Art | Polly Morgan’s Artful Taxidermy

POLLY MORGAN “REST A LITTLE ON THE LAP OF LIFE” The Internet is a wondrous place! The remaining Luddite in me is having a little tantrum now. I will let it till it tires itself. One two three … ten. What makes it wondrous is the access and exposure it can give to those of us who do not have access to, in this case, BBC Four. BBC Four has had a fantastic series – “What Do Artists Do All Day?” – billed as “Intimate, observational portraits of leading artists, revealing unique insights into their working lives and creative process.” Glee! Right now, the episode I want to refer to, is available for a month through BBC Four web site, but do not fret – as long as copyright folks do not pull a plug – YouTube channel Art Documentaries has some episodes, too. And this is how I got to know of Polly Morgan and what taxidermy can be. I have not had much liking for taxidermy. It’s a strange and often dusty substitute, better at a museum and only when the local zoo does not have the real thing. It’s downright creepy inside of any house except maybe when it is a lodge. I am not judging. It’s how I respond to it, and I cannot see it at my place. However, what Polly does may make me change my tune. The creepiness is still there, but the faux art snob that I am is attracted to this different presentation. Take “Rest a Little on the Lap of Life”. It’s a friggin’ rodent exulted to a dessert puff, sleeping below a chandelier, presumably peacefully under that glass case! I can see this piece having a prime spot chez moi. Seeing Polly at it and talking about it adds a contextual dimension I can totally saddle next to. Check it out when you can.