In the art of taxidermy, gesture is paramount, hence for jeweller and taxidermist Julia deVille the most considered aspect of creation is composing her subjects to find a balance between pathos, humour and dignified realism. Arriving in Australia from New Zealand, deVille trained as a jeweller before her long hunt for a taxidermy mentorship was successful. Driven by a strong commitment to animal rights, deVille’s sculptural assemblages belie the heroic, trophy-hunting culture associated with mounting dead animals.