'Civic Creatures'

Civic Creatures

Where Animals Meet the City

The power and symbolism of animals have been recognised throughout history. They appear on heraldic crests, flags, monuments and totems, representing the identity, strength and character of different cultures and nations.

In Civic Creatures, Mark Titman playfully combines antique images of animals with prints of buildings of civic and cultural importance.

The contrast between serious, imposing buildings and the energy, humour and movement of animals creates scenes that feel both surreal and strangely familiar.

Imagined Cities and Fictional Histories

Etchings were once the photographs of their time, carrying an authority and apparent objectivity that makes these collages resemble records from another world.

The collection imagines the kind of cities Jules Verne might have encountered in an alternative past, where animals were given totemic expression through architectural design.

Placed among genuine antique prints, the works resemble fantastical historical journalism. They suggest a time when civic buildings could be playful, expressive and filled with character, free from some of the restraints of modern convention and construction costs.

Civic Creatures asks us to imagine what our towns and cities could become if their buildings were influenced by the vitality and personality of the animal world.

If every building has a life and character of its own, what kind of animal would it be?

Explore the Collection

View the complete Civic Creatures collection below.