Saskia Morris: de-extinct

In 2022, debate reignited over whether the Tasmanian Tiger should be made ‘de-extinct’. While many are excited by the prospect of returning the native predator to its environment, others are wary of undermining the finality of extinction and believe the money would be better spent helping living species to survive.

Is the Frankensteinian act of de-extinction truly a step towards a more sustainable future or does it represent a misguided attempt to atone for violence against the environment from colonising powers?

Saskia Morris's sculptures are the result of the artist’s uncertainty about Colossal Biosciences’ attempt. Decorated in bright colours and abstract shapes, the upholstery fabric found on buses, trams and trains aims to camouflage a shared space’s history, hide stains and spills, and be easily revived if tarnished. In rebuilding thylacines out of public transport upholstery, these sculptures play with the question of what becomes obscured if this creature were to re-emerge.