David's World ii Shani Mootoo

Known for her photographic portraits of interior spaces, Shani Mootoo reveals the curious and often emotive personal narratives of her subjects.  This giclee print on archival paper is editioned, 1/20. Mootoo writes: "My good friend David Morrish is a visual artist whose work deals with the phenomenon of collecting and with fictionalized archives. Half of the main living area David shares with his partner is dedicated to the display of many of the prized pieces in his vast collection of bones, skulls, found taxidermy specimens, and funerary accessories. What captivates me when I visit his home is how beautifully arranged these objects are, much like the more ordinary ornaments in any home-a vase of flowers, a ceramic sculpture, a blown glass bowl. David's pieces, which might otherwise be seen behind glass in a natural history museum, invite contemplation by their considered placement on tables, in corners, on shelves around other quotidian furniture and household items. When I look at David's arrangements I see the artist, the intellectual, the homemaker, the man who is curious and knows something about everything. These photos are part of a body of work that reflects on how people decorate their homes, how they physically place and show off what they have amassed. In photographing these collections, I create my own, with the camera becoming a net that captures and brings together a wall, or a table, or a bank of bookshelves into one compact space of the photograph. In this sense, my photographs of other's collections and decorations are my own way of collecting and cataloguing."