Artist Statement

Morphoids are unusual creatures, identified by the distinct peeling quality of their skin. The first of the Morphoids was discovered by Jennifer Akkermans in 2010, in Fish Creek Park, Calgary, Alberta. The first Morphoid discovered, Sepal, was seen scurrying out of sight under a bush.  Akkermans says, “Sepal has very effective camouflage – at first, all I saw was the movement. When I looked, I couldn’t make out exactly what was moving, and then I saw it.  I had never seen anything like it.” Sepal is a creature of an unusual color, texture, and shape, and doesn’t have any sort of a face- no obvious eyes, nose or mouth.  It also seems to move very quickly, but slyly, and not when it feels it is being watched.

It seemed that once Akkermans had discovered the first Morphoid, there were many more to be revealed.  Many more Morphoids, of all shapes and sizes, have been carefully observed and photographed both in their natural environments and in the laboratory since 2010.  They are unlike any animals seen before, in that the Morphoids have a few very distinct defining characteristics:

1) They are ambiguous creatures, and often seem to imitate other animals;

2) They are often very vibrantly colored;

3) All have an unusual peeling skin texture on part, if not all of their bodies; and

4) They show no obvious facial features or genitalia.

As a result of these discoveries, Akkermans founded the Institute of Morphoid Research.  The Institute is dedicated to the study and preservation of the creatures falling within what is believed to be a new phylum, Morphopodia. Currently, the Institute is primarily studying their behavior- how they interact with each other, human beings and their own environments.  Over time, we plan to study the Morphoids in greater detail, through research- drawings, diagrams, anatomical studies, and dissections. The IMR is also working on securing more reliable funding, and developing informational resources for the public, including brochures on the Institute and it’s subjects, as well as a website, to be found at www.InstituteofMorphoidResearch.com.