The following photographic-rich article features the fine art solo exhibition entitled “Takeshi Yamada’s Museum of World Wonders: Rare and Extinct Marine Creatures” held from September 7th to September 12th, 2006, at the Salt Marsh Nature Center in Brooklyn, New York. This manuscript was produced by Dr. Eriko N. Bond, an active art critic and author in New York City, as told by Yamada and edited by Paula Brooks.  Photographs were taken by Takeshi Yamada and Diane, M. Taros.     Solo Exhibition at Salt Marsh Nature Center Marine Park area of Brooklyn, New York September 7th – 12th, 2006 Opening Reception 1 - 5 p.m., September 9th, 2006 Special Opening Reception Event: Public Lecture: 3 - 4 p.m.   Takeshi Yamada with his Sea Rabbit at the opening reception of his solo exhibition at the Salt Marsh Nature Center, Brooklyn, New York, on September 9, 2006.          (photograph by Diane, M. Taros)     Background In 2003 at the Salt Marsh Nature Reserve in Brooklyn, New York, in a solo exhibition - entitled Homage to the Horseshoe Crab - Takeshi Yamada presented his various horseshoe crab-inspired artworks.  On display were color drawings, pen and ink drawings (tail of the horseshoe crab is used as dipping pen), Japanese samurai warrior masks (painted on the carapace of the horseshoe crab), an oil painting on canvas, and taxidermy sculptures of prehistoric horseshoe crabs.   At the opening reception, with his original music playing in the background, Yamada gave an art lecture for public.  Two artworks inspired by the horseshoe crab were donated to the nature center for its permanent collection.  Rita Sandler was the event director.    Takeshi Yamada’s Museum of World Wonders transformed the main auditorium of the Salt Marsh Nature Center into the giant Chamber of Curiosities. Yamada exhibited over 58 circus sideshow gaffs and artworks entitled “Homage to the Horseshoe Crab” there in 2003. (Sometimes the directors of the  exhibition place demands more “artistic” display which means a lot of empty spaces between each items.)         (left) At the above mentioned show, Yamada gave public art lecture (and horseshoe crabs, artworks of wildlife, and circus sideshow) and gave music performance by using his computer. (right) Yamada’s original horseshoe crab telson dipping pens on the stand, 18-inch Nuclear Radiation Giant Stag Beetle of Bikini Atoll, Horseshoe Crab Warrior Helmet and a Skull excavated from the Palace of Ocean are displayed in grass fish tanks (circus sideshow style).   For this year’s art exhibition, Yamada created several varieties of taxidermy and three-dimensional super-realism artworks, simulating rare and extinct sea animals found world-wide. This show featured taxidermy artworks of real creatures like a carnivorous snail, altered/modified real creatures such as a giant alligator clam, as well as, the Fiji mermaid, a completely fictional creature. The monstrous animals were presented as bio-indicators, a barometer of the health of the environment, to demonstrate the detrimental changes caused by nature, god, creatures, and humans to the salt marsh, coast, and marine ecology.   Kristy DiCario, Salt Marsh Nature Center’s event director worked hard and closely with Yamada to make this very special art exhibition possible and successful.   Yamada has been actively volunteering his time and efforts to the City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation, the New York State Marine Education Association, the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary Inc., the Salt Marsh Alliance, and the Salt Marsh Nature Center. Presently, Yamada is a member of the advisory board of directors for the Ecological Research & Development Group, Inc. and the Delaware Horseshoe Crab Research Institute.  Yamada is also a board of director for the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition.     Salt Marsh Nature Center The Salt Marsh Nature Center opened on Earth Day in April 2000. The Salt Marsh Alliance, a not-for-profit organization, was formed in 2002 to supplement public funding for the Nature Center. One of ten Urban Park Ranger Nature Centers in New York City, it serves as an in-park community center for public education and outreach, recreational activities and environmental studies.   The Salt Marsh Nature Center surrounded by a beautiful one-mile loop of nature trails hosts many community-oriented events like art, culture, and exercise classes, art exhibitions, and state-of-the-art educational displays. The center is also home to the Natural Classroom, an outdoor classroom initiative launched in 2001 by the City of New York Parks & Recreation Department, taking advantage of the nearby Marine Park and salt marsh.      (left) Front main entrance of the Salt Marsh Nature Center. The main exhibition hall is its right wing. (right) Backside of the center facing salt mash and the nature trails. (photographs by Takeshi Yamada)   Promotional Materials Following materials were produced and distributed to promote the Takeshi Yamada’s art events.            Promotional flyers featuring pictures of Takeshi Yamada’s Fiji Mermaid and Sea Rabbit     Urban park ranger 2006 Calendar of Programs       Urban Park Ranger September Calendar, 2006   Public Lecture On September 9, 2006, in conjunction with his solo exhibition, Yamada gave public lecture about his taxidermy artworks of rare and extinct animals.   