Museum for a Shark

Model of a Great White Shark (1/3 Scale), Carved foam, paint

Model of a Model of a Model of a Great White Shark

Model of a Model of a Model of a Model of a Great White Shark

Niche 1: "Two Males with Prey," Charcoal on paper drawing from found photograph "Ricardo at Veradero, 1972"

Niche 1: Museum Signage, artist-generated museum sign for Bernini’s famous sculpture “The Rape of Prosperpina"

Niche 1: "Testosterone," glass vial, frame

Niche 2: Fake ethnographic etchings of real ancient (and current) religious tradition based on accounts from YouTube, Flickr, CNN, and BBC travel, Papua New Guinea, Inkjet transfers, ink on paper

Niche 2: Photo of Vic Hislop from website “Sharks Targeting Humans,” Inkjet print, broken glass

Niche 2: Homage to Damien Hirst; Shark preserves, Shark jelly, plastic shark, Mason jar

Niche 2: Homage to Damien Hirst, Inkjet print, preserved shark in shark jelly, plastic shark, Mason jar

Niche 3: Golden Book of Sharks, Digitally modified book (1958, Golden Books), text from Wikipedia (2011), watercolor, colored pencil, highlighter, pen

2011

Characterized as powerful and mythic creatures, sharks' charismatic appeal is often leveraged to draw visitors to natural history and science museums. This project brings the conventions of museum spaces to the surface while tracing historicized notions of masculinity through their associations with sharks.

Installation, multiple pieces each within museum niches, details in captions.
Photos: Kiley Reed Black

MARIA LUX

Museum for a Shark