When a note about the work of Australian artist Emily Valentine came through my inbox the other day, I wasn’t sure what to think. And quite frankly, I’m still not. But nevertheless, I can’t stop staring in awe at her pieces:
In Emily’s own words: “Feathers are my paint. Over the last ten years I have developed my own technique and style using feathers from road kill, cat kill and dead pets. Recently I have moved into a new source of feathers. I have been trapping and killing the registered pest, the Indian Mynah bird. With these feathers I made Mynah Collie 2007, a feathered dog, one of my dog flu series, and it was awarded a merit prize in the Norseweart, the New Zealand Contemporary Art Award.”
“In my work I wish to discuss how attitudes to wearing animals and birds parts have changed. Is this just because of fashion, or has society become more caring of animals? I wish to stimulate the viewer with the uncomfortable nature of the feather, to question our callousness treatment of animals and birds, and ask how we sub-consciously classify animals – pet or pest, valued or worthless, beautiful or plain and why.”
It’s definitely a unique way of recycling, if you can call it that? These pieces are beautiful, haunting, and thought-provoking at the same time. Most of all, I think I’m just amazed at how realistic they look. Don’t they look like these could be real creatures, created by nature?
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Wow, I am kerplunked on exactly what to say, They are definitely unique, unusual, different. This kind of art is definitely not for everyone. I love that the dogs look so very real, yet the feathers are almost too different for me. I have to say what a talent because you can tell how much love and work has went into these dogs. They are just different than what I normally would have. Unusual can definitely be good sometimes. Amazingly talented.Thanks for sharing them with us.
You’re right. They are indefinable. Amazing, and yet, disturbing.
I think Emily’s work is positively fascinating, and her talent for sculptural detail is top-notch. They are all so real, yet almost mythical – I like the Blue Pointer in particular. Thanks for sharing!