ART Natural World

The couple behind the only commercial taxidermy studio in Singapore shares how they are elevating the age-old practice to an art form-and as memory preservation

- Hashirin Nurin Hashimi

In many Asian cultures, death remains a taboo subject. But taxidermist Vivian Tham has made it her business to bring second life to dead animals and insects by turning them into works of art. What stems from a deep interest in the animal world turned into a full‑fledged business when Tham founded Black Crow Taxidermy & Art together with her husband, Jivan Jothi, nearly two years ago.

Set within the eclectic arts enclave that is 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace in Chinatown, the practice, which is named after the first specimen that Tham ever worked on, is perhaps the only commercial taxidermy studio in Singapore. “We wanted to bring together art, science and nature, while creating more awareness on the preservation and conservation [of animals],” says Tham, who has a bachelor’s degree in zoology and a master’s in pathology. “We also want to [provide a platform] for people to become interested [in taxidermy] and where they can get a more hands‑on experience.”

While pursuing her university studies back home in Malaysia, Tham was exposed to museum curation through her supervisor, who was a curator at the university museum. “I saw potential in making taxidermy more artistic and interesting,” she says. She held her first solo exhibition last October in UltraSuperNew Gallery, showcasing works from animal bones to chimera taxidermy. The duo hopes to hold an exhibition every year to display taxidermy as an art form.