Field to Feast

taxidermy toronto

Morgan Mavis & Patti Robinson

An exploration of hunting, butchery, taxidermy and the celebration of the feast

Morgan Mavis and Patti Robinson set out to find a rabbit from a local farm in Havelock Ontario, skin the animal, create a taxidermy mount and butcher the meat for a five-course feast. Our intent is to utilize every part of the animal from skin to bones. Field to feast explores the traditional roles and rituals of men: a hunter, a butcher, a taxidermist and a chef. This installation will recontextualize the histories of these gendered practices. It also draws attention to the importance of local agriculture, sustainability and traditional skills. We are looking at where our food comes from and how many North Americans have a detachment from their food. The entire process will be photographically documented.

“To facilitate the idea that we should not feel any discomfort about our animal consumption, we are distanced from the animals we will consume, thus upholding the idea that we have no connections with them” (Lerner and Kalof 1999).