If you are thinking of paying a visit to Beijing's 798 Art District (and you should), and if (like me) you have a taste for the bizarre, you should visit the Beijing Happy Sheep Art Area exhibit.
This store displays works by the Jin Chong Wu company (the name means "Golden Pets" in Chinese), consisting of animals "rendered immortal" by the "latest German taxidermy technology".
Not content with merely stuffing deceased pets, the Jin Chong Wu company is staffed by true artists, who transform previously loved animals into dynamic, if rather alarming, exhibits. My favorite example is a small dog (at left) that appears to be getting rather too friendly with a globe. Whether this is an ironic comment on the state of the economy, the environment, or merely a portrayal of what the poor animal liked to do best with its free time before it died of exhaustion, I am not sure.
Taxidermised family pets used to be a familiar sight in Victorian England: visitors to country houses are occasionally startled by glass cases containing moldering cats and dogs. But the business had taken a dip in popularity by the mid- 20th century and acquired sinister overtones. Hitchcock fans will recall that Norman Bates described his hobby as "stuffiing animals".
Jin Chong Wu are doing their best to put the art of taxidermy back in the mainstream where they believe that it belongs. I am not sure that another of their starring exhibits will do the trick however. A rather scrawny cat with a unfortunate patch of black fur under its nose delivers a snarling salute (or perhaps begs for second helpings of tuna).
This store displays works by the Jin Chong Wu company (the name means "Golden Pets" in Chinese), consisting of animals "rendered immortal" by the "latest German taxidermy technology".
Not content with merely stuffing deceased pets, the Jin Chong Wu company is staffed by true artists, who transform previously loved animals into dynamic, if rather alarming, exhibits. My favorite example is a small dog (at left) that appears to be getting rather too friendly with a globe. Whether this is an ironic comment on the state of the economy, the environment, or merely a portrayal of what the poor animal liked to do best with its free time before it died of exhaustion, I am not sure.
Taxidermised family pets used to be a familiar sight in Victorian England: visitors to country houses are occasionally startled by glass cases containing moldering cats and dogs. But the business had taken a dip in popularity by the mid- 20th century and acquired sinister overtones. Hitchcock fans will recall that Norman Bates described his hobby as "stuffiing animals".
Jin Chong Wu are doing their best to put the art of taxidermy back in the mainstream where they believe that it belongs. I am not sure that another of their starring exhibits will do the trick however. A rather scrawny cat with a unfortunate patch of black fur under its nose delivers a snarling salute (or perhaps begs for second helpings of tuna).
Aside from the demented dog and cat, Jin Chong Wu seem to have stuffed a great many goats and sheep, these animals presumably being easier to get hold of than cats and dogs. A number of goat heads stare contentedly from wooden plaques and the center of a large porcelain plate.
The company say that they would like to have the chance to stuff as many animals as possible, so if your pet expires don't fling or flush it away, bring it to the Happy Sheep Art Area and have it turned into a conversation piece. Expect to pay more for unusual poses.
The Happy Sheep Art Area is at Zone D, 798 Art District, Jiu Xian Qiao Road, ChaoYang District in north Beijing. It's amongst some narrow alleys so you might have to search for it for a while.
The Jin Chong Wu website is at www.jinchongwu.com
