The Idiots are an artistic collective made up of Afke Golsteijn and Floris Bakker. They describe their work as “characterized by the use of animal material exquisitely sculpted into natural positions and combined seamlessly with rich materials such as embroidery and pearls.”

Their work plays with all sorts of quirky taxidermy, such as the exposed fox spine of Thanatos and Hypnos (2011), the parrot headphones of Head Phones (Stilte!) (2009), or the slick oil drop bird in Oilbird (2008). However, I am particularly taken by their combination of lions with opulent gemstones (Geologische Vondst II, 2012) [below] and what looks like molten gold (but is really ceramic glass) (Ophelia, 2005) [above].

These works playfully hint at the treasures within these majestic creatures, but also reveal the macabre impulse to remove beautiful things from the world for the aesthetic pleasure of humans. Although these sculptures are pretty dark, I can’t help but be seduced by the unsettling yet imaginative combinations of materials that they employ.

// All images via the Idiots website.