In school, Divya Anantharaman used to get teased for having long skinny fingers like ET. But now she sees them as valuable asset for the intricate work she does. Divya runs Friends Forever Taxidermy in Brooklyn, New York.
Divya Anantharaman with a deceased Himalayan pheasant.
Jeff Emtman edited this episode with help from Bethany Denton. We found out about Divya through Erika Harada, another skilled artist in the Brooklyn taxidermy scene.In this episode Divya carries a recorder with her while as she slowly disassembles a deceased pet parrot: snipping joints, scooping brains, removing eyes, separating the skin from the body. Birds’ skin is very thin—Divya likens the peeling to removing a delicate silk stocking.
Taxidermy by Divya Anantharaman.
This is not the parrot featured in this episode.
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Music: Serocell (new album out!) and Phantom Fauna
Taxidermy by Divya Anantharaman
Taxidermy by Divya Anantharaman
Skull Preparation by Divya Anantharaman