An art studio that displays art pieces in the form of dead animals? Not many view dead things as something to appreciate, much less call it art, but Vivian Tham sees so much more in them.
Written and photos by Jolene Soh
Vivian Tham runs the first and only commercial taxidermy studio in Singapore, Black Crow Taxidermy & Art (BCTA). It is her passion come alive. The 29-year-old taxidermist started with small projects at home and later expanded her business with a quaint studio in Chinatown.
For as long as she could remember, Vivian has always been interested in animals. Before pursuing Taxidermy as a professional career, she spent her youth preserving insects and different kinds of specimens, “I’ve always been in my own career path and never explored other paths”. Now with almost 10 years of experience in taxidermy, Vivian never once found herself in a lull. “When you have a job born out of passion, you just don’t get tired of it,” Vivian says.
Black Crow Taxidermy
At BCTA, they practise five different types of preservation. Taxidermy; Stuffing and mounting an animal for display, Skeleton Articulation; Converting a dead animal into a cleaned and articulated skeleton, Fluid Preservation; Preserving a fluid-preserved specimen inside an enclosed glass jar, Mummification; Preserving the body after death by deliberately drying or embalming flesh, and Dry Preservation; Placing many insects into a container to be dried and pinning them onto boards afterwards.
While there are currently only five types of preservation being practised at BCTA, Vivian is hoping to introduce new types of preservation into her studio in 2023. Namely, Diaphonization which is the staining of cartilage and skeleton, and Blood Preservation.
Artistic Perspective
Her bachelor’s degree in Zoology and master’s in Histopathology have aided Vivian in becoming a taxidermist. Vivian, however, says taxidermy is more than just science.
“Taxidermy is where science and art meet” says Vivian, the understanding of anatomy and chemicals is crucial when preserving an animal, but the artistic perspective is just as important.
The creative process of preservation is all about practice. Vivian was never an art student but more of a science student instead. Thus, her artistic side was nurtured through her passion for taxidermy and a lot of practice. “I am not a very big fan of social media, so I don’t actually see other people’s artworks before I do my own. Mainly everything in the studio was through trial and error.”
Her passion for taxidermy and her love for art is translated into her works displayed in BCTA where many appreciate the different art pieces scattered across the studio.
Vivian’s artistic flair can be seen prominently in her chimerical pieces where she handcrafts fantasy and mythical pieces using taxidermied elements and reassembled skeletons.
Her inspirations come from the environment, elements like water and smoke influence the way she designs a piece. To her, harmonisation is the key factor when preserving a specimen.
As each project requires attention to detail, it can be quite time-consuming depending on the carcass. The most taxing projects for Vivian would be gallery curations as multiple specimens are required for the art exhibitions. It can be quite laborious due to the process of curating multiple pieces that is appropriate for the public and people of all ages.
Vivian says, “It has to be visually appealing for visitors as many associate taxidermy with death, blood, and gore.” But with these exhibits, Vivian aims to reduce the stereotypical perception of taxidermy.
Challenges
When asked about the challenges she faces, Vivian attributes them to mostly external factors. “I am quite confident in my work, but it is mostly about my client’s expectations.” As a self-proclaimed perfectionist, Vivian is always picking on the smallest details which put pressure on herself.
But passion is what keeps her going. Despite the challenges and setbacks, Vivian is continuously learning to cope with the expectations that she sets for herself through her journey as a taxidermist.
Her message
Taxidermy is more than just about dead animals, it is the union of science and art. It allows people to study a specimen in-depth and to appreciate the artistic curation of each piece.
The taxidermy scene is hardly recognised in Singapore, and many might be apprehensive about visiting a taxidermy studio due to the taboo topic revolving around death. Vivian, on the other hand, offers this, “Keep an open mind to what Black Crow Taxidermy & Art does. There is no black magic here.”