Expanded Perception: Peacock Mantis Shrimp is a multilayered artwork combining acrylic painting and polarized light art.

Peacock mantis shrimps have one of the most complex visual systems of the entire animal kingdom, possessing between 12 and 16 kinds of photoreceptor cells. For reference, humans only have 3 kinds of color receptors. Not only are these animals capable of seeing the visible light that we can, but they can also see beyond into ultraviolet wavelengths and distinguish types of polarized light. This piece explores what it might be like to see into otherwise invisible light in a unique viewing experience.

From the shrimp’s eyes, 6 colors emerge, representing wavelengths humans can see. However, once viewed through polarized glasses, those colors change and new ones are revealed. A whole world previously invisible is unlocked. People experiencing this artwork are encouraged to rotate the lenses of the glasses, view from different angles, and experiment with looking through one eye at a time, while considering the fascinating visual system of peacock mantis shrimps.

Above the shrimp is a bubble that appears when viewed through the glasses. Another peacock mantis shrimp superpower is its ability to punch so fast it creates a cavitation bubble, which collapses into a burst of high energy light and sound. These punches are so powerful that they are known to break aquarium glass.

Further, the positioning of this bubble above and between the shrimp’s eyes also evokes the symbolism of a third eye. The third eye is rooted in spiritual traditions and is said to sense beyond the five senses. Similar to the invisible light peacock mantis shrimp can observe, this artwork gently considers the possibility of humans sensing the unseen.