NEW ALEXIS MCKENZIE

Yes yes yes, a thousand times yes.

(via flickr)

DEATH RATTLES

I've been thinking a lot about artists who use taxidermied animals in their work. Say what you will about how ubiquitous taxidermy's become within the hipster vernacular (and even within the art world -- ahem, Damien Hirst), but there's loads of interesting work being done with preserved animal remains (COOL).

PETAH COYNE

Coyne uses taxidermied animals, wax, silk flowers, tree branches, chicken wire, ribbon, rubber, tar, and a ton of other stuff to construct her sculptures. I think this museum characterizes Coyne's work well by calling her pieces "three-dimensional vanitas images". She specializes in these incredible atrophying chandeliers that look like they've been frozen in that moment of decay, and her use of taxidermy is especially useful in extending that metaphor of a degeneration that's been suspended in time.

ALEXANDRE JOLY

I'm not as crazy about Joly's work, or all of his use of taxidermy, but when he nails it he really nails it (How much does that furry... thing look like a Hayao Miyazaki character?). The chick piece is maybe a little too reminiscent of Cai Guo Qiang (see below) but the cotton ball trails more than make up for it.

CAI GUO QIANG

So. fucking. cool.

BORRE SAETHRE

Not sure if I'm totally convinced by this guy's work, the titles are totally self-indulgent (ex: Double fantasy, masturbating with the gods) so it's hard to take him seriously. There are some really impressive elements at work here in terms of visuals and installation, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one.