Artists from Devon bring roadkill to life in a creative way

Artwork was created to provoke a reaction, but nothing more than the work of a Devonian artist who turned a dead, street pet into a mythical statue.

Over the past 10 years, Janec van Veen, from Teignmouth, has blended various animals into a surreal chimera. Some sculptures can be read as pure fantasy, mythological creatures from the ancient world, and others as scientific possibilities.

This 42-year-old man combines herbivores and carnivores, mammals and birds, amphibians and insects into creatures that are fun and scary, amazing and scary.

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And what better setting to display it than Powderham Castle in the Incredible Animals exhibition from September 11 to October 31, as part of the annual Devon Open Studios.

Janec has worked closely with fellow Devon artist Jane Perkins and has been inspired by the historic site to create the Medieval Dolphin which is a prominent symbol found throughout the castle.

Janec went to Goldsmith University in London, where Damien Hirst studied, to pursue a passion for provocative work.

He recalls: “I was very inspired by Hirst because he did a lot of interesting work with dead animals like sharks and sheep.

“For that reason I went to Goldsmith because I wanted to follow in his footsteps.

“I have also been a conceptual taxidermist from a young age.

“I tried a lot of different mediums like traditional painting and sculpture, but taxidermy was something that suited and resonated with me and is now what I do most of the time.

“The technique is quite complicated to learn, but actually it’s just sculpture.

“I like to think of myself as a sculptor who happens to work with dead animals.

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“A lot of people’s reaction to taxidermy is that they hate it because they can’t stand seeing animals die.

“But what I’m trying to do is elevate it from starting with something bloody and dead and turn it into some sculptural and beautiful.

“I want people to realize that death is not to be feared so that my work also has a philosophical side.”

A common question Janec asks is where the animals used in her work come from, and she assures them that they always come from ethical sources and many die of natural causes.

He said: “In addition to street killings and people giving me their dead pets, I also order animals like rabbits that are used to feed animals in zoos.

“I also picked it up from car boot sales and eBay. Actually, there are quite a few places where you can buy and get dead animals.”

Janec also asked people she knew to tell her if they had gone through some roadkills they thought she might be interested in.

He said: “Summer is the best time for roadkill. You can really drive in and quickly find some.

“My nephew found a dead fox on the side of the road a few days ago that was still fresh and told me about it.

“What surprised me was what the cars hit like beavers, owls and stoats.”

The inspiration for what Janec decides to change animals can happen instantly or take years.

She said: “I can put something in the freezer and won’t have a concept for it until a while later, but sometimes it just speaks directly to me.

“I am very attached to my work and feel like they are my friends. They have their own real life.

“The people who gave me their dead pets must be very special people to give me permission to do what I do.

“Usually people with an artistic temperament like me don’t want to do the traditional taxidermy cut.

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“I mostly make medieval mythological creatures but the second thing for me is burying animals into man-made objects like clocks, radios and computers.

“It’s a wake-up call for messages about how all animals die because of human activities and how we have reached this terrible tipping point. This is my blatant environmental message.”

Janec combines doing her art with part-time work to make a living. Most of his work is sold via Instagram and he is represented by the Red Propeller Gallery in Kingsbridge.

Recently one of his works was purchased as a wedding gift, and the other buyer was Lord Bath’s daughter.

Recalling another, Janec said: “I have made a statue called Queer Bird which is a tribute to the Ninth Earl Devon who was forced into exile because he was found in bed with a man.

“Queer Bird (Ornithoptera resplendens) is a contemporary vanity, a mori memento that warns us of the vanity of life.

“This creature has everything he could ever want; a dog in his handbag, an amazing hairdo and he’s dripping gold.

“It’s a whimsical and camp statue that feels appropriate to be featured in The Music Room in homage to William, the 9th Earl of Devon, known to his family as Kitty, who was considered eccentric and unusual, and had to be simply exiled for being different. .”

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