Exquisite Creatures

/ June 5, 2024

Exquisite Creates is a current exhibit at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, AR. Christopher Marley invites us to explore the connections between art, science, and nature with his striking geometric displays of plants, minerals, and animals. You can learn more about this exhibit on the Crystal Bridges website.

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A riot of colors, shapes, and creatures.

Overall, I loved the exhibit, especially the beetle displays that are bursting with neon colors. Some of the displays felt clinical, but the wide array of creatures and colors was a visual treat. All of the animals used in his work are reclaimed after dying of natural or incidental causes. The insects are ethically harvested from sources around the world. The volume of creatures displayed was both amazing and a little overwhelming. It certainly brings home what an amazing planet we live on with the dazzling variety of plants and animals. It reminds me of the wonder and joy I feel when exploring nature.

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Beetlemania!

Christopher Marley is an artist, naturalist, photographer, and author who uses preserved natural specimens as his medium. His exhibits have been shown in North America, Europe, and Asia. I would rather explore the beauty and variety of creatures in the wild, but I’m glad that his art encourages more discussion about art, nature, and preservation. It would take a lifetime of travel to find this many creatures in the wild on my own.

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Frog foray.

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Fish fiesta.

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Leaping lizard.

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Fancy feathers.

The trip to Crystal Bridges was part of my weekend birthday celebration. I’m glad to have seen this exhibit and share it with friends.

May we keep appreciating and preserving the amazing world we live in.

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72 thoughts on “Exquisite Creatures”

  4. A belated Happy Birthday, Brad! 😀 What an incredible celebration of colour and the natural world although I can see why it would be a bit overwhelming. The feathers offer some serenity with their form and muted shades. Annika

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  11. What amazing preservation of these amazing critters, Brad that you captured so well. What a special birthday. I Just rescued 2 lizards from the house back to their natural habitat but none as bright and cheery as yours. Lovely add on to your birthday fun💓💓

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  15. Lovely displays Brad, and so pleased you had such a good birthday weekend my friend.. And I was especially pleased to hear that no beetle or butterfly fish, frog or lizard or fish was killed for the purpose but passed naturally… 🙂
    Wishing you a wonderful rest of the week Brad.. 🙂 💖🙏✨🕊

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  20. What a great birthday gift to yourself, Brad. The beetles are especially captivating. So iridescent and lots many sizes and colors. My grandmother lived in Indonesia and she had jewelry made out of beetles. The pieces were so mesmerizing to me as a little girl. 🙂 Thanks for the colorful post!

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  22. This is so cool, Brad. The beetles look like little gemstones – they are gorgeous. When thinking of beetles, people usually think about how gross they are. But seeing them like this highlights how beautiful even the tiniest creatures are. I hope exhibits like this help people appreciate the earth and the little souls sharing space with us. We need more Brad’s out there! What a great way to spend your birthday, my friend! Big hugs 💕xo

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  29. Harvested World Wide? Really? I am curious as to what kind of market is there internationally for dead bugs? Art, certainly. But are there that many bug arrangements to make bug harvesting a ‘thing’?

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  30. This is fascinating, Brad. The amount of work that goes into collecting specimens in addition to creating and presenting the art is truly masterful. It is unique and I am glad you shared it…who knew something like this even existed? Amazing.

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