Taxidermy Artist Polly Morgan on Family Life in the Baby Reindeer House

Video Description

Much like her taxidermy-based sculptures, Polly Morgan is an artist who delights in looking beneath the surface. Her home in Camberwell is deliberately minimalist - a space viewers may recognise from Netflix’s Baby Reindeer. As she prepares to move out after 13 years, with most of her possessions already shipped off to the countryside, she reflects on the highs and lows of her time there. Growing up in the Cotswolds, Polly’s childhood was characterised by watching animals die and by seeing her father dissect bodies to understand anatomy. Those early experiences formed her way of seeing, not as something morbid, but as a curiosity about life and its endings. Entirely self-taught, Polly has always worked slightly outside of artistic convention. She speaks about wanting to notice what most people overlook, to find the parts of things that are usually hidden. It’s with this same outlook that she talks about the loss of her sister and mother, and the decision to say goodbye to her city life as she prepares to return to the countryside. This is a conversation about artistic process, growing older, family, and learning what to hold on to and what to let go of. This episode was recorded in person at Polly’s home in Camberwell. Timestamps: 00:00:00 Unconventional Childhood in the Cotswolds 00:00:54 Family Life and Animal Adventures 00:02:52 Freedom and Nature vs. Teenage Restlessness 00:03:59 Early Encounters with Death and Biology 00:07:53 Creativity and Boredom in Childhood 00:10:49 Family Dynamics as the Youngest Sibling 00:13:57 Creativity, Independence, and Technology 00:15:21 Moving to London and University Life 00:16:51 Early Jobs and Social Life in London 00:18:14 Parents’ Divorce and Loss of Family Home 00:20:41 Student Housing and Living with Punks 00:24:21 Entry into the Art World and Taxidermy 00:28:16 Learning Taxidermy and Early Artistic Success 00:30:36 Feelings of Being an Outsider in Art 00:33:19 Buying Property and Financial Risks 00:35:13 Life in Camberwell and Family Home 00:36:03 Relationship with Husband Matt Collishaw 00:41:20 Memories and Letting Go of the Family Home 00:43:06 Significant Events in the Camberwell House 00:46:26 Working in a Basement Studio 00:50:32 Motherhood, Art, and Time Management 00:52:09 Evolution of Artistic Practice 00:54:45 Living with Her Own and Others’ Art 01:00:00 Marriage to Another Artist: Collaboration and Routine 01:06:39 Minimalism and Decluttering 01:09:41 Grief, Anxiety, and Moving to the Countryside 01:12:12 Therapy, Trauma, and Coping Mechanisms 01:17:33 Return to the Countryside and Community 01:20:28 Children, Screens, and Outdoor Play To hear more from us: Instagram: @homingwithmatt TikTok: @homing.with.matt Contact: Email us at [email protected] For more content and exclusive walking tours: Patreon: http://patreon.com/HomingWithMatt Matt Gibberd’s book, A Modern Way to Live, is available here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/320176/a-modern-way-to-live-by-gibberd-matt/9780241480496 Music by @simeonwalkermusic Identity & design by @lena.winkler.creative.office Produced by @podshoponline