Our first book blad

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OUR FIRST GOLDEN RULE None of our animals have been taken from the wild. All animals died of natural causes.

CONTENTS Foreword by Martyn Lawrence Bullard

p. 14-15

Our First Collector p. 130-131

Introduction by Helen Chislett

p. 16-19

Our First Unknown Pose

A matter of death... and life | Essay on DS&vT’s work

p. 22-29

Our First Relocation p. 172-177

Our First Preface p. 32-33

Our First Insights p. 178-211

Our Birth p. 36-37

Our First Second Show

p. 216-233

Our First Love p. 38-47

Our First Guest Curatorship

p. 234-245

Our First Creatures p. 52-59

Our First Museum p. 248-277

Our First Fortress p. 62-79

Our First Vanitas p. 280-289

Our First Collection p. 80-83

Our First Retrospective Moment

p. 292-293

Our First Sale p. 84-85

Interview Sinke & Van Tongeren

p. 294-303

Our First Show p. 86-119

Credits & Colophon p. 304

p. 134-169

Our First Patrons p. 122-127

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OUR FIRST GOLDEN RULE None of our animals have been taken from the wild. All animals died of natural causes.

CONTENTS Foreword by Martyn Lawrence Bullard

p. 14-15

Our First Collector p. 130-131

Introduction by Helen Chislett

p. 16-19

Our First Unknown Pose

A matter of death... and life | Essay on DS&vT’s work

p. 22-29

Our First Relocation p. 172-177

Our First Preface p. 32-33

Our First Insights p. 178-211

Our Birth p. 36-37

Our First Second Show

p. 216-233

Our First Love p. 38-47

Our First Guest Curatorship

p. 234-245

Our First Creatures p. 52-59

Our First Museum p. 248-277

Our First Fortress p. 62-79

Our First Vanitas p. 280-289

Our First Collection p. 80-83

Our First Retrospective Moment

p. 292-293

Our First Sale p. 84-85

Interview Sinke & Van Tongeren

p. 294-303

Our First Show p. 86-119

Credits & Colophon p. 304

p. 134-169

Our First Patrons p. 122-127

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OUR FIRST PREFACE

This is it: our very first book. It is a book that

documents the first stage of our journey, from the first specimen mounted in our tiny workshop to our first client, first exhibition, first museum, first documentary, first newspaper headline (‘Stuff Me, Hirst has Bought The Lot’) and first relocation to a bigger workshop. This is the story of how two advertising guys put 25 years of art direction skills into the dusty craft of taxidermy, enjoying the best years of our lives to create what we love, with no brief, no budget, no deadline and no compromises.

Over the last four years, we have created compositions from nature’s beauty that other people have described as “mesmerizing art”, but this may be your first opportunity to see whether you agree...

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OUR FIRST PREFACE

This is it: our very first book. It is a book that

documents the first stage of our journey, from the first specimen mounted in our tiny workshop to our first client, first exhibition, first museum, first documentary, first newspaper headline (‘Stuff Me, Hirst has Bought The Lot’) and first relocation to a bigger workshop. This is the story of how two advertising guys put 25 years of art direction skills into the dusty craft of taxidermy, enjoying the best years of our lives to create what we love, with no brief, no budget, no deadline and no compromises.

Over the last four years, we have created compositions from nature’s beauty that other people have described as “mesmerizing art”, but this may be your first opportunity to see whether you agree...

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Just a few of the tools of the trade we need – often we use surgeon’s tools for extra precision.

Image: © Dennis Baars

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Just a few of the tools of the trade we need – often we use surgeon’s tools for extra precision.

Image: © Dennis Baars

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“ SINKE & VAN TONGEREN ELEVATES TAXIDERMY TO A FINE ART.”

Image: © Dennis Baars

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“ SINKE & VAN TONGEREN ELEVATES TAXIDERMY TO A FINE ART.”

Image: © Dennis Baars

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When we begin work on mounting a

specimen, we first defrost it – this can take anything from one night to seven days. Once defrosted, we start to skin it. However, smaller animals and birds can dry out from the freezing process, so we might inject them with water to re-hydrate the skin.

Once we have agreed on the best possible pose, we start sculpting the mannequin. For a mammal, that will mean constructing a metal structure that functions as skeleton. Depending on the size, we weld this with steel rods. For smaller animals, we use folded copper wire. The next step is to add the right amount of volume with a light material, such as wood shavings, Polyurethane foam or papiermache. In this way, we begin to assemble the contours of the mannequin in the pose we want, holding it in place with rope. Finally, we sculpt muscles from a special clay that won’t shrink when drying. All the time, we go back to our original measurements and the data we collected from the animal. It has to be minutely accurate, which can be frustrating. Finally, we set to work on the neck and head. For birds, we use the empty skull – for mammals, we make a cast of the head (see overleaf).

