No clue what a nudibranch is? Simply defined, it is a sea slug. Before you say, “Disgusting,” take a look and tell us this little pink fluff ball isn’t adorable. With over 3,000 species, you can find more than 100 species in a small dive location.
Videos by InspireMore
The mechanical nudibranch is the result of a design competition held by Cannonball Arts. Artist Stephanie Metz submitted her design, “Toxic Beauty,” winning the competition. Based on a mechanical bull frame, Stephanie incorporated the movement into her design, animating the bright pink, poisonous sea slug.
Stephanie chronicled the entire creation process on her TikTok page. The body was filled out with foam, creating the basic shape. The outer shell is felted, requiring a lot of intricate work. The result is absolutely amazing. Not only is the rideable sculpture visually appealing, but it is also functional and offers an almost realistic motion.
When the folks from Socio-Ecological Adaptation & Climate Resilience Lab visited the exhibit, they fell in love with the sculpture… Of course they did. They love sea slugs of all types, even the super ugly ones.
There are two types, aeolid and dorid. Aeolid breathe through spiky tentacles on their backs. Dorid breathe through gills positioned near their posterior. The pink sea slug that Stephanie created is an aeolid. The spiky tentacles are poisonous, much like those of a sea anemone. They look gorgeous, but don’t touch them in real life.
If you would like to learn more about these animals, you can follow SEACR LAB on TikTok. They post a ton of educational clips about these intriguing sea creatures. Check out Stephanie’s creation process on her TikTok page. You can explore her other artwork on her website.
Please share.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.
