Lisa Black takes broken taxidermy and reconstitutes them with found mechanical pieces at garage sales. The newly reborn creatures are enhanced as a new breed of half-animal half-cyborg. While the creatures maintain most of their animal integrity and are handled with the utmost respect, this is definitely an alternative perspective on animals.
Accordingly her collection is called ‘Fixed’ as she attaches new appendages and motorized organs. The effect is haunting but fascinating at the same time as it seems almost possible that the bionic animals will burst back into life in a horrifying rendition of robot dystopia.
NEXT PAGE: CROCODILE CYBORG
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Usually broken bones and organs of the animals are re-imagined and constructed with vintage parts from the inside of clocks, lots of screws, and chains. Lisa doesn’t have any motivation to harm animals, in fact she was the type of kids that wanted to save bugs in the playground. Her art is more focused on the original aesthetic that the combination of taxidermy and mechanical engineering parts can produce. Most of her raw materials (the taxidermy itself) comes from garage sales or auctions online.
NEXT PAGE: TWEETY ROBOT
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The raw heart on display is actually a real sheep heart that has been preserved and because it was soft tissue it was easier for Lisa to work with compared to the shell of a turtle. Doing this kind of work is controversial to some, animal activists but Lisa’s intent is never to harm the already dead animals. Lisa is trying to combine the magnificence of technology and the beauty of animals together. Especially given that we are living in an technological age, it is not too far from the mainstream culture of today for artists to engage with the steampunk subculture.
Lisa’s taxidermy creations may be a deviation from traditional sculptures and even disturbing to some, but the point of art is to provoke immediate and genuine reactions and contemplations.
-EvelynKim|Follow Me@evelynjkim
NEXT PAGE: CHECK OUT THE REST OF HER WORK-MUTANT ROBOT TURTLES
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MUTANT TURTLE
SHEEP HEART
NEXT PAGE: ROBOT FERRET
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