Here are some lovely little sculptures created by some super talented cleaner wrasses and some extremely patient sharks… Ok, not really, but still remarkable talent from the man behind these impressive works. Hedley Wiggan, an English artist most recognized for his incredibly intricate microsculptures, usually finds himself hovering over a microscope carving final details onto the tips of pencils when immersed in his work. But while his typical medium may be of the graphite variety, when the SEA LIFE Aquarium of London proposed to him a more unconventional subject, he didn’t shy away from the opportunity. The fragile, unblunted, naturally discarded teeth of resident Tiger and Brown Sharks proved to be a challenge for Wiggan, yet he spent nearly two weeks excitedly bringing six aquatic creatures to life. 

The sculptures, in the likeness of a Gentoo Penguin, a seahorse, a sea turtle, a Cow-nosed ray, a Brown shark and the ever expected but always welcome Yellow Tang, were commissioned as part of an ongoing project to raise awareness and educate patrons of the aquarium on the realities threatening global shark populations.

“We work tirelessly to educate our guests on the plight of these much maligned animals, and want to do so in the most interesting and engaging environment possible. We hope people will enjoy the beautiful sculptures but take away an important message with them – if action isn’t taken now we stand to lose some of the oldest and most spectacular creatures in the sea.” – Rebecca Carter, SEA LIFE London Aquarium’s Conservation and Education Manager, Rebecca Carter

You can check out this brief interview with Wiggan in regards to the project here.