PETER SANDBACK

My photographs are generally taken in natural history museums. The atmosphere is hushed, the halls dimly lit, contrasted by the warm glow within the displays.

I am interested in the taxidermy and the dioramas that house these creatures. At their best, they are masterfully done—the result of collaboration among scientists, engineers, and artists. The seamless illusion between specimen and painted background, rendered with beautiful atmospheric perspective, makes these environments works of art in their own right.

It is difficult not to reflect on how these specimens were acquired. That polar bear, for example, had to be shot, skinned, and stuffed—a gruesome end. And yet countless visitors have stood before it, each touched or changed in some way. The American Museum of Natural History alone holds thousands of such specimens: an archive built from both death and science.