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16 March to 27 June 2015
Exhibition
When new regions are explored and the species in them are discovered, how does the wider world experience these animals? By examining the world of animal representations, Strange Creatures: the art of unknown animals explores how imagery has been used to bring newly discovered animals into the public eye. From the earliest days of exploration, visual depictions in artworks, books, the media and even toys have been essential in representing exotic creatures that are alien to people at home.
The Kongouro from New Holland (Kangaroo), George Stubbs, 1772 (C) National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Strange Creatures centres upon George Stubbs’ painting of a kangaroo, which was created following Captain Cook’s first Pacific “Voyage of Discovery”. It is Europe’s first painting of an Australian animal and became the archetype for how people imagined this iconic species for decades. This painting was recently saved for the nation after it was initially sold to an overseas buyer. This resulted in a government export bar before Royal Museums Greenwich raised the funds to keep it in the UK.
Strange Creatures from many angles
Palaeontologists and historians of science, exploration and art from across University College London investigate the theme of animal representation from the perspective of their own disciplines to create a diverse exhibition among the Museum’s permanent displays. Strange Creatures represents a chance to see Stubbs’ artwork among other animal depictions from the time of their earliest European encounters.
Strange Skins: Taxidermy as animal representation. Two taxidermy platypus specimens highlighting the different quality of preparation of taxidermy specimens.
The art & craftivism of representing extinct & endangered animals. Art historian Sarah Wade shares her research on alternative taxidermy by using artist Ruth Marshall's work of knitted skins (here a Thylacine) made from observations of pelt specimens in museums.
Models in Museums. Specimens are displayed in museums as representations for their entire species, but sometimes animals cannot be portrayed by their own remains. Museums use models in their place.
‘Contrary to the general views of nature’ by Margot Finn, UCL History. Watkin Tench's (1758-1833) account of the first Western encounters of kanagroos is outlined including the thes Aboriginal hunting clubs (UCL Ethnography Collections, LDUEC-D13, LDUEC-D14)
Annoucing the olinguito. In 2013 a new member of the raccoon family – the olinguito – was announced. At the press conference of the publication of the journal formally describing the species was timed, to the minute, with simultaneous press conferences in Washington, North Carolina and Ecuador. The journalists present were even given toy olinguitos.
Cook and the kangaroo. Outlining Captain James Cook's voyage abord the Endeavour Directions for sailing from the harbour of Halifax to Quebec (UCL Library Special Collections, MS ANGL 7) and The Death of Captain Cook, 1784 Etching and engraving (UCL Art Museum 9921).
Dinosaurs in popular culture. In art, literature, film and video games, dinosaurs are still often inaccurately reconstructed according to outdated 19th century representations.
There's something fishy about this dragon by Simon Werrett, UCL Science and Technology Studies. There was money to be made by sailors selling unusual specimens to eager naturalists. Fakes abounded. By drying a skate or ray cut in a certain way, the fish could be given the appearance of a baby dragon, called a “Jenny Haniver”.
Truth and lions by Andrea Fredericksen, UCL Art Museum. In the early modern period (roughly 16th-19th century) there was a fascination with rare and exotic animals like lions. However, few artists in Northern Europe had the opportunity to study such species in the flesh. This inevitably resulted in anatomical inaccuracies
Updating the dinosaur by Andrew Cuff and Anjali Goswami, UCL Genetics, Evolution and Environment. The first dinosaur discoveries presented scientists with animals unlike anything alive today, using modern imaging and engineering tools scientists are able to create more accurate reconstructions than in the 19th Century.
The story of how the first European encounter came to be is also explored - if Cook's ship hadn't wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef in 1770 the relationship between Europe and Australian wildlife could have been very different. One of Cook's own hand-written journals is put on display. The exhibition includes a number of animal artworks on display were created by people who had never seen these animals in the flesh – including a sixteenth century copy of Dürer’s famous armoured rhinoceros, medieval accounts of exotic creatures, fake “dragon” specimens created from dried fish by sailors, contemporary knitted craft taxidermy and twenty-first century reconstructions of dinosaurs. Together they explore how unknown animals are communicated to the wider public.
Events programme
We invited adults and families to delve deeper into the themes of Strange Creatures with a programme of events that accompanied the exhibition.
Strange Creatures After Hours
The night owls amongst you can join the bats, aardvarks, hedgehogs and other nocturnal specimens to enjoy Strange Creatures After Hours. Animals have been presented in bizarre and the incredible ways, come take another look at the natural world with our film night, late opening, open mic night, talks and drawing sessions.
