Bank Steenbras Gyotaku
Bank Steenbras Gyotaku

GARETH BEKKER

Bank Steenbras Gyotaku

regular price R 6,200.00
unit price  per 
shipping calculated at checkout.

Gyotaku is the process of creating prints from fish that I have speared/caught. By covering them with non-toxic ink and pressing fabric over them, I can lift the print from the fish itself! 

I began the process of Gyotaku in order to produce an aesthetic art piece that respectfully memorialises the life of the animal I harvested for my consumption. I discovered that I was not merely memorialising a catch, but a whole experience. These print represents more than just a fish, but the invaluable memories that came with it. 

After catching the fish and the joy that comes with the experience of being in the sea, I merge my passion for fishing with my other great passion – fine art. I love the process of making these prints almost as much as I love the experience of catching the fish. The cherry on top is the meal I get to share with my loved ones after the process is complete.

This Bank Steenbras was speared diving a deep reef in the Transkei, South Africa. The Transkei in Winter is like no place on Earth. The Sardines are migrating, causing the ocean to come alive with shoals of fish, pods of dolphins and a constant soundtrack of Humpback whales. 


This print epitomises my art-making process. After experiencing an incredible dive, the children of new friends aided me in printing the fish, after which a delicious meal was shared and relationships forged.