Ernest Goh - Artist / Photographer
Tell us a bit about yourself. (background/ studies/ hobbies ....) I started out as a newspaper photographer covering news stories ranging from crime scenes to food reviews. It is one of the best jobs in the world to learn about the crazy world we live in. After that I freelanced for various international news agencies and publications before focusing on making visual artworks about the natural environment. That led me to explore the art of taxidermy which had fascinated me as a child. It was my time living in London that I decided I wanted to learn the art form first hand.
Who influenced you to explore taxidermy? The natural environment. Specifically my fascination with looking at the details of the natural world. Taxidermy offers us a unique opportunity to study a specimen up close.
What is the purpose of your studio? A refuge to explore and create.
How does your studio reflect your personality/ creativity? It’s eclectic, nostalgic and irrelevant. It has bits of cultures of the world that trigger my eyes and hands into creating.
Are there things you don’t allow in your studio in order to be more productive? Narrow mindedness.
What is your favourite music to work to? Bob Marley - Three little birds Oh Calypso (我爱卡拉苏 - Wo ai ka li su) - Grace Chang (葛蘭 - Ge Lan)
What’s your favourite area/ item in your studio? Polly and Wally, the two taxidermy ducklings.
What is your favourite city/ Country and why? Too many. Any city with good food and good company.
What’s your view on JB’s creative scene? Lots of hidden talent!
If you could spend the day with anyone, who would it be and why? Lonesome George, the Pinta Island tortoise of Galapagos. What better way to explore the Galapagos than with one of it oldest inhabitants.
What’s next? Ridding our natural environment of plastic. It’s great that the conversation of plastic pollution is getting heard but it needs to get even louder.
www.theanimalbook.com www.instagram.com/theanimalbookco
