BIG CAT SERIES
TIGERS
RUTH MARSHALL brings attention to illegal wildlife trade and species loss in a way that unites a new, widened audience of scientists, art enthusiasts and the general public. Her textile pelts exemplify how artisan goods have the potential to have higher commercial value than a poached skin on the black market. The result would be a paradigm shift of the incentive in wildlife trade, which is one of the largest illegal activities in the world. Her textiles reinforce that support of conservation and a society's culture is a more sustainable, viable and lucrative endeavor than the illegal wildlife trade.
The Tiger Pelt Project reproduces and interprets full-size tiger pelts as knitted textiles. Research so far has been conducted at the American Museum of Natural History and the Berlin Zoo, from pelt collections and captive live animals. There are thought to be only 3200 Tigers left in the wild, Ms Marshall intends her work to draw attention to the plight of this iconic species.
The Tiger Pelt Project reproduces and interprets full-size tiger pelts as knitted textiles. Research so far has been conducted at the American Museum of Natural History and the Berlin Zoo, from pelt collections and captive live animals. There are thought to be only 3200 Tigers left in the wild, Ms Marshall intends her work to draw attention to the plight of this iconic species.
Artworks from "Tiger Pelt Project" :
The yarn used for this series of works was sponsored by Lion Brand Yarns.
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| Museum of Art, University of Maine, Bangor. |
LEOPARDS
Amur Leopard
2007
92" x 53", (1.32m x 2.33m)
Hand Knit: Yarn, String, Sticks
After years of working at the Bronx Zoo in a studio just a few feet behind the Snow Leopard exhibit, Marshall hand knit the pelt of IVY - one of the majestic and vocal felines who happened to be her neighbor. IVY was the first Big Cat Marshall knitted.
IVY
2006
87 1/2" x 66" (223cm x 168cm)
Hand Knit: Yarn, String, Sticks
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JAGUARS
Jaguars are a magnificent new world cat. Ruth created these two works from the same chart using different yarns. Research was done from piecing together generic images of this - the third largest cat in the world.
Golden Jaguar & Black Jaguar
2007
2007
81" x 51", (2.05m x 1.3m)
Hand Knit: Yarn, String, Sticks
Hand Knit: Yarn, String, Sticks
