Polly Morgan
Encyclopedia
Polly Morgan is a London
based British
artist
who uses taxidermy
to create works of art
.
, in English Literature in 2002. During her studies, she worked in Shoreditch Electricity Showrooms, a bar popular with artists; after graduation, she continued to work there as manager. Inspired to create work of her own she took a course with the professional taxidermist George Jamieson, of Crammond, in Edinburgh, during which her intuitive and personal response to the medium were obvious.
Morgan's first four pieces caught the attention of Banksy
: A lovebird looking in a mirror; a squirrel holding a belljar with a little fly perched inside on top of a sugar cube; a magpie with a jewel in its beak; and a couple of chicks standing on a miniature coffin'. In 2005 he commissioned her to produce work for Santa’s Ghetto, an annual exhibition he organised near London’s Oxford Street. Her next piece, a white rat curled up in a shallow champagne glass, was exhibited at Wolfe Lenkiewicz's Zoo Art Fair
in 2005. That piece - 'Rest a Little on the Lap of Life' - was purchased before the show opened by Vanessa Branson
. Morgan works from a Bethnal Green
studio.
In 2009, Morgan sold her flying machine sculpture from the All Visual Arts (AVA) The Age of the Marvellous exhibition for between £85,000 and £95,000 to Thomas Olbricht, a German art collector.
Morgan is a member of the UK Guild of Taxidermists. The animals used in her taxidermy are contributed by vets or pet owners; the animals have died naturally or accidentally, for example they may have been roadkill
. Morgan maintains a detailed log of all dead animals in stock.
Morgan is married to fellow artist Mat Collishaw
.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
based British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
who uses taxidermy
Taxidermy
Taxidermy is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians...
to create works of art
Work of art
A work of art, artwork, art piece, or art object is an aesthetic item or artistic creation.The term "a work of art" can apply to:*an example of fine art, such as a painting or sculpture*a fine work of architecture or landscape design...
.
Career
Morgan did not plan an art career; she considered becoming an actress after leaving school, but went to university instead. Morgan graduated from Queen Mary, University of LondonQueen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, in English Literature in 2002. During her studies, she worked in Shoreditch Electricity Showrooms, a bar popular with artists; after graduation, she continued to work there as manager. Inspired to create work of her own she took a course with the professional taxidermist George Jamieson, of Crammond, in Edinburgh, during which her intuitive and personal response to the medium were obvious.
Morgan's first four pieces caught the attention of Banksy
Banksy
Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based graffiti artist, political activist, film director, and painter.His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine irreverent dark humour with graffiti done in a distinctive stencilling technique...
: A lovebird looking in a mirror; a squirrel holding a belljar with a little fly perched inside on top of a sugar cube; a magpie with a jewel in its beak; and a couple of chicks standing on a miniature coffin'. In 2005 he commissioned her to produce work for Santa’s Ghetto, an annual exhibition he organised near London’s Oxford Street. Her next piece, a white rat curled up in a shallow champagne glass, was exhibited at Wolfe Lenkiewicz's Zoo Art Fair
Zoo Art Fair
Zoo Art Fair is a London-based non-profit art fair held annually in October.- Background :The fifth Zoo Art Fair was held from 17–20 October 2008 at Royal Academy of Arts, 6 Burlington Gardens in central London...
in 2005. That piece - 'Rest a Little on the Lap of Life' - was purchased before the show opened by Vanessa Branson
Vanessa Branson
Vanessa Branson was born in Surrey 1959. She is the sister of Richard Branson and with her husband Robert Devereux is the owner of Eilean Shona. She is also a founder of the Marrakech Biennale.- Biography :...
. Morgan works from a Bethnal Green
Bethnal Green
Bethnal Green is a district of the East End of London, England and part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, with the far northern parts falling within the London Borough of Hackney. Located northeast of Charing Cross, it was historically an agrarian hamlet in the ancient parish of Stepney,...
studio.
In 2009, Morgan sold her flying machine sculpture from the All Visual Arts (AVA) The Age of the Marvellous exhibition for between £85,000 and £95,000 to Thomas Olbricht, a German art collector.
Morgan is a member of the UK Guild of Taxidermists. The animals used in her taxidermy are contributed by vets or pet owners; the animals have died naturally or accidentally, for example they may have been roadkill
Roadkill
Roadkill is an animal or animals that have been struck and killed by motor vehicles. In the United States of America, removal and disposal of animals struck by motor vehicles is usually the responsibility of the state's state trooper association or department of transportation.-History:During the...
. Morgan maintains a detailed log of all dead animals in stock.
Morgan is married to fellow artist Mat Collishaw
Mat Collishaw
Matthew "Mat" Collishaw is an artist based in London, and one of the Young British Artists.-Career:Collishaw attended Goldsmiths, University of London , alongside Damien Hirst and other YBA artists....
.
Exhibitions
- You Dig the Tunnel, I'll Hide the Soil 4 April 2008– 10 May 2008
- The Age of the Marvellous 14–22 October 2009
- Ravishing Beasts 22 October 2009– 28 February 2010
- Psychopomps 21 July 2010– 25 September 2010
- 'Contemporary Eye: Crossovers' 2 October 2010 – 6 March 2011 at Pallant House Gallery