Polly Morgan (taxidermist) facts for kids

Polly Morgan (born in 1980) is a British artist from London. She creates amazing art using taxidermy. Taxidermy is the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals so they look alive. Polly Morgan is known for making art that explores themes of life, death, and nature.

About Polly Morgan's Life

Polly Morgan was born in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England, in 1980. She grew up on her family's farm in the Cotswolds. Being on a farm meant she was used to seeing animals and understanding life cycles. This helped her feel comfortable working with animals later in her art.

How Polly Became an Artist

In 1998, Polly moved to East London, where she still lives. She studied English Literature at Queen Mary, University of London, and finished in 2002. While studying, she worked at a popular bar for artists. After graduating, she managed the bar.

When she was 23, Polly started experimenting with taxidermy in her apartment. She wanted to create her own art. She took a course with a professional taxidermist named George Jamieson in Edinburgh. This course helped her develop her unique artistic style.

Early Artworks and Recognition

Polly's first art pieces were made for a restaurant called Bistrotheque. Soon after, the famous street artist Banksy noticed her work. He saw pieces like a lovebird looking in a mirror and a squirrel holding a tiny bell jar. In 2005, Banksy invited her to show her art at his annual exhibition called Santa's Ghetto.

In 2006, Polly's artwork, a white rat in a champagne glass, was shown at the Zoo Art Fair. This piece was bought by Vanessa Branson, a well-known art collector. Today, Polly works from her studio in Bethnal Green, London.

Polly's Approach to Taxidermy

Polly Morgan is a member of the UK Guild of Taxidermists. She gets the animals for her art from a network of people. It's important to know that the animals she uses have died naturally or from accidents that couldn't be prevented. She keeps careful records of all the animals she uses.

Some people might think her work is disrespectful to animals. However, Polly believes her art is not cruel. She thinks it's important to show animals in a new way, focusing on their natural forms rather than making them look alive. Her art often shows animals in peaceful, resting positions.

Polly is married to artist Mat Collishaw, and they have two sons.

Exhibitions and Art Shows

Polly Morgan's art has been shown in many important exhibitions around the world. Here are a few notable ones:

• Still Life After Death, 2006 at Kristy Stubbs Gallery
• The Exquisite Corpse, 2007 at Trinity Church
• You Dig the Tunnel, I'll Hide the Soil, 2008 at White Cube
• Psychopomps, 2010 at Haunch of Venison
• Endless Plains, 2012 at All Visual Arts
• Fates Refrain, 2014 at Robilant + Voena Gallery
• Naturalia, 2017 at Paul Kasmin Gallery

See also

• What Do Artists Do All Day?