Milan-based artist Stefano Prina used his dog Luchino's expressive eyes as inspiration when he designed his marvelous handmade creations. Utilizing the construction experience he gained as an architect, Prina created incredibly detailed sculptures of colorful reptile, fish, monster, and animal eyes for his “Little Shop of Monsters.” Each piece shows the intricate components of the iris' color, shape, and pigmentation, adding a remarkably realistic quality to the stunning works of art.
The gifted sculptor hand-painted each elaborate eye pattern on a wood shell base and then encased his work in glossy acrylic resin. Back when Prina constructed models of bridges and buildings, he became an expert researcher and builder, which has tremendously helped him when working on both real and imaginary ocular pieces. “I believe that the idea at the foundation of all this has to do with the magic and wonder that one feels observing the shape and forms of life through the real and true marvel of evolution that is the eye, the organ that absorbs light and allows our perception of the world. In any case, apart from any explanation, I would like my eyes to be a single, joyous moment of wonder for those who observe them,” explained Prina on his website.
