See Creatures
Iori Tomita gives marine life an awesome neon glow.
Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that we take our name from a sea creature, but here at Oyster we definitely feel an affinity for all things fishy. With a taste for rendering marine life strikingly fluorescent, Japanese artist Iori Tomita has taken the current trend for taxidermy and given it an awesome neon glow in a project entitled 'New World Transparent Specimens'.
In a unique melange of science and art, Tomita dissolves the natural proteins present in his specimens, bringing their ornate skeletal structures into sharp and striking relief. He then selectively injects the bones of his subjects with vivid dyes to further enhance the elaborate anatomical construct that makes the tiny underwater creatures so remarkable.
Tomita's truly hands-on approach sees him exchanging his skills as a professional fisherman for new and exciting specimens of aquatic life. If, like us, you are intrigued by Tomita's fluorescent fishes, you can take a trip to Tokyo and buy one of your own from Tokyu Hands. Sure beats the traditional goldfish in a bowl.
Words: Lillian McKnight
