Willem van der Merwe | Akateeminen Kirjakauppa

The world is full of amazing creatures that swim, climb, run, and fly. Perusing this lavishly-illustrated book, one gets the feeling that the artist knows them all personally. There are huge animals, like the elephant and savannah buffalo. There are tiny ones, like the owlet, tree frog, and four-toed elephant shrew. And of course, there are the mischievous meerkats. Some are magnificent, others endearing.

The art is awe-inspiring. Where photography focuses on the moment, painting forces us to look deeper into the nature of these creatures - to experience visually the textures of fur and feathers, the smoothness of skin. Willem's paintings establish connection.

'Colours of Wildlife' isn't all about the paintings. The artist supplies background knowledge about each species, and their relations with humans. We learn which species are safe for now, and which are endangered. Willem lives near many of these animals, and he has real stories to tell about them.