Un/Natural Selections: Wildlife in Contemporary Art

Exhibition Overview

Explore the meaning of wildlife art within the context of contemporary art. Organized by the National Museum of Wildlife Art, this exhibition considers the diverse ways contemporary artists use animal imagery to address humanity’s interconnectedness with the natural world.

Highlights from the Exhibition

Peter Gerakaris (United States, b. 1981), Caravan (Owl), 2012. Oil on canvas. 84 x 84 inches. Purchased with funds generously donated by Adrienne and John Mars, National Museum of Wildlife Art. © Peter Gerakaris. M2016.042

Juan Fontanive (United States, b. 1977), Colorthing, 2015. Screen print on Bristol paper, stainless steel, motor, and electronics. 5 1/4 × 4 1/4 × 4 inches. Gift of the 2017 Blacktail Gala, National Museum of Wildlife Art. © Juan Fontanive. M2017.002.001

Emily Lamb (England, b. 1980), Lioness, 2014. Oil on canvas. 56 × 78 inches. Gift of the 2015 Collectors Circle, National Museum of Wildlife Art. © Emily Lamb. M2015.119

William Sweetlove (Belgian, b. 1949), Cloned Penguin with PET Bottle (Pink), 2013. Plastic resin. Purchased with funds generously donated by Jocelyn Emery, Carolynn Hawtin, Pui Miller, Rosie and Shelby Reed, Katie Robertson, Amy Staehr, and Jeanie Staehr, National Museum of Wildlife Art. M2017.006.004

“Enthusiasts of the museum’s wildlife art will love how this family-friendly exhibition explores new ways of understanding animals and the spaces they inhabit,”

Emily Kapes, Chief Curator at The James Museum

The title of this exhibition is a play on Charles Darwin’s concept of natural selection from his pivotal writing, On the Origin of Species (1859). Darwin’s ideas contributed much to the development of wildlife art in the late 1800s, as artists began to represent animals in natural habitats, enacting natural behaviors. The artists in this exhibit represent another stage in the evolution of animal art: choosing to represent animals in alternative, unnatural spaces—spaces more often directly linked to civilization than to wilderness.

Comprised of works exclusively from the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s permanent collection, this exhibition offers a wide range of works in a variety of media divided into four thematic sections: Tradition, Politics, Science, and Aesthetics. These realms act as overlapping chapters, investigating the ways we use animal imagery to tackle human concerns.

Exhibition Credits

Un/Natural Selections: Wildlife in Contemporary Art is organized by the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Generous support provided by Art Bridges.