Series - FotoSlovo 2026 - Category « Wild life »

Inspired by Dutch Baroque painters (such as Melchior de Hondecoeter, Frans Snyders and Jan Asselijn), whose paintings often focus on animals as the main protagonists, this series of photographs pays homage to the animal world. Basically it is about dignity and elegance - qualities that we attribute far too rarely to our fellow inhabitants. By directing the gaze to often overlooked details, I try to draw the attention to what is essential - the beauty of nature that surrounds us all.

The animals depicted are taxidermy specimens. A taxidermist has forced them into positions that appear correct and fixed their facial expressions so that they will never change. Unlike living animals, these preparations are available. They cannot flee or defend themselves, they can be turned and positioned as desired. They will remain in the same position forever. They are dead.

At the centre of the series, however, is a sad monkey. He is the only one that is 'real' in his facial expressions, gestures, posture and behaviour because he is the only one that is alive. Yet his face, somehow familiar to us, remains unreadable. We interpret it, mirror ourselves in it and ascribe feelings to it. Is he really sad? Is he just bored? Or perhaps even content?

STRANGE ANIMALS thus also tells the story of the animal as a subject of mystification and worship, as a material and a resource, and ultimately as a projection surface for ourselves.