Donya Coward’s art takes a unique approach to taxidermy, ditching the traditional preserved animal bodies for meticulously crafted sculptures made entirely from antique fabrics. Victorian laces, French embroideries, and bits and bobs of haberdashery are transformed into creatures that seem to leap from another era, their stitched forms imbued with a timeless quality.
Coward’s meticulous process can take anywhere from four to eight weeks to complete a single piece. Each sculpture is a testament to her dedication to her craft and her respect for the materials she uses. Rather than hiding the imperfections of the antique fabrics, Coward incorporates them into her work, believing that these flaws add depth and character to the final product. The result is a collection of creatures that are both hauntingly beautiful and undeniably unique.
The emphasis of my work is about preserving the materials as much as it is about the animal forms being imitated. My work takes inspiration from the imperfections and histories ingrained in the materials, hence why I choose not to was the fabrics as stains, repairs, and markings that have happened due to age, rusted pins or bleaching add character to the colourings and markings of the animal form.
Donya Coward
