Kate Puxley is a Montreal based Artist come Taxidermist. Basing her practice on the animal as subject, Kate investigates the dualities inherent to the human condition, while discussing the competing cultural constructions and classifications of the animal. Animal as jester, trophy, companion, and nourishment are explored through the mediums of drawing and taxidermy.
She took the time to show us around her amazing, somewhat macabre studio/workshop
What is your biggest inspiration?
My physical and cultural surroundings and the conflicting dualities found within both. Ie. our notion of ‘wild’ and ‘natural’ landscapes, and our attraction and repulsion to death.
Quoting Otto Dix: “There is so much that is strange around us. There is no reason to seek out new subjects”.
Five things you would like to achieve before you die?
1. Time travel: Ride a dinosaur… a big one, like a Brontosaurus, then travel around the world on its back
2. Complete the thousands of ideas that I have in my sketchbook
3. Turn the whole Western world quasi-vegetarian
4. Publish a book, or two, or four
5. Be conscious and aware at my own death… It’s the one mystery that I can and can’t wait for.
Two things you can’t leave the house without:
1. Garbage bags for picking up road kill
2. My water bottle
Whose space would you like to see?
Leonardo da Vinci’s…. or the Caves of Lascaux at their time of creation.
A leopard skull given to me by my taxidermy instructor. Its natural aerodynamics is extraordinary, and its spirit is strong. When I hold it, my skin puckers up in goose bumps and the world folds in. I didn’t kill this creature, and I’m conflicted by my own desire to possess this thing of beauty and the need to throttle whomever took its life for trophy.
If you could taxidermy a human being, who would it be?
Ha! Tricky… the evil taxidermist in me would wish to taxidermy our dear Prime Minister Stephen Harper, but that’s because I’m angry and want to see him displayed trophy-style as the soulless son-of-a-bitch that he is.
However, if I follow my own spiritual desire concerning taxidermy, I would want to do my lover .… although, I truly hope that he out-lives me.
Describe your ideal day in Montreal?
Slow wake-up with much love-making, yoga, fruit smoothie, listen to my lover sing opera, bike ride around the city scouting for road kill, poached eggs at my favourite brunch joint, a long session at the studio, play some accordion, love-making and more opera, play dress-up, sangria on a terrace in the sun, more studio, sushi and a fine bottle of wine, night bike ride and scouting on the mountain, grass rolling down the mountain, a smoky single malt scotch, love-making, bodies intertwined, and a night of surreal dream adventures.
For more information visit:
www.katepuxley.com
Photography by Camilo
