Moonlight Becomes you ( otter )

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RESEARCH BACKGROUND The research and development of Weaver's sculptural practice is informed by natural environments and native flora and fauna together with methods of reconstruction. An important aspect of this process is the technological use of crochet over fabricated and one-to-one casts of once living animals. Using a domestic craft skill to construct skins and coverings for these objects enabled Weaver to question and challenge what is ordinary/extraordinary, natural/artificial and methods of transformation and camouflage. Weaver creates glittery environments and texturally rich animals to reveal their poetic and narrative potential and is a response to environmental phenomena. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION For this work a taxidermy model of an otter has been cast in high-density foam and covered in a semi-permeable membrane created from hand- crocheted polyamide thread. The object was then placed on a rock surrounded by a carpet island. The use of materials and techniques such as taxidermy and crochet blurs the boundaries between art and craft to explore perceptions of materiality and represents a new approach to making. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE The work was originally commissioned by the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art as part of a larger gallery installation by Weaver. This work was reconfigured as 'Moonlight Becomes You' for this new exhibition at the Casula Powerhouse. There were 70 works by Australian and International artists including Mathew Barney, Louise Bourgeois, Damien Hirst, Rosalie Gascogne, Tracy Moffatt, Tracy Emin and Robert Mapplethorpe.