Emily Valentine’s Bird Dogs

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I have mixed feelings about Australian artist Emily Valentine’s feathered dogs. I think they are absolutely exquisite but when I read that she makes them by trapping and killing the registered pest, the Indian Mynah bird (after her supply of roadkill and dead pets ran out), I felt uneasy. But it seems that is the point.

Valentine wants her art to “stimulate the viewer with the uncomfortable nature of the feather, to
question our callousness treatment of animals and birds, and ask how we
sub-consciously classify animals – pet or pest, valued or worthless,
beautiful or plain and why.”

See more of Valentine’s dogs on her website, and let me know what you think about beautiful dog art made with dead birds. For me, the word would be conflicted.

Hat tip to Tara Aveilhe. Visit her blog, Nothing Elegant which is anything but. It’s one of my favorites.

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bird dog art bird dogs dog art dogs emily valentine feather dogs feathers nothing elegant tara aveilhe

Comments

12 responses to “Emily Valentine’s Bird Dogs”

April 13, 2009

Donna Anderson

Moira, I agree with you completely and “conflicted” is a good way to describe the feeling. Reminds me of attending animal shelter charity events and noticing that I’m eating chicken or fish. What are we saying about the hierarchy of animals here, specifically which ones get to live or die?!?

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April 13, 2009

Matt

Wow! Now that is definitely original and amazing.

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April 13, 2009

jan

Audubon used to cook and eat birds after he finished painting them.

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April 13, 2009

the nag

I posted a link to this site a while ago and I must admit I find it creepy.

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April 13, 2009

nancy schutt

the pieces are quite beautiful, but i must say, I do prefer how wings look on birds.

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April 13, 2009

lunarmagpie

Amazingly beautiful, in a creepy way. Gives new meaning to the term “recycled pets.”

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April 13, 2009

Jen K

I find her work hypocritical… to be honest. Yeah, it’s pretty. But there are A LOT of beautiful sculptures out there. It’s no Bernini-that’s for sure.
If you want to preach the “word”… you should live by it… Right? Isn’t that why we get so upset by those preachers who are caught with hookers? Etc..??
If you want to make a statement about wasting life, is it proper to waste life? It’s one thing to collect road kill, etc… perhaps go to shelters and use animals that have already been euthenized (THAT would make a statement!)
But to do the killing yourself? Why not get creative… figure out a way to MAKE the feathers from recyclable materials… there are plenty of plastics out there. Wouldn’t that make a more valid point?
Besides, the folks who are actually wasting the lives of animals and the environment, could give a hoot about these sculptures. It’s those of us who love them who are sent home with a queazy tummy. So why did these animals die? Because Ms. Valentine ran out of road kill, and didn’t have the creative juice to do something new.
But that’s just my opinion.

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April 15, 2009

Jane O’Hara

well said Jen K…my sentiments exactly..(and expressed much better than i could!)
I like the idea of you posting controversial things Moira and getting feedback

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April 15, 2009

leesia

these are lovely, but i think that’s the perfect word, moira — “conflicted.” i agree with jen k — find a way to make the feathers from other materials…thank you for sharing, though. i always feel a little more educated after visiting your blog. :p

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April 15, 2009

WendyB

They’re gorgeous. If the animal is a pest, it doesn’t bother me. We wouldn’t be upset if someone found a good artistic use for rats in NYC! That would have to be some genius artist though. They definitely don’t seem good for much.

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April 18, 2009

Rex

Indian Mynahs are incredibly invasive pests, and are slowly wiping out Australia’s native parrots- lovely birds such as cockatoos, galahs, lorikeets and rosellas are all directly losing their habitat to these terrible birds.
What an interesting way to deal with invasive species! Now if they could only make something as pretty out of cane toads…

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May 12, 2009

Emily~ DreamEyce

My opinion is these birds are being killed anyways (Invasive pest), and would otherwise be tossed (unused). Why not use them for something instead? Now, if only someone were using the meat for something, or at least more of the body than just feathers.

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