The Decoy Project

The Decoy Project arose out of a need to temporarily distance myself from the complex ethical issues that arise when working with animal bodies. I was unsure, at that time, if I wanted to proceed with my research into taxidermy and my continued photographic exploration of its various qualities. Subsequently I decided to put a stop to all areas of my practice involving animal bodies. During this time I mounted an ethical exploration of the "use" of animal bodies in art and what this says about our relationship with animals and nature as a whole. I was still eager to continue with my studio based practice to I looked to another form of animal representation to help me do this.

I chose to work with decoys as I was instantly attracted to their dual representational role. On the one hand, they represent a near life like imitation of a bird considered as a "pest", for example pigeons, crows etc, or a bird considered as prey, e.g. a duck. They act as a type of "doppelganger"; appearing vastly similar to the live bird, yet ultimately lead to its demise.

The first experiments I did involving pigeon decoys required me to take them into a public space in proximity to live pigeons. As the old saying goes "never work with children or animals" I quickly learned that a lot of patience and determination was required in pursuit of any form of interaction between the lives pigeons and my decoys.

Most of the images that I did capture were achieved purely through chance; being in the right place at the right time. The nature of the project required me to have quite low expectations to the result I would achieve. I did however gain a deeper understanding of the behaviour of pigeons and the attitude of the general public towards these much maligned creatures. Pigeons, I learned, are no bird brains.

The decoy project came to a halt in early 2009 as, after considerable deliberation, to continue with my previous research into taxidermy, and instead began the "Non-Human Animals" project in tandem with the production of my animation "Theatres of Nature".