Taxidermy - Selfish, Scientific or Stylish?

Does taxidermy always expose a longing to capture animals and tell stories about their significance within human lives?

The Museum of Vancouver attempts to answer this question with their latest exhibit, Ravishing Beasts (Oct. 22 - Feb. 28). Viewers are confronted with the 'visual power of taxidermy' and invited to examine taxidermy's cultural aesthetic, scientific history and artistic revival.

Here's a sneak peak from the opening party.

images © stacy reynaud

Fin

*No animals were harmed for this exhibition. Most of the taxidermy that will be on exhibit is from the museum's own collection and was acquired between 1894 and 1950 from Vancouver residents.

The Digs - What you see is what you get

I've had a few requests for some pics of the new digs. Here it is in all its unstaged glory - dark (cause that's the way I like it) and scantily clad with what's left of our furniture. Everything is still where we left it when we brought it in off the moving truck and will probably stay that way for awhile.

Don't you just love wires. My Dad won that lamp when he was a kid for delivering the most newspapers. The hand painted tea pot is a thrift find from years ago. I use it to hold my pens.

One really big slab table and a bent plywood Singer sewing chair.

My old LED clock from the 80s. It's so bright we have to put a sock over it when we go to bed. Part of the husband's guitar collection.

Our highly coveted thrifted $40 rosewood chair and my Grandfather's iron night table. That's Sherman down below. Oh, and there's my Casio Illuminator LED digital watch. Note the gorgeous rental white snagged rental apartment curtains. The emerald black out drapes will be up soon - I hope.

This is our old place.
The studio.

Vintage Lanvin

1932

I've been had by gelatin

the yogurt I'm going back to

Boiled bones, skins and tendons are not on my plat du jour.

We used to shop at a whole food market but recently switched to a no name box store grocer for financial reasons. It never occurred to me to check the ingredients of yogurt for anything besides cochineal but upon reading the label of a cheap 'house' brand plain yogurt to use for some raita I almost chucked it and my cookies on the floor. Since when did they put gelatin in yogurt, marshmallows or mini-wheats for that matter? Guess I've been out of the loop for the past ten years.

As for those copious amounts of gelatin I've consumed unknowingly - you know who you are and I'm on to you - you can sit with the curried lamb plate I ate half of in London and that ham quiche from Capers I felt the wrath of for three days in the file marked Remember that time...

Oh and ba-bye rice krispie squares you'll fit nicely beside fruit berries in the file marked Food I used to enjoy but won't touch again...

For a list of food additives of animal origin or suspected animal origin visit this site.

Quote of the Week - Carrie Latet

Souls wouldn't wear suits and ties; they'd wear blue jeans and sit cross-legged with a glass of red wine.

Sanjhih and Taiwan's Forgotten Space Age Modern

The UFOs have now been destroyed.

Originally intended as a luxury beachside resort in the 1970s, Sanjhih's (Sanzhi) UFO residences have now become part of the beach. Levelled earlier this year by the Taipei County Government, the structures now exist only in the image. For a striking pictorial history, including the remains after the demolition,visit Cypher One on Flickr.

Each UFO was constructed of reinforced concrete covered by fiber-reinforced plastic.

The residences were never inhabited, nor was the project completed.

*All photos from cypherone's Flickr set.

Read an article on the Sanjhih UFOs from the Taipei Times here.


Related Posts:
Urban Decay and Abandonment
The Decline of West Coast Modernism

Goodbye White Picket Fence, Hello Lace

Want to throw your neighbours a curve ball? Put up one of these babies. The Lace Fence is designed by Dutch design house Demekersvan in a variety of themes or give them one of your own to work wonders with. www.lacefence.com

6 Jeans for Men Fall Winter

The crotch wears out on my husband's jeans about the same time every year. Some sort of physics perhaps...

He's 5'9" and less than 150 lbs. Usually it's pretty easy for him - 30 32 - we're in we're out. However, with the plethora of men's denim hitting the market it seems men's wear is headed in the same direction us women have been navigating for years - non-standardized sizing.

Here are six of the best jeans he tried. We finished the day with pairs of Nudie and Levi's.

