Native Narrative

Emily Valentine is a contemporary mixed media artist living and working in both Australia and New Zealand. Using feathers as her paint, Valentine creates mythical beasts—winged dogs and lizards, and aeroplanes—combining the man-made form with the bird. Her work examines how attitudes to wearing bird parts have changed and questions our treatment of animals and birds, asking viewers to reconsider how we classify animals: pet or pest, valued or worthless, beautiful or plain. Initially trained as a jeweller, Valentine's practice now spans contemporary wearable art and sculpture. Her work is held in the collections of the National Library of Australia, the Northern Territory Art Gallery, and the World of Wearable Art Museum in New Zealand.