Fantastical creatures come to life in Dark Mofo’s unnerving art exhibition Wildlife

A CONFRONTING new art exhibition will ask viewers to explore their relationship with animals.

Brunswick-based artist Troy Emery with some of the pieces from his Wildlife exhibition at Rosy Barn, for the Clarence City Council and Dark Mofo. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

EXPLORING the longstanding relationship between animals and humans, artist Troy Emery’s unnerving work uses fantastical creatures to ask viewers to consider their connection to animals.

Emery, 36, describes his Dark Mofo art installation Wildlife as “fake taxidermy”.

Using textiles, pompoms, tassels and other traditional craft materials, Emery’s pelt-covered animal shapes caught the eye of Clarence City Council.

“Council approached me after seeing my work at the Sydney Contemporary Art Fair,” he said.

“I’m interested in this idea of how furs decorate the body and pets decorate the home.”

The Melbourne artist said it was interesting how people could look at the same animal shape and see something completely different.

“Some will see their pet dog, others see a lion,” he said

“The animal shapes become less specific without their eyes and ears and people project animals on to these shapes.”

Emery painstakingly takes all the materials then glues and pins them by hand to create his majestic animals.

“Some of the bigger works can take up to 60 hours of labour,” he said.

Emery said he was excited to take part in his first Dark Mofo exhibition.

“I’ve never attended Dark Mofo and I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.

The exhibition is open today and then from Wednesday, June 6, through to June 29 at the Rosny Barn on the Eastern Shore.

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