The lecture covered taxidermy, biology, geology, astronomy, paleontology, ecology, geo-politics, environment, bio-diversity, engendered & threatened creatures, political correctness, and American circus sideshow.   Using his taxidermy artworks as examples, Yamada talked in great detail about advancement of taxidermy technology, the terror of the last 7 global warmings before the appearance of human species, the Permian Extinction which wiped out 95% of marine species (including all the trilobites), the importance of horseshoe crab for keeping humans healthy, and the possibility of survival of human species in the future.   Exhibition In total, 93 items (specimens, artifacts, artworks, descriptions) were exhibited on the walls and display tables as well as in glass cases and a birdcage.  (Photographs by Diane M. Taros)   Japanese Samurai Warrior’s Ceremonial Reincarnation Mask painted on the carapace of the horseshoe crab (Warrior’s Helmet Crab) with feathers of Seagull displayed on the West wall.     (left ) Yamada giving art lecture for public at the opening reception with his Sea Rabbit. (right) Yamada at the elaborately decorated entrance of his Chamber of Curiosity.     A varieties of giant killer creatures on display        (left) Giant Serpent Bug (22 inches) (right)    Giant Round-shell alligator Turtle, Giant serpent Bug, Winged Prehistoric Horseshoe Crab, Nuclear Radiation Giant Stag Beetle of Bikini Atoll, Prehistoric Giant Horseshoe Crab, Nuclear Radiation Giant Tailed Beetle of Bikini Atoll, Giant Sea Scorpion (49 inch).   Yamada with Prehistoric Arrowhead Salamander, Egg-laying Sea Mouse, Egg-laying Sea Gerbil, Egg-laying Sea Ferret, and Egg-laying Sea Raccoon.   Yamada with Fiji Mermaid, Giant Terrestrial Carnivorous Planaria, Skull of Giant Sea Serpent, Surf Merman, and Scale of Giant Sea Serpent.  (The Sea Rabbit sits quietly on the display case.)   Yamada with “Battle of Coney Island” painting, Tusk of Sea Elephant, and Marsh Dragon.   Yamada with Coney Island Brand Exotic Canned Foods and Giant Hermit Crab on the display desk   Yamada and Kristy DiCario (Urban Park Ranger & Nature Center Event Director)   Takeshi Yamada’s Museum of World Wonders Rare and Extinct marine Creatures   List of Exhibition Items   East Wall Main Entrance - a large and long jute fisherman’s net was mounted from the near ceiling to the floor by the artist): 1.                   Japanese samurai warrior’s ceremonial mask 2.                   Japanese samurai warrior’s ceremonial wand 3.                   Heart fish   West Wall: 4.                   Japanese samurai warrior’s ceremonial reincarnation mask with seagull’s feathers 5.                   Chinese vampire monkey in a bird cage   North Wall and Display Tables: 6.                   Artifact of Dreamland Fire of 1911: Museum of World Wonders (painting on wood) 7.                   Rib cage squid 8.                   Battle of Coney Island (4x6 feet, oil painting on canvas) 9.                   Fiji mermaid, 6 feet 10.               Horned marsh dragon, 3 feet 11.               Tusk of sea elephant 12.               Limulus phoenix (prehistoric giant horseshoe crab, 3 feet) 13.               Giant sea worm, 7 feet 14.               Coney Island Brand Canned Foods (14 units) 15.               Giant land planaria, 6 feet 16.               Scale of giant sea serpent 17.               Surf merman 18.               Skull of giant sea serpent 19.               Giant killer snail 20.               Giant horned killer snail 21.               Giant hermit crab   South Wall and Display Tables: 22.               Giant alligator turtle, 3 feet 23.               Nuclear radiation giant tailed stag beetle of bikini 24.               Nuclear radiation giant stag beetle of bikini 25.               Giant serpentine bug 26.               Luminus llievensis (prehistoric giant horseshoe crab, 3 feet) 27.               Limulus gigunteus (prehistoric giant horseshoe crab, 3 feet) 28.               Horned sea gerbilus (2 units: sea mouse and sea gerbil) 29.               Horned sea numbatus (2 units: sea ferret and sea raccoon) 30.               Arrowhead dragon 31.               Giant alligator clam, 3 feet 32.               Canadian hairy trout 33.               Giant killer seahorse, 3 feet 34.               Giant sea centipede, 4 feet   53 typed descriptions   Total 93 items   New Permanent Art Collection of the Salt Mash Nature Center For this special occasion, Takeshi Yamada generously donated one of his new artworks to the Salt Marsh Nature Center for its permanent collection.   Sea Rabbit and Jackalope surrounded by Baroque decorations by Takeshi Yamada, graphite, color pencil, pen & ink, dry ink, on paper, 2006   Note: For more information about art events and artworks of Takeshi Yamada, please see following websites:   www.sideshowworld.com/SSA-15.html www.takeshi.yamada.brooklynartist.com/ www.horseshoecrab.org    www.saltmarshalliance.org/horseshoe.html        END     All rights reserved by Takeshi Yamada, October 2006. Takeshi Yamada’s Museum of World Wonders in Coney Island, 1405 Neptune Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11224, USA. Phone: 718.714.6434. E-mail: yamada108@aol.com Special thanks to Salt Marsh Nature Center, Salt Marsh Alliance, Brooklyn Zoo & Aquarium, Inc., City of New York Urban Park Rangers, City of New York Parks & Recreation. Also special thanks to Eriko N. Bond, Paula Brooks, and Diane M. Taros.