Artist
Statement:
Métis artist David Hannan works with taxidermy-form
sculptures to explore vulnerability, both in humans
and in nature. Hannan‘s taxidermy hybrids present
tension and beauty in the merging of animals into
sculptures and at the same time, suggest landscape
in the gentle undulations of the forms. Many of the
themes in Hannan’s art derive from his Aboriginal
heritage, particularly his engagement with history,
and notions of territory. His work uses taxidermy
forms to make transformational sculptures that
evoke emotional responses of fear, endearment and
aggression. Traditionally, taxidermy forms have
been used as the basis of a hunter’s trophy, where
the skin of an animal is stretched over the form to
be preserved. In Hannan’s work however, instead of
using animal skin, he uses packing tape and wool
felt blankets that create a sense of fragility. The
blankets suggest a need for warmth, protection,
shelter, love and understanding but also that it
can suffocate and allows us to hide from ones
fear.