Wonder Room
Renaissance Europe first saw the emergence of the Cabinet of Curiosities, also known as a Wunderkammer, or Wonder Room. Somewhat eccentric forerunners to museums, the more picaresque of these eclectic private collections showcased mismatched natural history specimens combined with those of a more unnatural, frankly fabricated nature, including purportedly mythical creatures.
Drawing equally from this facet of the Wonder Room and their accumulated personal mythologies, “unnatural history” artists, Rona Green, Deborah Klein, Filomena Coppola, Heather Shimmen and Paul Compton unveil a disparate collection of exotic, enigmatic and feisty sub-species that defy classification.
Wonder Room, Installation View. Rona Green, Paul Compton, Heather Shimmen, Deborah Klein and Filomena Coppola
Wonder Room, Installation View. Rona Green, Paul Compton, Heather Shimmen, Deborah Klein and Filomena Coppola
Wallflower – A Cabinet of Curiosity, Pastel on paper, overall dimension 290h x 690w cm, 2012-13
(Detail) 10th specimen of 24 from Wallflower – A Cabinet of Curiosity, 40h x 40w cm, 2012-13
(Detail) 15th specimen of 24 from Wallflower – A Cabinet of Curiosity, 50h x 50w cm, 2012-13
(Detail) 21st specimen of 24 from Wallflower – A Cabinet of Curiosity, 60h x 50w cm, 2012-13