Kate Clark’s practice of creating hybrid human - animal sculptures merges highly conceptual and contemporary sculpture with the traditional art of taxidermy. Her sculptures are at once primal, cultural, ancient and contemporary forces—interweaving the natural world with our societal complexities.
Clark hand sculpts human portraits, covers them with the animal’s hide and details, and seamlessly merges the head with the animal body. Clark’s unique approach creates metaphor, myth, suggestion. Each sculpture fluidly combines traits that are both human and animal, domestic and foreign, male and female, and powerful, yet fragile.
Clark focuses on the energy, emotion, and nuance of her storytelling. Using aspects that are both animal and human, the parallels and contrasts broaden the viewer's concept of identity. Faced with the impending dehumanization of AI, Clark’s work reminds us that we are intuitive, creative, self aware, and full of possibility.