HOUSTON, TX—The beautiful, surprising, and often outright bizarre microscopic form of insects is presented in breathtaking clarity in a new exhibition by British photographer Levon Biss at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, opening July 13th. Microsculpture: The Insect Photography of Levon Biss shows specimens from the collection like never before, in large-format and exquisitely-lit detail. Watch the film.
The largest of Microsculpture’s photographic prints measure up to three meters across and surround the visitor. Seen alongside the tiny insect specimens themselves, this huge transformation of scale offers a unique viewing experience.
Each picture in Microsculpture is created from around 8,000 individual photographs. Segments of the specimen are lit and photographed separately, “stacked” to maintain sharp focus throughout, then combined into a single high-resolution file. Visitors can view the intricate shapes, colors and Microsculpture of the creatures up close in the pin-sharp photographs, before stepping back to take in the beauty of the insect as a whole.
“I photograph the insect in approximately 30 different sections, depending on the size of the specimen. Each section is lit differently with strobe lights to bring out the micro-sculptural beauty of that particular section of the body. For example, I will light and shoot just one antenna, then I will move on to the eye and the lighting set up will change entirely to suit the texture and contours of that part of the body. This process continues until I have covered the whole surface area of the insect.” – Levon Biss
Combining art with science, the exhibition also provides information about each creature in the show, where possible discussing the evolutionary adaptations that have given rise to its particular microsculpture form.
“It’s thought that microscopic structures alter the properties of an insect’s surface in different ways, reflecting sunlight, shedding water, or trapping air. The evolutionary process of natural selection should account for all this wonderful diversity of microstructures, but for many species their specific adaptive function is still unknown. By observing insects in the wild, studying museum collections, and developing new imaging techniques we will surely learn more about these fascinating creatures and close the gaps in our current understanding.” – Dr. James Hogan, Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Microsculpture: The Insect Photography of Levon Biss, organized by Levon Biss with the Oxford Museum of Natural History and The University of Oxford, Oxford, England, is included with admission to the Permanent Exhibits.
The Houston presentation is generously supported by the John P. McGovern Foundation.
For ticket prices or more information visit our website at www.hmns.org or call (713) 639-4629.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science—one of the nation’s most heavily attended museums—is a centerpiece of the Houston Museum District. With four floors of permanent exhibit halls, and the Wortham Giant Screen Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium, and George Observatory, and as host to world-class and ever-changing touring exhibitions, the Museum has something to delight every age group. With such diverse and extraordinary offerings, a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, located at 5555 Hermann Park Drive in the heart of the Museum District, is always an adventure.