Art meets science in new exhibit showcasing coral reef fish

At first glance, the shimmering blues, golds and purples of “Colors of the Reef: Exploring the Diversity of Coral Reef Fishes” invite viewers into a world of aesthetic wonder. But behind every print and image lies a story of discovery — one that blurs the boundaries between art and science to illuminate the urgent need to protect Earth’s coral ecosystems.

The new display at Rice University’s Moody Center for the Arts showcases work led by Kory Evans, assistant professor of biosciences at Rice, whose research examines how bony fish adapt, diversify and survive amid a rapidly changing climate.

“Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet,” Evans said. “They’ve supported intricate webs of life for millions of years, and yet they’re some of the most vulnerable to warming oceans. Through this exhibit, we wanted to show both their beauty and their fragility.”

The exhibit’s foundation rests on two contrasting yet complementary techniques: gyotaku, a traditional Japanese method of fish printing, and microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) scanning, a state-of-the-art imaging technology that renders the internal skeletons of reef fish in three dimensions.

Gyotaku began in the 1800s as a way for fishermen to record their catches, capturing the precise textures of scales and fins in ink. Over time, it evolved into an art form that preserves both biological detail and cultural heritage. It involves applying ink or paint directly onto a fish and then placing a sheet of paper over it to create a transferred image. For this project, Evans collaborated with Japanese American artist Bruce Koike, who created more than 70 prints from specimens collected during field research in Japan.

In contrast, micro-CT scans reveal what lies beneath the surface — the intricate bone structures that enable feeding, swimming and defense. The Evans Lab scanned 300 reef fish specimens, creating a digital library that will support further research into how anatomy shapes evolution.

The exhibit draws heavily from a 2024 field expedition led by the Evans Lab in collaboration with Rice’s Wagoner Scholarship, the University of Chicago and the University of the Ryukyus. Over two months, two Rice undergraduates and one graduate student collected and analyzed reef fish along an 800-kilometer transect from Okinawa to Kagoshima.

Their research sought to explore coral reef fish diversity along a latitudinal gradient, spanning some of the warmest and northernmost coral reef ecosystems in the world. By examining fish morphology, diets and microbial communities across this range, they aimed to better understand how species distributions and adaptations shift in response to environmental factors.

“This work will provide valuable baseline data that can inform future studies on how coral reef fishes might respond to climate change-driven habitat loss,” Evans said.

Funded by the Arts Initiatives Fund with additional support from the Moody Center for the Arts, the exhibit invites viewers to see fish not just as research specimens but as living works of art — embodiments of adaptation, survival and interdependence.

“We’re so pleased to work with Kory to help share this vibrant presentation of cross-disciplinary collaboration,” said Alison Weaver, the Suzanne Deal Booth Executive Director of the Moody Center for the Arts. “As an awardee of the Arts Initiatives Fund, Kory was able to work with the Moody to secure a dedicated space and access to our expert exhibition team. When STEM faculty want to integrate artist-led projects into their curriculum, we’re proud to be the campus partner that helps make that happen. These projects ensure students are truly exposed to the generative relationship that can develop between a scientist and an artist.”

“Colors of the Reef: Exploring the Diversity of Coral Reef Fishes” is on display at the Moody now through Dec. 10.