a squid, a chicken, and a beetle, join masayoshi matsumoto's collection of intricate balloon sculptures

japanese artist masayoshi matsumoto blows and twists balloons into a wide range of intricately formed sculptures. capturing the unique anatomy of various species from the animal kingdom, the self-taught artist adds a squid, a chicken, and an array of new insects, to an already eclectic collection of animals, bugs, and plant life, previously published on designboom.

images via @isopresso_balloon

masayoshi matsumoto recreates the physical form of his subjects by weaving and tying the balloons together in various different ways. he refuses the need for any additional materials such as adhesive, markers, or other embellishments, and instead uses different colors, textures, and sometimes, even deflated balloons to mimic their anatomy.

it takes matsumoto between two and six hours to complete each piece, depending on the complexity of the animal or plant. his body of work includes birds, bugs and beach crabs, but he also creates flora, fungus and cacti. if you want to discover more of matsumoto’s inflatable balloon sculptures see his full collection on instagram, behance, and twitter.