Giant deer skull
Grant Museum What is your object? It is the skull of a giant deer or Irish elk Why did you select it? I find it interesting to have the skeleton of a being that now doesn’t exist anymore; also that said being is the ancestor to the deer we know nowadays. The most recent remains of the species have been carbon dated to about 7,700 years ago in Siberia. They call the species “Old World deer” and are distinguished by foot structure rather than geographical origin. What really baffled me was the estimation of the sheer size and weight of the animal itself. The Irish Elk stood about 2.1 meters tall at the shoulders carrying the largest antlers of any known cervid (a maximum of 3.65 m) from tip to tip and weighing up to 40 kg). In body size, the Irish Elk matched the extant moose subspecies of Alaska as the largest known deer. The Irish Elk is estimated to have attained a total mass of 540–600 kg (1,190–1,323 lb), with large specimens having weighed 700 kg or more, roughly similar to the Alaskan Moose. Another element which inspired me was the large variety of antler shapes for the Irish elk, it varied depending on the geographical position it lived in. so it adapted to its surroundings in order to survive and to do certain tasks. Why do you think it’s interesting? Reason is above. Where is it from? It varies when it comes to geographical origin. As mentioned above it could range from Ireland till Asia and Africa. Though I believe this specimen could be the European branch of the species. When was it made, acquired and/or first displayed? It is a skull; therefore it is made of organic material. It does not say when it was acquired or first displayed What is its materiality? Bone How does it feel? Wasn’t allowed to physically touch it, though I would assume that it coarse and smooth in some areas. Is it relevant? In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it was becoming increasingly apparent that many fossils represented organisms that were not known to survive anywhere on Earth. But to scientists who believed in the Divine creation of the Earth and its life, this posed a jarring philosophical problem: why would a good, perfect God allow any of the animals in His perfect creation to die out completely? Many scientists denied the reality of extinction, and instead suggested that animals known only as fossils would one day be found alive in some unexplored part of the globe. In the words of Dr. Thomas Molyneux, the first scientist to describe the Irish elk: “That no real species of living creatures is so utterly extinct, as to be lost entirely out of the World, since it was first created, is the opinion of many naturalists; and 'tis grounded on so good a principle of Providence taking care in general of all its animal productions, that it deserves our assent. “ So as you can see there is still relevance to todays society. We need to be aware of species that are endangered and very close to be extinct. If people were aware back then so should we, plus we have the means and technology to help this from happening. What current contemporary affairs does/can it relate to? Recently I have heard much debate on De-extinction, or resurrection biology. Scientists are debating on whether or not they should bring back from extinction certain specimens. Thanks to the science of cloning they are able to but now they are facing the ethical issues of if an animal is extinct should we leave it extinct or bring it back? There is significant controversy over de-extinction, and critics assert that efforts would be better spent conserving existing species, and that the habitat necessary for formerly extinct species to survive is too limited to warrant de-extinction. Who and what was its audience? Initially I believe it was for scientists since the exhibition where it was displayed was mostly of preserved animals, some of which were dissected. Though I think that now it is open to the public so everyone has the excess to see it. How is it framed? It isn’t really framed it is placed in a specific area, on a pedestal, with a wire surrounding it to ensure that people get the message that they aren’t allowed to touch it. Is it edible? No Can you suggest an updated version or an alternative use? Raise awareness of species close to extinction, if not decorative purpose. Group of gold and silver gilt filigree ornaments, possibly from crown-like headdresses, specifically the phoenix and the flower shaped ones Qing dynasty 18th-19th century AD What is your object? Some headdress/ hair ornaments in the shape of a phoenix and flowers, delicately and intricately made by hand. Why did you select it? I found that this would be an interesting object to work with for various reasons. Initially due to the connotation of tradition within the culture of China at that time as well as seeing how it evolved with time. Secondly I also would like to see how the figures represented through gold/silver connect with the culture, are there specific symbols one would wear for some specific occasions and if so why? And lastly I always find myself admiring objects, which display the maker’s manuality as well as sensitivity when it comes to manipulating the material in order to create his piece of work. Why do you think it’s interesting? The reason is stated above Where is it from? China When was it made, acquired and/or first displayed? It was made somewhere between 18th and 19th century AD, so during the Qing dynasty. What is its materiality? Gold and silver gilt filigree, with stones as well How does it feel? Was in a glass display so couldn’t really physically touch it, though I would assume that it would be quite fragile due to the thin layers present and its age. It looks smooth in some places yet rough in others. What is the object’s history or story? (What were the social identities of the maker, the owner and the subject of the object?) China's minorities are varied — and colorful. Headdresses play an important role in defining people and their cultures. The brilliant headdresses of China's minorities vary greatly, and each headdress reveals unique ethnical features, history, belief and culture. Through this article, we attempt to give you get a glimpse of the beautiful headdresses of some minorities, so that you may enjoy the unique beauty of this aspect of Chinese