Taxidermy in contemporary art : Study on the relationships between human and animals.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00191
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01060:History of arts-related
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: Moriyama Midori 慶應義塾大学, アート・センター(三田), 講師(非常勤) (20779326)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 美術史 / 美学 / 現代美術 / 芸術人類学 / 剥製 / 狩猟

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, among the art works produced and presented in Japan, those produced and presented using taxidermy, fur (leather) and bones (this is named 'taxidermy art') were investigated and the creators were interviewed. Information was obtained on why the individual artists used taxidermy, how they obtained it, etc., and these were presented at the Society for the Study of Human-Animal Relationships and other conferences. A survey of domestic and international works of taxidermy art, including those from Europe and the USA, was conducted from literature and internet sources, and a list was compiled as a database, which revealed that taxidermy art has been produced from the late 1990s to the present day. Many of these examples contain messages that respond to social issues, and it became clear that taxidermy based on the premise of death shows a more powerful intention to appeal to the viewer.

Free Research Field

近現代美術史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

美術史学において個別の作家研究や、美術と科学の接近に関する研究は欧米を中心になされており、他の学術分野（社会学、生物学、動物学ほか）との学際的研究も行なわれている。しかし日本では、形式分析と考察を中心とした研究が多く、現代美術研究において剥製や毛皮を素材として用いた作品に関しての研究は皆無であった。本研究は、国内外の作家と剥製美術作品の網羅的調査を実施し、とりわけ日本における剥製美術作品の作家への取材を行い、制作意図や素材の入手先等について把握した。よって本研究により、日本における剥製美術の基礎情報が整備され、すでに進捗している欧米の研究成果を補完することとなった。