Now a firmly established and beloved fixture of the London calendar, Columbia Road’s Christmas Wednesdays hark back to the Dickensian charms of Christmases past. With its row of quaint Victorian houses and newly bedazzled streetlamps, the road was seemingly made for this time of year. We hope you join us before the run is out, for an evening of characterful, independent Christmas shopping in some of the most beloved small businesses in London. The local church will be wheeling their grand piano up and down the street for carols and the scent of mulled wine will waft through the air…
Another aspect of the Christmas season is the street-wide competition for the best window display. This year we are once again lucky to have ours populated by a veritable winter wonderland of animals. These harlequin rabbits, deer, and badgers are ‘vegan taxidermy’, created by mother-daughter duo Maria Varela and Claudia Alvarez at Chulita Design. The two have worked in partnership with natural history museums in Argentina and Spain. Their pieces are made of resin, with upholstery fabric and no animal remains, yet maintain a incredible understanding of animal anatomy. Each piece is a unique and characterful piece of art. You can find their work at their website or for sale in our shop. We’ve included a short interview with Claudia and Maria below.
How did you decide to settle on an ‘harlequin’ aesthetic?
Claudia: The idea comes from our love and passion for nature and wildlife. My mother and I grew up in families where the wildlife, theatre and art were always very present.We try to show the wildlife from our human perspective by preserving the details of the animals and twisting them into something more theatrical and fun.
What are your favourite animals to design and why?
In the 80’s we lived in South Africa for a short period of time. Ever since we’ve been in love with all the antelopes!
Taxidermy is old-fashioned and associated with people who hunt for pleasure. What was your goal with making vegan taxidermy with such a playful look?
Metamorphosis means transformation, the transformation that animals experiment in their biological development. Our goal is to create a metamorphosis in people’s mindsets, and bring wildlife to their lives and homes without hurting any animals. We have managed to maintain all the morphology of real animals, but with a playful and theatrical aesthetic.
