Göta's World has moved.  If you happen to be in Helsinki, you can find them in Tarkk'ampujankatu 4. Göta's World is the only natural history oriented antique shop in Scandinavia. Located in the heart of Helsinki, this odd antique store sells natural history items, curious antique pieces and other oddities. Bestsellers are skulls, ragged taxidermy pieces, medical antique, shells, and bits and pieces of death memorabilia. They buy their items from private collectors, garage sales, and auctions and also do repair work on decrepit and torn taxidermy mounts and broken skeletons. You'll also find various other oddities such as 1800-century rustic houshold items, insect etchings from the end of 1700-century and religious antique pieces.

I received this letter the other day from someone with an extreme phobia of taxidermy. Does anyone else run from taxidermy? I would run from this guy.  But in all seriousness, any advice for Amelia?

"Hello, my name is Amelia, I am 18 years old. I go to Emmanuel College in Boston. I wanted to talk to you about my extreme fear of taxidermy. I was wondering if you have ever heard of this? It seems a lot of people contact you with feelings of taxidermy, positive or negative. When I see taxidermy I get severe panic attacks. I have no idea why. It started when I was 4 and I don't remember a point in my life when I wasn't scared of taxidermy. Its lead to extreme paranoia, I wont go near any "steak house" or western themed places. And I have missed out on school field trips all of my life due to this fear. I was wondering if you have heard of other people who have this fear? And if you knew anyone who has gotten over this."

According to website, "each episode will feature one of four highly regarded "Immortalizers" facing off against a "Challenger" in a competition. Their task is to create a piece to be judged on three criteria: originality, craftsmanship and interpretation of the designated theme. Whether the artists are known for their classic or rogue creations, each week they will work to perfect this centuries-old art form in an unprecedented battle." For a quick peak, here is the trailer:

For more on the show, visit AMC's website here: http://www.amctv.com/shows/immortalized

With a name that smacks of an Old West movie, check out Brooke Weston's strange twist on the inner world of trophy mounts. The Oregon-based artist works with recycled taxidermy and other found materials to create miniature dioramas in the heads hunting tropies.  On her website, she writes that she gathers inspiration from fairy tales, and you can tell.  For all the supposed sweetness of a cosy miniature abode, the little worlds have a darkly creepy aura.  Who lives here?

Check out Weston's website here: http://artbybrookeweston.com/index.html

The Jackdaw from Fiona Campbell on Vimeo.

Natural Habitat Trailer from Laurie Young on Vimeo.

Here's how Young describes the work:

"After looking back on the 200-year history of the Museum für Naturkunde (Berlin) and likewise into the history of science, the art project Natural Habitat ventures a look into the future. What could our world look like in 200 years? Amidst a post-apocalyptic, surreal desert landscape, a woman (Homo Sapiens) finds herself surrounded by survivors belonging to other species. Both as the observer and the observed, she interacts with the animals that surround her and the changing conditions of her habitat. In the form of a “cultural field study”, the participants take up scientific findings as inspiration. For this purpose the project uses a classical medium of communication techniques employed by the scientific museum: a life size Diorama is constructed, exhibited and brought to life. In this way, the visitor becomes the observer and recognizes him/herself as contributing to processes of change. Natural Habitat can be experienced as an installation as well as a sixty-five minute performance. English and German versions are available."

The Breathless Zoo: Taxidermy and the Cultures of Longing from Michael Mills on Vimeo.

Here's a grim little article about the sad afterlives of animals at the Khan Younus zoo in the Gaza Strip.

Klaus Pichler was wandering home from a bar one morning when he noticed a light coming from a basement window at Vienna’s Museum of Natural History.  Even at that hour, he thought, someone was hard at work inside.

But Mr. Pichler didn’t see any people. He saw an antelope.

“It looked really strange and grotesque,” he said.

And it stuck with him. So, the next morning he contacted the museum’s director, who took him on a behind-the-scenes tour. The room he’d seen was the museum’s taxidermy division.

Mr. Pichler was intrigued — and fortunate. For the next three years, the museum let him roam its corridors and  workshops,  allowing him to capture a backstage view of a highly orchestrated production. The result of his snooping, “Skeletons in the Closet,” appeared at the Delhi Photo Festival in October.

“I really enjoyed knowing that I was alone in the basement with 4,000 stuffed animals,” he said.

Read the whole article here: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/18/natural-history-not-so-natural-setting/

And check out all of Pichler's series "Skeleton in the Closet" on his website at http://www.kpic.at/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=30&Itemid=53

As part of the exhibition Death, British artist Rose Robson takes up residence at SHOWstudio for two days to showcase her unique take on taxidermy. Drawing inspiration from natural history books, Robson will create a swarm-like sculpture from a range of different bird carcasses. Watch the video of her work from the first cut to the final piece online here: https://showstudio.com/project/death_rose_robson/rose_robson_murder_of_crows