( CNN ) Ferry van Tongeren believes that there are two types of people in the world : those who like dead animals , and those who do n't . Being a professional fine-art taxidermist , it 's obvious what category he places himself . `` I know it 's hard to believe , but the presence of death has nothing to do with it for me , '' says the Dutch artist . `` It 's about shapes , color and construction , not death . But if you think it 's gross , I ca n't even start to explain the beauty to you . '' Then , after a moment of reflection , he adds : `` I 'm not weird . '' As part of the Darwin-Sinke-van-Tongeren collective -- which makes the unusual move of including Charles Darwin as a member -- van Tongeren and his artistic partner , Jaap Sinke , create extraordinary taxidermy artworks that have been and acclaimed all over the world . The pieces are inspired by the paintings of 17th Century painters like Jan Weenix , Melchior d'Hondecoeter and Adriaen van Olen , and have been called `` flamboyant 17th century luxury '' The blend of retro-cool and exquisite workmanship led one reviewer to say that it `` elevates taxidermy to a higher plane '' . There is no doubt : van Tongeren and Sinke -- who sport wild hair and beards and wear matching leather aprons -- are the hottest thing to happen to taxidermy in decades . Demand is growing for their work , with pieces selling for between £2,000 and £25,000 . n 25 November , their latest exhibition will be coming to the Shapero Rare Book store in London . Late starter . Given these achievements , many find it hard to believe that van Tongeren has only been in the game for three years . `` I was 47 years old , and was running my own advertising agency , '' he recalls . `` We were on a family holiday in New Zealand , and over dinner I just said to my wife , ' I know what I want to do . I want to be a taxidermist ' . `` It had never occurred to me before that day , and it changed my life overnight . '' His wife `` has accepted it '' , and his two children , he says , `` love it '' . His 15-year-old son helps with the stuffing , and his six-year-old daughter likes it too -- though `` she gets a bit worried when I start stroking the cat . '' ( Van Tongeren has a cat and a dog , which he has no intention of stuffing . For now . ) Part of the secret to the duo 's success is the quality that is evident from their work . In some quarters taxidermy has become quite trendy over recent years , but it 's rare to find stuffed animals that can genuinely be mistaken for living creatures . `` We use the old-fashioned , Victorian methods , '' he explains . `` In those days , labor was not so expensive so they took their time over everything . But now mass production has taken over , so speed has taken over . `` Most modern taxidermists buy a ready-made mannequin and stretch the skin over the top . `` But we take months over each animal . We do it as it should be done , and the results speak for themselves . It takes months rather than hours . '' The beauty of death . Among the works of art van Tangeren and Sinke have produced are a beautiful flamingo with raised wings ; a parrot with its feathers spread into an artistic action pose ; a monkey with its tail raised in a flamboyant circle ; and a red-billed , blue magpie , wings and tail stretched back as if in some magical flight . `` I love birds , '' says van Tangeren . `` We have a network of breeders and zoos who give us a call when a rare animal dies . `` As an artist , it 's a big advantage to start with something beautiful in itself . You ca n't use paint to make colors like some birds have . The intensity of the colors and the layers of their feathers is breathtaking . '' In retrospect , van Tangeren 's sudden epiphany three years ago was not such a surprise . Since he was a child , he says , he was fascinated by dead animals , and has been collecting skulls all his life . ( The centerpiece of his collection is the skull of a duck-billed platypus . ) `` In a way , it 's about owning something beautiful , '' he says . `` As a child you do n't really own anything , but when you find a skull , you have a feeling that this is something worth a lot . `` That is the feeling that has stayed with me . I know it 's hard to believe , but it 's about capturing and holding beauty , not death . '' 'Avant gardens ' : When art , design and a whole load of plants collide . Glamor and grieving : How the Victorians dressed for death . Intoxicating investment : How some whisky lovers are now making millions . This expressionist painted the world 's most radical nudes -- 100 years ago .
Two Dutch artists are revolutionizing the world of taxidermy . The two men have been working together for more than a decade and they say their work is changing how we view animals in our homes. It 's not about death , it 's about beauty , they say .