Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Carl Akeley
Carl Akeley was a taxidermist. A taxidermist with inordinate amounts of
perseverance, passion and patience. A man who redefined the purpose of
taxidermy and made it an acknowledged art form.
Working at the American Museum of Natural History, Akeley worked on a plan to build the African Hall. It would depict lives of animals of the great African wilderness as they truly are and not as a figment of human imagination.
He had a special love for elephants. These large, gentle giants were the center of his art through his life. He had many testing expeditions to Africa in search of the perfect specimens to shoot down. He would acquire large males, females and young calves. On being shot, their skins were painstakingly removed and cured for use. A master in his own line, Akeley kept working on better methods of taxidermy. He would often completely change his methodology and strove to share his knowledge with others. He was keen on projecting taxidermy as an art form. He created some of the finest specimens ever produced. Renowned scholars and artists highly commended and validated his work.
Akeley came to be a close friend of the then President, Theodore Roosevelt. He accompanied Akeley on one of his expeditions and even shot one of the elephants that stands today at the museum. It was on this expedition that they acquired a small elephant family for another display.
Akeley also worked extensively with gorillas in his later years and they inspired him to build a moving picture camera especially to record African wildlife. It was his quest to prove that gorillas were not the easily-angered, dangerous and violent creatures they were always made out to be. He was genuinely annoyed when a specimen of a charging, teeth-gnashing gorilla was presented to the museum. He shot a number of gorillas for his own creations. He also went on to be the first to record gorillas in their natural environment.
Akeley faced numerous near-death experiences with the animals he hunted. He had been attacked fiercely by both elephant and gorilla. But he never let these incidents keep him from continuing on after them.
Although Akeley wasn't alive to see through the end of his dream project of the African Hall, his close colleagues and his wife completed it for him. Today, known as the Akeley Arfican Hall, it stands with its life-like specimens against realistic painted backgrounds. Over two million people honour this hall every year through their visits.
Carl Akeley was a great man, a perfectionist in every respect and a pioneer in his field of science. But I refrain from being full of praise for him. He was looked up to for his love of animals. He was angered to hear of animals being hunted down. This amuses me. How was what he did proving his love for animals? He shot down numerous elephants, including calves and group leaders, breaking up their families and dismembering them; just so they could be reconstructed for human viewing pleasure. Study of anatomy is one way of looking at it. But I ask myself, was there no better way?
Elephants are perhaps, the most emotional of all mammals. To them, every member of the family matters and is loved. Even the natural death of one of their herd calls for a long mourning. The sudden death of the most important links of their herd, including their young ones has the most heart-breaking impact on the herd. To be able to kill so many, without having a conscience to stop you, is an extremely selfish ability. The love for his work far exceeded his love for nature. I wouldn't sympathize with him for the injuries he acquired from an agitated elephant. I would sympathize with the elephant and its entire herd for having to endure such cruelty. Just as the elephants suffered at his hands, so did the gorillas. Gorillas are gregarious animals that are highly dependent on their alpha male leader. He is a symbol of security for them. These males were Akeley's main target and was the first gorilla he managed to shoot; a large, silver back. This caused an immense outcry- an actual, sulking outcry from the females of the group. This first experience didn't prick him, it made him go forth and shoot two females and a baby.
The results of these killings may be beautiful artworks that spreads knowledge about animals; but was it really worth all the pain and death? Does that justify what Akeley did? Does that make him different from hunters?
Shooting of animals shouldn't be influenced by their populations. It should be influenced by an inner conscience. This conscience was lacking in Akeley. He was obsessive about his work, for a need to do better. The fact that he was never satisfied and always wanted to push himself further, just lead to the death of more and more animals. He turned elephants into guinea pigs.
He was, in my eyes, a hypocrite. And delusional about his true passion. It is important to have perspective. To be aware of your actions and be responsible for them. Akeley neither thought he was doing wrong, nor took any responsibility for what he did. All he took was praise of the highest order and large monetary gifts that allowed him to carry on with his sinister work.
There's nothing more valuable than life. Life of a fly, life of a wolf, life of a monkey, life of a whale. Humans must come to terms with the fact that we cannot play God. It is not our prerogative to decide who deserves to live and who doesn't. All life must be respected, must be cherished and nurtured. And if not these things, in the least, should be left at peace. Each one unto itself. Nothing is more precious than a life.
