The ‘Victor Frankenstein’ of the animal kingdom.

This canvas started life as a response to the themes and imagery present in the H.G. Wells classic.

I focused my inquiry on the twisted surgical practices described within the pages of the book. In particular I had a desire to explore the scenes of vivisection and cruelty present. 

I became intrigued by the way the titular character used his creative talent to force the natural world to bend to his own ideals.

Typography became the way I chose to visualise this.

A desire to capture something of the spirit residing beneath the skin of these suffering wretches inspired me to source the defective and unwanted animal hides, discarded by the local tanning industry, as my raw material.

I began by stitching the remnants together. I then by repeatedly stretched and contracted the fibres, through a series of extreme mechanical processes; I was able to shape the material to my own will — emulating the actions of the doctor from the story.

It was an immense undertaking considering the short time it took to plan and execute the whole project.

The whole endeavor became installation art spanning two floors of studio space and at times must have appeared like a piece of bizarre theatre as I rushed from one task to the next.

The typography represents the unmistakable stamp of humanity on the natural world.

The final piece is a grotesque collage of flesh and *fur, held in place by a web of wires and hooks forming a tormented chimera.