Vienna’s Natural History Museum recently became the subject on display when photographer Klaus Pichler pulled back the curtain on the museum’s storage, workshops, and corridors. It took the artist three years and about fifty visits to complete his current series Skeletons in the Closet — which takes a humorous look at the institution’s collection, with a focus on taxidermy animals. It’s like a Night at the Museum-esque world of silent beastly battles and conversations. Some images appear to be the result of chance meetings — like the bear lurking inside an elevator during transport — while others seem be staged face-offs — such as the fox and a wide-eyed creature looking on. The giant fish peeking around a corner is reminiscent of SNL’s famous candygram shark, and the Neanderthal family relaxing in the parlor could easily be a lost skit from the comedy show. Click through for a backstage look at the museum’s amazing collection that takes on a whole new meaning through Pichler’s lens.
Image credit: Klaus Pichler [Spotted via Lens]
Image credit: Klaus Pichler
Image credit: Klaus Pichler
Image credit: Klaus Pichler
Image credit: Klaus Pichler
Image credit: Klaus Pichler
Image credit: Klaus Pichler
Image credit: Klaus Pichler
Image credit: Klaus Pichler
Image credit: Klaus Pichler