SALMONIDAE HISPIDUS

2009

Salmonidae hispidus is a sculptural work that draws on traditions of taxidermy, folklore, and fabricated natural history. Constructed from human hair, Persian lamb, fiberglass, and steel, the piece presents a hybrid specimen: a “furry fish” that blurs the boundaries between biological plausibility and myth. The work references historical curiosities such as the “hairy trout,” a fictitious creature once circulated through circus sideshows and dime museums, where fabricated specimens were presented as authentic natural anomalies. These hoaxes occupied a space between entertainment and belief, reflecting a colonial appetite for spectacle, classification, and the invention of regional mythologies.

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Recalling this lineage, Salmonidae hispidus presents a pseudo-specimen: a deliberate reconstruction of a taxidermist’s hoax, imagined as native to the waters of New Brunswick. The term “hispid,” referring to coarse or bristled hair, further anchors the work in the language of scientific taxonomy, while simultaneously undermining its authority. Through this gesture, the work interrogates how knowledge is constructed, authenticated, and circulated, revealing the porous boundary between science and fiction. The creature exists as both artifact and invention, an object that invites belief while exposing the mechanisms through which belief is produced.

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The work was created for the Salmon Run initiative organized by Gallery Connexion, funded through the Heritage Canada Cultural Capitals 2009 program. Twenty-five artists were commissioned to transform identical fiberglass salmon forms, resulting in a distributed exhibition across multiple sites. Salmonidae hispidus was acquired by Gallery 78 through public auction and was loaned for display at the Fredericton International Airport. The work was also featured in the Atlantic Salmon Journal.

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Materials: Human hair, fiberglass, steel, Persian lamb, acrylic paint, beads, upholstery sewing needle, waxed linen