Preparated Moments

Kahmann Gallery of Amsterdam is proud to present the first solo exhibition of Sinke & Van Tongeren in the Netherlands, “Unknown Pose”. On display until May 7, 2016.

Jaap Sinke (b. 1973) and Ferry van Tongeren (b. 1967) are famed for their extraordinary taxidermied creations. Sinke studied at Academy for Fine Art in Tilburg, Van Tongeren attended the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam. Both enjoyed a very succesful career in advertising, before they left to pursue their passion for taxidermy. Sinke & Van Tongeren take the age-old process of preserving exotic animals to exciting new heights. The inspiration for their pieces comes from the masters of the Dutch Golden Age, such as Hondecoeter and Asselijn.

Sinke & Van Tongeren’s photography is directly connected to the time-consuming process of taxidermu, which requires vast amounts of patience and dedication. Before the animals are mounted, the skins of the mammals, reptiles and birds are delicately washed. When these empty skins are laying suspended in the soapy water, it’s as if they came back to life and are performing an outlandish water ballet. Sinke & Van Tongeren wanted to capture the magical and mesmerising effect of this moment, which resulted in these bold and spectacular photographs.

The work of Sinke & Van Tongeren has been exhibited nationally and internationally and has been included in many private and corporate collections.

Please find more information at Kahmann Gallery