Ortaire de Coupigny

The French artist Ortaire de Coupigny today gets most of the sardine cans directly from a cannery. So that he does not first have to eat all the cans himself before turning them into a work of art and almost turning himself into a ‘fish’.

The fish are made of wax and painted with different materials. For example, for the black of the fish, carbon pigments have been used.

When the fish are ready, they go into the can on a layer of wax. Two types of resin are then poured onto it. The first is an epoxy that ensures that the wax is not damaged and the second is a polyester that gives a smooth result. The tab to open the cans serves as a suspension system at the back.