Sea Circus - Large Sardine Tin Art

In Sea Circus, Ortaire de Coupigny stages two sculpted fish inside a vertical sardine tin, suspended in green resin. The larger fish, painted in ochre, blue, and red, features a single yellow dot near the eye, adding focus and individuality. Below, a smaller fish in red and gold contrasts in both scale and tone.
 
On the inner lid, an engraved silhouette of a tuna-like fish introduces a quiet visual element. The composition suggests a small scene, almost like a performance—two figures sharing a confined stage, balanced between realism and abstraction.
As in other works from the artist’s sardine-can series, Sea Circus brings together sculpture, pigment, and engraving in a compact format.