Cultural Life: Polly Morgan, taxidermist
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Visual Arts: I saw a group exhibition in Venice called 'In Praise of Doubt' at the François Pinault Foundation for contemporary art at the Punta della Dogana. It's an absolutely beautiful building, which always absolutely grabs me. It included some of Jeff Koons's inflatables, which I managed to touch, something I've always wanted to do! They're incredibly uncanny. I also saw some Paul McCarthy figures – women with splayed legs and weird back-to-front heads. I bought a drawing at the Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair last weekend of a Busty Babe from Kelly Davitt made on the back of a bank demand for the sum they were fining her for...a snip at £22! Hopefully they'll leave her alone now...
Books: The last book I read was called 'Sunbathing Naked and Other Miracle Cures: A Memoir' by Guy Kennaway. It's based around his experience of psoriasis, and the people he meets and the places it takes him to in trying to cure it. You wouldn't expect it, but it's hilarious. I've also read a new book called 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' by Jennifer Egan, which weaves together loads of different lives with incidental meetings that later become more significant. That kind of thing has been done a lot, but here it's done incredibly artfully.
Films: I just saw Werner Herzog's 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams 3D' about the Chauvet Cave in southern France. I love Herzog's droll voiceovers, they always make me laugh.
Television: I've been watching Louis Theroux's 'Miami Mega Jail', which I thought was great. I've got a friend in prison at the moment and I thought he's actually really lucky compared to how hard they get it in America.
Polly Morgan's exhibition 'Burials' is at the Workshop Arte Contemporanea, Venice, to 22 July. Her solo show is at Void Gallery, Derry, Northern Ireland ( www.derryvoid.com) 30 August to 30 September
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments