Insects often get a bad rap, but that’s not stopping artists from all around the world from seeing them as a major source of inspiration. Insectism founder Tak Hau is one of them, and he’s using his special set of skills to bring insects back to life through his art.
Before finding internet fame with Insectism, Hau used to run a successful wedding dress design and manufacturing business in Los Angeles. Entomology was just a hobby, but he dedicated a lot of time to learning about the world of natural preservation, especially involving insects.
He eventually learned how to set and mount delicate butterflies, and started incorporating insects into his artwork before they became his main creative medium.
“As an avid collector of insects, I often found myself frustrated with the inferior quality of retail-purchased framed butterflies, or the lack of modern, architecturally-styled aesthetic. Then I began to replace purchased insect displays with my own,” he writes on his Etsy page.
Hau’s main goal is to provoke a conversation, evoke a fantasy, or stimulate the imagination through his art. He also sees his body of work as his love letter to the unmatched splendor of our magnificent planet, and he hopes it will remind people of its incredible beauty.
