Morpho by Paul Eekhoff developed from a fascination with entomological specimens and the sublime beauty, efficiency of design, form, and function of the myriad variety of wondrous creatures within the insect kingdom.

Inspired by the work of John James Audubon, Charles Darwin and early botanical artists such as Pierre-Joseph Redoute and Charles Linnaeus, Morpho relies upon a simplicity of representation and democratization of the visual field afforded by either the white or black canvas as the surface for each specimen. This formal and deliberate simplicity allows for a thorough examination of each insect as both object of a scientific study and naturally occurring sculptural form. By stripping away artifice and effect, Morpho’s Pictorialist ambitions become invisible while allowing the viewer to consider the subject.

The resulting studies subsume the role of medium specificity and production while acquiring the aesthetic of highly detailed illustrative studies. The intention - to present both the anterior and the posterior views of the specimen as diptychs in a manner akin to the entomologist’s specimen cabinet.

Paul Eekhoff, MFA