Artists statement
I create contemporary 'memento mori' that raise our curiosity through the use of paradoxical processes and materials. While all of my creatures have died a natural death, they live on as beautiful and compelling allegories, begging a reflection on our symbiotic but decidedly unequal relationship with the animal world. My practice questions our established societal paradigms around animals and asks why we divide them into arbitrary categories: food, pets, pests, transport, entertainment and endangered/protected species. The theme 'place and space' is addressed by the hollow space within the rabbit's ribcage and the gem-encrusted heart that is placed within.
Historical information
Nillumbik Prize Contemporary Art 2019 open prize winner