Animal Showoff
Comedy
Friday 20 March, 6.30-9.30pm
The team behind Science Showoff presents a very special discovery edition of their anarchic open mic night at the Grant Museum, Animal Showoff. Join us for an evening of demos, jokes, talks, music and more. ANYONE can perform ANYTHING, the only rule is it has to be about the animal kingdom.
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
Film Screening
Tuesday 24 March, 6.30-9pm
“What’s that Skip, the kids are trapped down the old mine-shaft?” Our film night is heading down under as historian of Biology and film-buff Professor Joe Cain introduces his favourite episodes of Australian TV series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo.
Draw it Like Stubbs
Drawing
Tuesdays 21 April, 12 May, 2 June, 6.30-9pm
Could you recreate an animal from just the writings of drunken sailors that compared to other animals? That’s what George Stubbs did. Join us for a fun evening of light-hearted drawing of animals based on contemporary and historical descriptions. Can you draw it like Stubbs did?
Strange Creatures Late
Late opening
Saturday 16 May, 6.30-9.30pm
An evening of art, performance, games and live taxidermy will bring to life the Strange Creatures exhibition in this very special late opening.
Great Grant Knit-a-Thon
Workshop
Tuesday 19 May, 10am-10pm
Inspired by Strange Creatures co-curator artist Ruth Marshall’s knitted skin of a Tasmanian tiger, we have set the knitters of London the challenge of knitting some of our strange creatures, IN JUST 12 HOURS! Bring your knitting needles to ‘stitch one purl one’ for an hour over lunch or alternatively come after work and be inspired to join in over a glass of wine while you view the exhibition.
DINOSAURS! of Victorian London
Talk
Tuesday 23 June, 6.30-9pm
When the Crystal Palace dinosaur models were unveiled in 1854, they took the world by storm igniting the original Dinomania. These beastly models were the first anyone had ever seen of dinosaurs and unsurprisingly left a lasting impression. Professor Joe Cain as he shares how these models, still on display today, were important in shaping the public’s perceptions of dinosaurs.
Looking at Strange Creatures: A Travellers’ Tails seminar
Saturday 13 June, 10am-3.30pm
Snipe at Bollo Bridge Road, London W3. (C) ATM
Show 'n' Tell
We have invited the co-curators of the Strange Creatures exhibition to showcase an object from the Museum’s collection of 68,000 to share their Strange Creatures research.
Dinosaurs
Friday 8 May, 1–2pm
Dr. Andrew Cuff shares his cutting edge research reconstructing dinosaurs from just the fossils of these extinct giant reptiles.
Tastes just like…
Friday 22 May, 1–2pm
The first encounters with the willdlife of the Virginia colonists in the 16th Century were on the plate, find out more about Misha Ewen’s research on the experiences of these first colonists.
Australian encounters
Friday 5 June, 1–2pm
The first European settlers of Australia encountered an unbelievable world, join Professor Margot Finn as she shares her research on their experiences.
Iron and Bone
Friday 12 June, 1–2pm
Find out more about PhD student Kelly Freeman’s research on the surprisingly beautiful art of the Victorian zoology museum.
Family events
We have rifled through our drawers and searched through our cabinets to bring out some of our strangest creatures. Join us to take part in free, fun, hands-on, art and specimen-based activities.
Creating Strange Creatures
Saturdays 25 April, 23 May, 27 June, Drop-in 1–4pm
The Museum has many amazing animals on display but some have to be seen to be believed. Come along and be inspired by the natural world to create your own animal artwork with a Museum artist inspired by George Stubbs’ painting of the kangaroo
Kangaroos and co.
Tuesday 26– Saturday 30 May, Drop-in 1–4.30pm
Bandicoots, quolls, wombats and devils: Australia is home to a world of remarkable animals. Join us to take part in our fun hands-on specimen-based activities as we celebrate the wonderful world of marsupials.
People behind Strange Creatures
The exhibition was curated by Jack Ashby (Grant Museum of Zoology, part of UCL Culture)
Contributing researchers:
Chiara Ambrosio, Joe Cain and Simon Werrett (UCL Science and Technology Studies)
Andrew Cuff and Anjali Goswami (UCL Genetics, Evolution and Environment)
Bob Mills and Sarah Wade (UCL History of Art)
Misha Ewen and Margot Finn (UCL History)
Travellers' Tails
The exhibition is the first stage of a tour of the Stubbs painting which will see it travel to The Horniman Museum and Gardens; The Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby; and the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow.
It forms part of a collaboration between these three museums, the Grant Museum and the National Maritime Museums in a project called Travellers' Tails.
The project aims to bring together artists, scientists, explorers and museum professionals to investigate the nature of exploration in the Enlightenment era, how the multitude of histories can be explored and experienced in a gallery, heritage and museum setting, and to question what exploration means today. Travellers' Tails is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Art Fund.