Working at the American Museum of Natural History, Akeley worked on a plan to build the African Hall. It would depict lives of animals of the great African wilderness as they truly are and not as a figment of human imagination.
He had a special love for elephants. These large, gentle giants were the center of his art through his life. He had many testing expeditions to Africa in search of the perfect specimens to shoot down. He would acquire large males, females and young calves. On being shot, their skins were painstakingly removed and cured for use. A master in his own line, Akeley kept working on better methods of taxidermy. He would often completely change his methodology and strove to share his knowledge with others. He was keen on projecting taxidermy as an art form. He created some of the finest specimens ever produced. Renowned scholars and artists highly commended and validated his work.
Akeley came to be a close friend of the then President, Theodore Roosevelt. He accompanied Akeley on one of his expeditions and even shot one of the elephants that stands today at the museum. It was on this expedition that they acquired a small elephant family for another display.
Akeley also worked extensively with gorillas in his later years and they inspired him to build a moving picture camera especially to record African wildlife. It was his quest to prove that gorillas were not the easily-angered, dangerous and violent creatures they were always made out to be. He was genuinely annoyed when a specimen of a charging, teeth-gnashing gorilla was presented to the museum. He shot a number of gorillas for his own creations. He also went on to be the first to record gorillas in their natural environment.
Akeley faced numerous near-death experiences with the animals he hunted. He had been attacked fiercely by both elephant and gorilla. But he never let these incidents keep him from continuing on after them.
Although Akeley wasn't alive to see through the end of his dream project of the African Hall, his close colleagues and his wife completed it for him. Today, known as the Akeley Arfican Hall, it stands with its life-like specimens against realistic painted backgrounds. Over two million people honour this hall every year through their visits.
Carl Akeley was a great man, a perfectionist in every respect and a pioneer in his field of science. But I refrain from being full of praise for him. He was looked up to for his love of animals. He was angered to hear of animals being hunted down. This amuses me. How was what he did proving his love for animals? He shot down numerous elephants, including calves and group leaders, breaking up their families and dismembering them; just so they could be reconstructed for human viewing pleasure. Study of anatomy is one way of looking at it. But I ask myself, was there no better way?
Elephants are perhaps, the most emotional of all mammals. To them, every member of the family matters and is loved. Even the natural death of one of their herd calls for a long mourning. The sudden death of the most important links of their herd, including their young ones has the most heart-breaking impact on the herd. To be able to kill so many, without having a conscience to stop you, is an extremely selfish ability. The love for his work far exceeded his love for nature. I wouldn't sympathize with him for the injuries he acquired from an agitated elephant. I would sympathize with the elephant and its entire herd for having to endure such cruelty. Just as the elephants suffered at his hands, so did the gorillas. Gorillas are gregarious animals that are highly dependent on their alpha male leader. He is a symbol of security for them. These males were Akeley's main target and was the first gorilla he managed to shoot; a large, silver back. This caused an immense outcry- an actual, sulking outcry from the females of the group. This first experience didn't prick him, it made him go forth and shoot two females and a baby.
The results of these killings may be beautiful artworks that spreads knowledge about animals; but was it really worth all the pain and death? Does that justify what Akeley did? Does that make him different from hunters?
Shooting of animals shouldn't be influenced by their populations. It should be influenced by an inner conscience. This conscience was lacking in Akeley. He was obsessive about his work, for a need to do better. The fact that he was never satisfied and always wanted to push himself further, just lead to the death of more and more animals. He turned elephants into guinea pigs.
He was, in my eyes, a hypocrite. And delusional about his true passion. It is important to have perspective. To be aware of your actions and be responsible for them. Akeley neither thought he was doing wrong, nor took any responsibility for what he did. All he took was praise of the highest order and large monetary gifts that allowed him to carry on with his sinister work.
There's nothing more valuable than life. Life of a fly, life of a wolf, life of a monkey, life of a whale. Humans must come to terms with the fact that we cannot play God. It is not our prerogative to decide who deserves to live and who doesn't. All life must be respected, must be cherished and nurtured. And if not these things, in the least, should be left at peace. Each one unto itself. Nothing is more precious than a life.
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