
Taxidermists—prized by Damien Hirst—open museum in Amsterdam
Two artist-taxidermists, Ferry van Tongeren and Jaap Sinke, have opened the Art Zoo Museum in a restored canal house in Amsterdam, in partnership with the Vrije Academie cultural education institute. The museum, opening on 26 June, is described as a "modern wunderkammer"—a contemporary cabinet of curiosities—featuring taxidermied animals that died natural deaths, arranged in surreal poses alongside preserved flowers and ornate interiors. Van Tongeren, a former advertising agency owner who retrained as a taxidermist, gained international fame after he and Sinke sold their first collection to Damien Hirst in 2016. Their collective is named Darwin, Sinke & Van Tongeren, reflecting the influence of Charles Darwin.
