Behold These Gorgeous Mosaics Made of Insects

by Anika Burgess May 15, 2015

Most American children grow up with frozen pizzas and popsicles in the freezer. But when artist Christopher Marley opened his childhood icebox in Oregon, he was often confronted with colorful species of rare birds. This was because his aviarist father bred all manners of unusual feathered fauna, from Australian parrots to great blue turacos, and couldn’t bear to part with them when they died.

Today, Marley makes surprisingly beautiful mosaics that combine the preserved bodies of various creatures—reptiles, birds, insects, and marine life—with items like orchids, minerals, and rubies. His latest book, Biophilia, sees these natural specimens arranged in lovely and symmetrical designs.