culture. “The headdresses of China's minorities are varied — and colorful. For example, the Mongolians, both men and women, decorate their hair with precious stones, coral and jasper. In Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Kirgiz women wear silver dollars and bronze pearls on their heads, and unmarried girls decorate their hats with pearls, tassels, and three or four feathers. Elderly women wear silver dollars and key pendants on their braids. The Tajiks often put silver chains on the brims of their hats, and Tatars' headdresses are made of old silver coins and metal plates. Tibet's Monba women use colorful strings of beads as ornaments for their heads, while the men wear magnificent hats with peacocks' feathers around the brims. The Qiang people, meanwhile, wear silver or steel hairpins, while the Bai people wear silver or jade hairpins. In addition to silver hairpins, the Dai women like to use bright-colored plastic flowers or combs and fresh flowers to decorate their hair. Gaoshan women wear crests, wreaths or silver hats that match their dresses.” Is it relevant? People nowadays still use objects to decorate their heads, some for statues (e.g. crown), and other for fashion trends. Right now I saw that in china there is the trend of decorating the top of your head with a plastic plant. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/08/world/asia/china-hair-trend-sprout-plant.html?_r=0 What current contemporary affairs does/can it relate to? Pollution in china Who and what was its audience? How is it framed? It isn’t really framed, if anything it’s incased in a glass display. Is it edible? Not edible Can you suggest an updated version or an alternative use? You can make a more contemporary version of it in the headwear style and experiment with materials that are available in our modern society. Could also experiment wit moving the ornaments to other parts of the body so it isn’t limited to one area exclusively, heck you could make a whole body suit. Could transform it into clothes and accessories, a pattern Snuff container Ram’s head, silver gilt and mixed materials Scottish, 1881-2 Donated by the science museum (?) What is your object? A snuff container made out of a ram’s head Why did you select it? I found it an intriguing object due to the fact of how unusual it was for me to see it. Just the concept to use an animal head as a container is alien to me, to further this feeling was also that they used it as a container for snuff (tobacco). As well as the shape and how it was decorated. It was very different from its Chinese counterpart at the time, much more exaggerated in size as well as extravagant in some cases. Why do you think it’s interesting? Reason is above. Where is it from? Scotland When was it made, acquired and/or first displayed? It was made in 1881-2 and was donated by the Science museum although it did not say when it was donated/acquired. What is its materiality? Silver and a ram’s head (taxidermy) How does it feel? Was in a glass display so couldn’t really physically touch it, though I would assume that it coarse from the fur/hide texture of the ram and smooth where the silver was inlaid. What is the object’s history or story? (What were the social identities of the maker, the owner and the subject of the object?) The history of man's needs and the experiments he has made towards stimulating his senses artificially doubtless stretches back more than ten millennia - back into the realms of unrecorded civilizations. However more recently, and by this I mean to refer to the 17th to the 21st Century, we can examine in detail the history of snuff. A European, first witnessed inhaling snuff, or snuffing, as it is also called, in 1493. At the beginning of the 18th century, French jewelers made snuffboxes out of gold set with diamonds, amethysts, and sapphires. By 1740, specialized artisans took over the production of these ornate tabatières, which they engraved, chased, and enameled. Gradually the common man came to know the pleasures of snuff too, and snuff mills were established across England in cities such as London, Sheffield and Manchester to supply the growing demand. Retailers caught the bug as well, and set up shops solely dealing in snuff and snuff paraphernalia. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries snuff production boomed, far outstripping smoking tobacco (or its US sibling, chewing tobacco). It seemed that everyone was taking snuff. And it was even recommended by doctors as a general cure-all, particularly effective in the treatment of coughs, colds and headaches. Is it relevant? These days, though, snuff is seeing something of a rebirth amongst connoisseurs and those looking for nicotine fix where smoking is banned or viewed with contempt. In some circles sharing snuff after dinner is now more acceptable than lighting up. What current contemporary affairs does/can it relate to? China’s president Xi Jinping has called the UK’s ambitions to become China’s best partner in the West a “visionary and strategic choice”.--> could do something to represent the strengthening of ties between Britain and chain economically. Maybe to the whole refugee issue happening, I could use the headdresses as a medium to demonstrate how their culture and identity is being threatened by a crisis back in their homeland. Who and what was its audience? Initially nobility and the higher social classes, though as time passed the common man could access it easier till the point of the 20th century where the trend kind of died out due to cigarettes being introduced meaning that something easier and quicker was introduced. Nowadays the trend resurrected and is coming back, plus everyone has access to it. How is it framed? It isn’t really framed, if anything it’s incased in a glass display. Is it edible? No Can you suggest an updated version or an alternative use? I really like the idea of an animal head serving as a container of sort. I would like to keep this use alive if possible. If not it could be made into a bag, a helmet or some kind of double use décor for the home/garden. The possibilities are infinite really…
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AuthorI am a first year student of Illustration and Visual Media at LCC. Archives
February 2017
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