Something new: a scaley model

Vanessa Yung

Published: 12:00am, 14 Oct 2012

Salvador Dali had Gala Diakonova, Edouard Manet had Victorine Meurent and Robert Mapplethorpe had Patti Smith, but Japanese artist Riusuke Fukahori looked not to a striking woman for his muse - but to a pet goldfish.

What started as two-dimensional paintings of the fish have evolved into 3-D artworks that look so real, you can almost see them swimming. The illusion comes courtesy of a technique that involves painting the fish on layers of clear resin that are gradually added to a container.

A master at the craft, Fukahori understands how to build up shadows, shades and flowing fins to create a lifelike effect. The fact that he usually creates his masterpieces in wooden Japanese basins or sake containers (one of his works is titled , literally "goldfish wine") adds to the realism and playfulness.

Internet videos show Fukahori bringing his goldfish to life, but you can watch his creative process unfold before your very eyes when the artist brings his work to Hong Kong, in co-operation with Japan's Gallery IDF.

Fukahori will hold a live demonstration in the atrium of The Gateway (Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui) on Thursday, the same day his exhibition, , opens at the nearby Gallery by the Harbour (Ocean Centre, Harbour City).

The demonstration starts at midday and the exhibition will be open daily, from 11am to 10pm, until November 15.

For inquiries, call the Harbour City hotline at 2118 8666.

"Goldfish led Japanese 3D artist out of misery" Video by Hedy Bok

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: A scaley model

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