Pixidermy, Brilliantly Pixelated Mounted Animal Head Sculptures Made Out of Wooden Blocks

Pixidermied Rhino

Chicago sculptor Kentaro Yamato creates amazing animal head sculptures that are pixelated with wooden blocks in a process he calls “Pixidermy”, the meeting of pixelation and taxidermy. This brilliantly modern idea combines the love for mounted heads over the fireplace with the need to save animals of all kinds, some of whom are on the brink of extinction. Yamato points out the endangered status of the rhinoceros, noting that one can enjoy the company of a rhino without the need for a trophy of some sort.

No need to kill a near-extinct rhino to enjoy their company in your rooms. They shan’t be a trophy and you/we can still both win.

Yamato further explains his inspiration for “Pixidermy”.

In this digital age, I love more and more of the tangent feeling of working with real things. Recently, I have found this method of sculpture and brought animals to life, just not by harming them. No cube is created equal so parts of my animals seem crooked sometimes but that’s part of the character.

Mounted pixelated wooden animal heads can be purchased through Yamato’s Etsy store.

Longhorn Pixidermy

Pixelated Ibex

Ram Pixidermy

via Technabob

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.