“I remember how I loved to walk through the fair as a little kid and look at all these rare birds that I knew I would never see alive. Years and years had passed since I thought about those birds, and I really wanted to photograph them.”
~ Laszlo Layton
Layton’s first subjects were objects he owned, and like many artists he was inspired by early memories and great minds such as Charles Darwin. Memories of rare, exotic and extinct birds on display as taxidermy at the Arizona State Fair would inspire him to create his own unique voice in photography. Layton eventually found this collection that he remembered from childhood again at the International Wildlife Museum in Tucson, where he was able to begin making photographs of it. Taking off from there, his series has grown to include mammals, and numbers over 100 images. His photographs explore the scientific and taxonomic nature of these animals and bring awareness to the fleeting and fragile existence of the many creatures of our world. A call to preserve and appreciate the fleeting beauty of life and bio-diversity.