Dolce & Gabbana Gold Logo Plaque

buy online

Dior 19cm Nostalgy
buy online

Levi's 511 Skinny
buy online

Acne Black Max Cash
buy online

Cheap Monday OD Black

Nudie Thin Finn Dry Black Coated
buy online

Design Lover: Brand van Egmond Love You Love You Not Chandeliers

To think, for all those years his love lay in the fate of a flower petal.

From the ceilings of the Hilton Hotel in La Defense, Paris, to the Belle et Fou theatre in Berlin, Dutch design duo Brand van Egmond has definitely been hanging out in the right joints around town. William Brand and Annet van Egmond founded Brand van Egmond in 1993 and has since been synonymous with trendsetting design that is both eye catching, memorable and distinct.

The Love You, Love You Not collection of lighting continues the duo's tradition of emotionally provoking design.

For stockists.

Quote of the week - Bob Dylan

All I can do is be me, whoever that is.
Bob Dylan

Vintage Charles Jourdan

Charles Jourdan
1970

Do I look like a doily in this?

Winona Ryder 1994

Watching Reality Bites the other night I was reminded of one of my favourite looks from the good ole grunge days - the crocheted dress. I had one I wore with a red vintage slip under it but the sleeves fell at the fat part of my upper arms so I only wore it once. The crocheted top and skirt combo was much more preferred for its mix and match potential.

Judy Geeson 1967

Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2010

Fast forward 2010 and it's time to become reacquainted with crochet.

Chanel Spring 2010

You've entered the Bijou Living Giveaway, correct?

Supergroup is not in my vocabulary

Live at Video Kill 3*
image © Lightning Dust

Lightning Dust describe themselves as 'Folk Rock / Melodramatic Popular Song / Psychedelic'. I saw their photo in a local freebie newspaper and was intrigued. I didn't read the accompanying article as the journalist's writing irritates me. I opted to search and judge for myself. Yes, they're in other bands but you don't need to know that as their talent stands on its own.

Give a listen to I Knew

* This isn't the photo I saw in the freebie local.

Style Inspiration - 1967 London's East End

Unruly East End hooligans are cleaned up for film in James Clavell's 1967 drama, To Sir, With Love.

Key pieces:

• stovepipe denim
• black leather loafers
• motorcycle jacket
• tie with jean jacket
• crumpled blazer

Fall Winter 2009

Left to right: William Rast, Nice Collective, Loden Dager, Burberry Prorsum

Is only the asylum abandoned?

image from an abandoned asylum in the UK
© vmlopes

It's Mental Health Awareness Week in the United States. In British Columbia most of the asylums were closed in the early 90s. Those without the means to shelter, family or friends, financial support or mental capacity were sent out on the street to fend for themselves.

For anyone that has experienced mental illness first hand they know that cognitive thinking isn't always an option and it's difficult to retain relationships. Without human support it's extremely easy to slip through the cracks. Human support begins by recognizing, acknowledging, and accepting mental illness. Do not fear it or those that have it.

Please don't abandon those that need a little extra patience and understanding.

Quote of the Week: Coco Chanel

A style does not go out of style as long as it adapts itself to its period. Coco Chanel

Design Lover: Peter Marigold Pied de Biche

British designer and Central St. Martins honours graduate Peter Marigold has taken found British industrial Dexion steel shelving, cut it and re-welded it into a piece I want in my home - the Pied de Biche (Doe Foot). The piece was originally designed for Libby Sellers Gallery in 2008 but maybe if we ask nicely he'll produce a few for market.

Marigold currently lives and works in London with his partner, Orly Orbach, and their giant snail, Marvin.

His recent work, the Palindrome Series, is available online at Moss Gallery.


Related Posts:
From Vandalism to Home Decor
Joshua Van Dyke: The Skateboard as Rite of Passage

80s Moschino

Moschino
1987

because you're simply mahvelous

Those of you that follow my blog - and might I mention you're mahvelous - may know I'm going through a mood and am clearing out basically everything I own. I've received some wonderful encouragement from you and I thank you - Harbourmaster, Emily and those that emailed.

I mentioned in a recent comment that I was going to sell my entire vintage collection. Well, because you're so mahvelous I've decided to save some and offer it up to you through online contests/giveaways (sorry don't know the proper marketing jargon) throughout the rest of the year.

I'm moving this week so keep your eyes posted I may have time to upload one in the next few days.

Thank you again for your encouragement.

Stacy