Magnificent Bodies, Roelof Bakker

Artist’s book of photographs of dead insects printed on insect wing-like tracing paper placed inside archival box with art print to interior and brass plate to exterior

Responding to the 60% drop in UK flying insect numbers in the last 20 years, Magnificent Bodies shows portraits of dead insects reproduced at an enormous – magnificent – scale. Printed on insect wing-like tracing paper, individual insects’ bodies overlay with others, creating futuristic fictional super-large super-flies.

The prints are inspired by illustrations from Robert Hook’s 1655 book Micrographia, the first book to include large illustrations of insects and plants as seen through microscopes.



Handprinted and hand-assembled to order. Edition of ten. Bound or unbound. Supplied in archival print box with art print fixed to interior and brass title plate to exterior. Certificate of authenticity.

Book: 28pp, size 29.7cm W x 42cm H. FSC certified Frisk tracing paper, Munken Pure, FSC-certified. Archival box, 43.5cm L x 32cm W x 1.5cm H. Brass title plate to box, 6cm W 1.8cm H. Brass binding screws (four). Interior print: size 29.7cm W x 42cm H, FSC-certified Colorplan card.

Publication date 18 October 2024

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