Carrion Call. 2009. wood coffin, taxidermy quail chicks. 1860 mm x 610mm x 370 mm. Mythologies, Haunch of Venison Gallery

Taxidermy (from the Greek for classifying skins) is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display (e.g. as hunting trophies) or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. The methods that taxidermists practice have been improved over the last century, heightening taxidermic quality, and lowering toxicity. The animal is first skinned. This process is similar to removing the skin from a chicken prior to cooking. This can be accomplished without opening the body cavity so the taxidermist usually does not see internal organs or blood.[citation needed] The skin is tanned and then placed on a polyurethane form. Clay is used to install glass eyes. Forms and eyes are commercially available from a number of suppliers. If not, taxidermist carve or cast their own forms. – Wikipedia

POLLY MORGAN is a young British taxidermy artist. She began working as an artist in October 2005. A love of animals and desire to preserve them led her to learn taxidermy, under the tutelage of taxidermist GEORGE JAMIESON. Since then, she has gravitated towards making still lives with the animal as subject.

Using classic taxidermy processes, she removes her subjects from their classic poses and habitats, challenging the viewer look that them “as if for the first time”.

“I am more interested in the moment between something dying and decaying – anything between a few hours and a week. There’s something beautiful about that.“

She lives and works in London