Tuesday, June 12, 2007

BRITISH ARTIST SELLS FRAMED ROADKILL

Most drivers will try to avoid driving over a dead animal carcas strewn over a highway but a British artist (if you can call him that...I would call him weirrrrrrrd) is selling - wait for it - squashed/mashed/mangled and framed no less, hare and fox for - again wait for it -£35,000.

The artist in question who lives in Horsley, gets his inspiration by scraping off animals who have encountered cars and lost, off the cement highways. He then takes them home (presumably but who knows) and skins them after which he sticks them in a frame and displays them to the public! Why - who knows. Art? Self-expression?

In order to sustain his supply the artist has set up a "roadkill hotline" for people to get in touch with him when they spot a squished animal.Does the union representing highway cleaners know about this?

There's more - don't read this if you haven't had your breakfast/whatever yet - he actually eats their flesh before using them for sculptures and admits to eating badgers, squirrels and hares.

He claims that he uses roadkill to highlight how people have become alienated from the natural world. O-kay...whatever... Personally, the possibility of the lingering taste of rubber from the tires is enough to put me off.

His sons aged 8, 12 years and 7 year old daughter, all vegetarians co-incidentally(!), love his work. I bet.

By the way and if you're in the area it can be viewed at Griffin Mill, near Stroud, as part of the town's arts festival. Viewing it on an empty stomach is suggested. There is no information available as to whether there are any buyers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/gloucestershire/6742407.stm


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