We have to check each specimen throughout the drying process. Here Ferry is checking that the lips of a female Mandrill are tucked in correctly.

Image: © Ilvy Njiokiktjien

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When we begin work on mounting a

specimen, we first defrost it – this can take anything from one night to seven days. Once defrosted, we start to skin it. However, smaller animals and birds can dry out from the freezing process, so we might inject them with water to re-hydrate the skin.

Once we have agreed on the best possible pose, we start sculpting the mannequin. For a mammal, that will mean constructing a metal structure that functions as skeleton. Depending on the size, we weld this with steel rods. For smaller animals, we use folded copper wire. The next step is to add the right amount of volume with a light material, such as wood shavings, Polyurethane foam or papiermache. In this way, we begin to assemble the contours of the mannequin in the pose we want, holding it in place with rope. Finally, we sculpt muscles from a special clay that won’t shrink when drying. All the time, we go back to our original measurements and the data we collected from the animal. It has to be minutely accurate, which can be frustrating. Finally, we set to work on the neck and head. For birds, we use the empty skull – for mammals, we make a cast of the head (see overleaf).

We have to check each specimen throughout the drying process. Here Ferry is checking that the lips of a female Mandrill are tucked in correctly.

Image: © Ilvy Njiokiktjien

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“ THEIR ARTWORKS ARE AS ARRESTINGLY BEAUTIFUL AS NATURE IN THE FLESH. WITH AN UNCANNY ABILITY TO FREEZE-FRAME THE POWER OF A PAIR OF FIGHTING COCKERELS, OR THE DRAMATIC MOMENT AN AGITATED TIGER WHIPS AROUND, THEY HAVE MARTIALED TAXIDERMY AS A TOOL TO CELEBRATE LIFE.” Henrietta Thompson Contributor to Luxury Telegraph and First Reviewer of ‘Darwin’s Menagerie’

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“ THEIR ARTWORKS ARE AS ARRESTINGLY BEAUTIFUL AS NATURE IN THE FLESH. WITH AN UNCANNY ABILITY TO FREEZE-FRAME THE POWER OF A PAIR OF FIGHTING COCKERELS, OR THE DRAMATIC MOMENT AN AGITATED TIGER WHIPS AROUND, THEY HAVE MARTIALED TAXIDERMY AS A TOOL TO CELEBRATE LIFE.” Henrietta Thompson Contributor to Luxury Telegraph and First Reviewer of ‘Darwin’s Menagerie’

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“ THEIR WORK ENCOMPASSES MY GREAT PASSIONS OF ART, MYTHOLOGY, HISTORY AND DANCE. FOR ME, IT IS THE LATTER THAT DRIVES THEIR COMPOSITIONS – THESE ARE CAREFULLY CHOREOGRAPHED ARRANGEMENTS THAT TRANSFORM GROUPS OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS INTO DRAMATIC AND THEATRICAL WORKS OF ART.” Alexia Sinclair Artist

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“ THEIR WORK ENCOMPASSES MY GREAT PASSIONS OF ART, MYTHOLOGY, HISTORY AND DANCE. FOR ME, IT IS THE LATTER THAT DRIVES THEIR COMPOSITIONS – THESE ARE CAREFULLY CHOREOGRAPHED ARRANGEMENTS THAT TRANSFORM GROUPS OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS INTO DRAMATIC AND THEATRICAL WORKS OF ART.” Alexia Sinclair Artist

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We are also excited about the future – what else

OUR FIRST RETROSPECTIVE MOMENT

can we learn? Which skill sets will we add? What kind of commissions are ahead? How will the next photo series be conceived? Will we embark on an even bigger museum project? Will we be able to build up a network of Jamb-style showrooms to represent our taxidermy work in other European

Looking back over these past few years, it

cities – and cool art galleries to show our

feels as though we have been in the toddler’s

photographic series? And, in short, what will our

period. We have learned so much every day that it

second book look like?

has been absolutely amazing. We have met animal breeders, zoo-keepeers and traders who have passed on incredible knowledge – we have even picked up the scientific Latin names for many species. We have learned so much about antiques, by researching the things we wanted to buy. We have learned new skills to help us create our pieces – how to work with wood, steel, clay, marble, gold, copper and resins, for example. But most of all, we have learned anatomy from the lessons each creature has given us – and that has enabled us to mount each animal with more satisfaction than the one before. We are thankful to all of our teachers - alive, dead or virtual on Youtube – they have helped us on this incredible journey. In less than six years, we have become completely different people.

