlike traditional taxidermy, these mounts are not meant to mimic reality and are instead used to artistic effect. Rogue taxidermy is at the cutting edge of this trend, featuring stunning, provocative pieces “not without a certain sly humour” (The New York Times). In this, the first-ever collection of rogue taxidermy, you’ll find a monkey with a fez and a martini glass, a jewel-encrusted piglet, a bionic fawn, and a polar bear floating balancing refrigerator. Author Robert Marbury makes for a friendly (and often funny) guide, taking readers through a brief history of taxidermy (and what sets rogue taxidermy apart) and presents stunning pieces from twenty of the most influential artists in the field.
pp. 240 illusts #141023
“The crucified parrots, winged foxes, and martini-sipping monkeys in this wild and wonderful bestiary of a book suggest that there is something deeply strange afoot in our culture—and we ought to pay attention.”
—Joshua Foer, New York Times bestselling author of Moonwalking with Einstein

“So appalling, funny, grotesque, weirdly charming, and highly informative that even I was creeped out. Necrophilia or beauty? You be the judge!”
—John Waters

“Darkly beautiful and fascinatingly disturbing. I recommend.”
—Jenny Lawson, New York Times bestselling author of Let’s Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir)

“Robert Marbury is a mad genius.”
—Diablo Cody, Academy Award–winning screenwriter of Juno

“It’s only fitting that one of the driving forces behind Rogue Taxidermy should be the first to showcase it as no one else has. Robert Marbury’s book isn’t just instant gold—it’s gold for the long haul.”
—James Taylor of Shocked and Amazed!

“The ultimate book on contemporary guerrilla taxidermy.”
—Dr. Petra Lange-Berndt, University College London

“Marvellously macabre.”
—The Bookseller (UK)