Extinct, 2011-2016, Pigmentprints, 60cm x 40cm
For the work Extinct I made portraits of animal specimens that represent extinct animals of modern times.
I am interested in the eyes, because it is difficult to decide on photographs, whether the long-extinct animals really do not live anymore.
Coregonus oxyrinchus The Nordseeschnäpel, also known as Rheinschnäpel, Houting and Kleine Schwebrenke, was a species of fish in the salmonid family. The species was probably extinct in the 1940s due to water pollution. The Schnäpel in the North Sea were economically important food fish until the beginning of the 20th century. In 1917 5000 kg were caught, in 1921 1000 kg, 1933 still 100 kg, 1939 3 kg.
Equus quagga quagga The quagga was a widespread zebra form in South Africa. The last quagga died in 1883 in the Amsterdam Zoo.
Raphus cucullatus The Dodo was a large flightless bird on Maurizius, Reunion Island and the Indian Ocean. He was very friendly and was not afraid of people. The last Dodo is said to have been killed in 1681 by a Spanish sailor.
Equus ferus przewalskii The last free-living Przewalski horse was seen in 1969. It has been preserved only because some landowners and zoos have bred the last wild horse species in captivity. Today there are again about 2000 individuals.
Ectopistes migratorius This pigeon was one of the most common bird species in the world at the beginning of the 19th century with 3-5 billion specimens. The last wild bird was shot down in 1900.
Hemichromis sacer This cichlid lived until 1989 in the Sea of Galilee in Israel. Since then he has been spotted neither in the lake nor on the local markets. The destruction of the wetland in the northern part of the lake may be the reason for its disappearance.
Leicophalus herminieri Leiocephalus herminieri is an extinct lizard species of the family of the smooth-headed iguanas. It is named after the French naturalist Félix Louis L'Herminier. There are five museum copies, three of which are kept in Paris, one in London and another in Leiden. The way of life, extinction and timing of the extinction of Leiocephalus herminieri are unknown.
Thylacinus cynocephalus The Tasmanian Wolf, also known as the Tasmanian Tiger, was the largest carnivorous marsupial in Australia. The last bag wolf died 1936 in the zoo of Tasmania.
Borikenophis sanctaecrucis The St. Croix Racer is a snake species of the family Colubridae, which occurred on the Virgin Islands and probably extinct since 1898.
Conuropsis carolinensis Once the Carolina parakeet, a North American parrot species, appeared in large numbers in swarms. The last Carolina parakeet died in 1918 in the Cincinnati Zoo, shortly after the death of his partner, with whom he lived together for 30 years.
Coregonus hiemalis The Gravenche was one of the most caught food fish of Lake Geneva. The overfishing made sure that it was already extremely rare in the 1920s and has not been proven since 1950.
Pseudophilautus malcolmsmithii The Malcolm Smith frog from the family of Rhacophoridae used to live in Sri Lanka. We only know of it because of this single specimen found in 1927.