From the first time I saw his work in 2008, I was captivated by the art of David R. Harper, a Canadian artist whose stunning reinterpretation of taxidermy as portraiture heightens the evocative nature of this powerful subject. Harper’s work explores the interplay of traditional and historically gendered crafts: taxidermy, embroidery and portraiture.  In 2008 I visited the Art Galley of Mississauga to see the work of Julie Moon. When I arrived at the gallery I was awestruck with Harper’s The Look and Feel of a Real Wood Stove. The piece stands over six feet high and features a mounted black bear standing on a working electric fireplace.

On the back of the bear the fur is shaved down and there is a large, finely embroidered portrait of a woman with roses in her hair. Harper’s combination of animal as décor and decorated animal is an amusing twist on trophy display. The act of shaving down and marring the surface of the skin can be seen as the aggressive act of branding. But Harper’s stunning embroidery is a new exploration of tattooing, delicate and ornamental branding rather than the searing of livestock. Harper’s work is playful and thoughtful; he seamlessly stitches together haunting taxidermy and beautiful embroidery. The interplay of the textures of the fur and floss give his piece a visceral, tangible quality, making the tactile nature of the work almost palpable.

I can remember my first meeting with the Harper and only in my wildest dreams would I have imagined the CZC would be exhibiting his work. Harper has bestowed the CZC with the long-term loan of this breathtaking work. The Contemporary Zoological Conservatory has joined the ranks of the National Gallery of Canada, who recently purchased his work Last to Win for their permanent collection. The Look and Feel of a Real Wood Stove is currently on display in the CZC. David R. Harper has made my dream of exhibiting his work come true, and now our cinnamon bear is no longer lonely.