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The
following photo-packed article is about the third annual
rogue taxidermy contest held at the Union Hall club in
Brooklyn, New York on November 2, 2007.
This manuscript was produced by Dr. Eriko N. Bond, an
art critic and author in New York City, as told by
Takeshi Yamada. Except for two photos by istolethetv,
all the photographs featured here were taken by Takeshi
Yamada and Diane M. Taros.
TAKESHI YAMADA
AT
ROGUE TAXIDERMY CONTEST
UNION HALL, BROOKLYN, 2007
Part 1
Union Hall
On November
2, 2007, the internationally famous, third-annual freak
taxidermy contest “Carnivorous Night: Taxidermy Contest”
was held at the Union Hall club (702 Union Street,
Brooklyn, NY 11215. phone: 718.638.4400) in the heart of
the Park Slope neighborhood (the SOHO of Brooklyn) of
Brooklyn, New York.
Union Hall
is a 5,000 square-foot bar, restaurant and live music
venue. This free art event was part of the club’s
regular monthly cultural events (including lectures)
sponsored by Union Hall’s “Secret Science Club”
Union Hall logo.
Secret Science Club logo.
Interior
views. (left) library with fireplace. (right) two indoor
bocce courts.
History and Background
The
Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest was founded in 2005
by Margaret Mittelbach and Michael Crewdson to
dramatically promote their taxidermy-inspired book
Carnivorous Nights: On the Trail of the Tasmanian Tiger.
The “Rump Ape” won the Grand prize. The contest has
since taken on a life of its own, with first-year
winners Andrew Templar and Jim Carden-owners of Union
Hall-now providing a permanent home for this beastly
annual contest.
http://www.carnivorousnights.com/taxidermy/index.html
To read the
detailed, photo-packed article by Takeshi Yamada on the
2006 contest, which featured a special taxidermy master
class and demonstration given by the Minnesota
Association of Rogue Taxidermists, go to the following
website.
http://sideshowworld.com/TYGreatATaxidermy.html
The
Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest is hosted by the
Union Hall Secret Science Club at the Union Hall, an
organization dedicated to exploring scientific
discoveries and contributing to the public understanding
of science. To learn more, visit the Secret Science Club
blog or MySpace page.
http://secretscienceclub.blogspot.com/
The Secret Science Club Main Auditorium
The main
auditorium--equipped with an A-V room and full bar on
the lower level of Union Hall--has been used for the
Secret Science Club’s monthly lectures for years. Shown
here are examples of dramatic wall displays with
taxidermy specimens, artifacts, and artworks.
A wall-size
shadow box with taxidermy specimens on display.
Impressive
taxidermy specimens, fossils and a two-headed chick
(gaff) on display.
Taxidermy Contest
This year’s
annual creative and rogue taxidermy contest was promoted
by a massive PR campaign just like last year.
The contest was not held on Halloween like last year but
it was the event of season.
http://secretscienceclub.blogspot.com/2007/10/union-hall-secret-science-club-presents.html
(posted) Sunday, October 07, 2007
Special Event . . . Presenting the third-annual
Carnivorous Nights TAXIDERMY CONTEST on November 2 .
. .
Don't miss the year’s most beastly Day of the
Dead event . . .
The Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest
Friday, November 2, 2007 at 8 PM
@ Union Hall
Enter your taxidermy to win!
Show off your beloved moose head, stuffed albino
squirrel, sinuous snake skeletons, jarred sea slugs,
and other specimens. Compete for prizes and glory!
The contest will be judged by a panel of savage
taxidermy enthusiasts, including the American Museum
of Natural History's collections manager for
mammalogy Darrin Lunde; Robert Marbury, co-director
of the Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermists;
and Dorian Devins of WFMU and the Secret Science
Club!
Don’t miss the wild taxidermy talk by beast master
Brian Wiprud, author of Stuffed, Pipsqueak, and
Tailed
Prizes for best stuffed creature, most interesting
biological oddity, and more!
Meet—and try to beat!—last year’s Grand Champion of
taxidermy, Takeshi Yamada of the Museum of World
Wonders
Plus! Taxidermy-inspired tunes and video . . . and
ferocious specialty drinks
CONTEST RULES: The contest is open to taxidermy
(homemade, purchased, found), preserved and jarred
specimens, skeletons, skulls, gaffs … and beyond.
(Note: Wet specimens must remain in their jars.)
ENTRANTS: Please arrive at Union Hall at 7 pm to log
in your beast or specimen, and contact
secretscienceclub@gmail.com to pre-register. Share
your taxidermy (and its tale) with the world!
SPECTATORS: Cheer on your favorite specimens!
No cover charge. Just bring your beastly self. Doors
open at 7:30. LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE.
Union Hall, 702 Union St. (at 5th Ave.) in Park
Slope, Brooklyn, p: 718.638.4400
For more information, contact
secretscienceclub@gmail.com
The doors
opened at 7:30pm. The taxidermy contest was held from
8pm to 10:15pm.
Event poster
and sign (photos by Marco,
istolethetv)
The place
was completely packed with a long line waiting outside
to get in.
Formal
opening remarks by Secret Science Club committee
members--including Dorian Devins (center)--were given at
the beginning of the evening’s event.
The formal
opening speech by Andrew Templar, Union Hall owner
followed. In the beginning, there was a Ramp Ape (a
classic sideshow gaff). This sideshow gaff won the Grand
Prize at the first taxidermy contest here.
Powerpoint
presentation of Roadside freak taxidermy by beast master
Brian Wiprud, author of Stuffed, Pipsqueak, and
Tailed.
Takeshi
Yamada, Seara (the Sea Rabbit), and Miss Secret Science
Club.
Continue to Part 2
Copyright
by Takeshi Yamada, November
2007, Revised in January 2008. All rights
reserved.
Museum of
World Wonders in Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New
York.
E-mail:
yamada108@aol.com
http://www.sideshowworld.com/SSA-15.html
Special
Thanks to Dr. Eriko N. Bond, Lauren D. Travis, and
Maremi Kakushina.
Also special
thanks to Kris Roth (Senior Proofreader)
All stories are the
property of Sideshow World & their respective authors.
Any republication in part or in whole is strictly
prohibited. For more information please
contact us here.
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