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We are also excited about the future – what else

OUR FIRST RETROSPECTIVE MOMENT

can we learn? Which skill sets will we add? What kind of commissions are ahead? How will the next photo series be conceived? Will we embark on an even bigger museum project? Will we be able to build up a network of Jamb-style showrooms to represent our taxidermy work in other European

Looking back over these past few years, it

cities – and cool art galleries to show our

feels as though we have been in the toddler’s

photographic series? And, in short, what will our

period. We have learned so much every day that it

second book look like?

has been absolutely amazing. We have met animal breeders, zoo-keepeers and traders who have passed on incredible knowledge – we have even picked up the scientific Latin names for many species. We have learned so much about antiques, by researching the things we wanted to buy. We have learned new skills to help us create our pieces – how to work with wood, steel, clay, marble, gold, copper and resins, for example. But most of all, we have learned anatomy from the lessons each creature has given us – and that has enabled us to mount each animal with more satisfaction than the one before. We are thankful to all of our teachers - alive, dead or virtual on Youtube – they have helped us on this incredible journey. In less than six years, we have become completely different people.

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CREDITS & COLOPHON Foreword:

Martyn Lawrence Bullard

Photography:

Dennis Baars p.62, 64, 66, 68, 69, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 82, 83, 94, 102, 112, 118

Texts:

Helen Chislett | Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren

Anton Corbijn p. 130

Essay:

Helen Chislett

Richard Grassie p.16

Interviews:

Helen Chislett

Ilvy Njiokiktjien p.125, 142, 144, 184, 188, 192, 200, 202, 206, 208, 220, 223, 224, 228

Copy-editing:

First Name Last Name

Colijn van Noort p.248

Book Design:

Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren

James McDonald p.199

Tim Mintiens p.2, 6, 256, 258, 265, cover Colonne comme Bachelier

© 2018 Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren | Lannoo NV, Tielt

Ernst Moritz p.250, 252, 254, 261, 262, 266, 268, 270, 271, 272, 274, cover Snake Heraldry

D/2018/XX/XXX – NUR XXX

Serge Steijn p.234,236,238,244, 245

ISBN 000 00 000 0000 0

Gisella Torres p.122

Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren

Stephan Vanfleteren p.242

www.finetaxidermy.com

Bastiaan Woudt p.294, 299

www.lannoo.nl

All other photography © Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or

Rijksmuseum:

- Animals and Plants, Melchior d’Hondecoeter, c. 1668 p.2

transmitted in any form or by means, electronic or mechanical,

- Hunting and Fruit Still Life, Jan Weenix, 1714 p.4

including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and

- Animals, Anonymus, 1750 – 1850 p.5

retrieval systam, without prior permission in writing from the

- Animals, Anonymus, 1750 – 1850 p.8

publisher and Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren.

- Still Life with a Hare and other Game, Jan Weenix, 1697 p.9

- Water birds and a dog, Melchior d’Hondecoeter, 1646 - 1695 p.21

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders. If, however,

- Two peacocks, Melchior d’Hondecoeter, 1646 – 1695 p.30

you feel that you have been inadvertently overlooked, please contact

- The Floating Feather, Melchior d’Hondecoeter, c. 1680 p.38

the publishers.

- Birds in a Park, Melchior d’Hondecoeter, 1686 p.42-43

- The Threatened Swan, Jan Asselijn, c. 1650 p.46-47

- Dead Birds, Jan Vonck, 1640 - 1662 p.48

- Still Life with Hare and a Black Rooster, Cornelis Lelienbergh, 1659 p.61

- The Menagerie, Melchior d’Hondecoeter, c. 1690 p.92

- Willem III, Prince of Orange, Godfried Schalcken, c. 1692 - c. 1697 p.97

- Hunter’s Bag on a Terrace, Melchior d’Hondecoeter, c. 1678 p.121

- Two Exotic Birds, Aert Schouman, 1762 p.132

- Park with Country House, Jan Weenix, 1670 - 1719 p. 171

- Detail of: Birds on a Balustrade, Melchior d’Hondecoeter, c. 1680 - c. 1690 p.213

- Fighting Birds, anonymous, c. 1655 p. 291

- Still Life with a gilded Beer Tankard, Willem Claesz. Heda, 1634 p.292

Other artworks: - Charles Robert Darwin by John Collier, © National Portrait Gallery, London p.11

- The Bird Concert c. 1630/40, Frans Snyders, © akg-images p. 40

- The Tiger Hunt, Peter Paul Rubens, © akg-images p.44-45

- The cat and the fox, Frans Snyders , © Prado Museum p.81

- Trompe-l’oeil plafondstuk vogels, Abraham Busschop, © Dordrechts Museum p.105

- Dead Swan, Jan Weenix 1716, © Boijmans Collection p.113

- Zwei junge Löwen verfolgen einen Rehbock, Frans Snyders, © bpk | Bayerische

Staatsgemäldesammlungen p.129

- The Taxidermist, Joseph Schippers p.178

- Detail of: ‘Der Hahnenkampf’, © bpk | Gemäldegalerie, SMB | Jörg P. Anders p.232

- Plate 311 American White Pelican, John J. Audubon, © audubon.org p.247

- An Allegory of Air , Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686-1755) p. 279