About Microsculpture

The specimens on show were carefully selected by Dr James Hogan, an entomologist in the Museum’s Life Collections, to reveal the array of sculptural forms visible in insects at the microscopic level. Visitors to the exhibitions can view the intricate shapes, colours and microsculpture of these creatures up close in the pin-sharp photographs, before stepping back to take in the beauty of the insect as a whole. Each picture in Microsculpture is created from over 8,000 individual photographs using a bespoke photo-rig and microscope lenses. To create the highly detailed insect portraits, segments of the specimen are lit and photographed separately, ‘stacked’ to maintain sharp focus throughout, then combined into a single high-resolution file.

“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. Once complete, I will then move on to the eye and the lighting set up will change entirely to suit the texture, opacity, reflectiveness and contours of that particular 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 award winning exhibition also provides information about each creature in the show, discussing the evolutionary adaptations that have given rise to it’s particular form and behaviour.

“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

Since it’s launch in 2016, the Microsculpture project has continuously travelled the globe, with millions of visitors and exhibitions in over thirty countries. The project’s website is utilised within numerous school curriculums around the world, providing a vital educational resource and inspiration for future generations.

For further information on exhibitions and events, please email contact@levonbiss.com.