Most of us dismantle the cardboard after opening a package and throw it in the recycling bin. Not so for Josh Gluckstein. This London-based artist uses the material to create incredible wildlife sculptures, turning the brown, stiff paper into animals such as giraffes, lions and gorillas. He recently pushed himself to complete his most ambitious project yet – a 2.5-metre-tall cardboard coral reef filled with over 50 different species of animals.

Gluckstein documented the entire creative process on Instagram and TikTok, with 10 videos leading up to the final unveiling. From colorful corals to giant sea turtles, an octopus, and a spotted blue ray, the sculpture is a meticulous look at life underwater. According to the artist, it “celebrates the wonder and rich biodiversity of our oceans while raising awareness of the fragility and challenges facing our marine life.”

Created for Homo Fabera month-long exhibition in Venice celebrating modern artisans, the sculpture was a creative challenge for Gluckstein, who had previously worked as a freelance prop maker. He used various types of cardboard to create the necessary textures for the reef.

“To create my coral reef, I had to really expand my search and ended up befriending the greengrocers and supermarket staff in my local area to collect hundreds of fruit crates to build the rocks from, and coloured cardboard to represent the bright colours of the fish,” he tells My Modern Met. “That’s the beauty of cardboard – it’s so commonly used and you can find it everywhere if you keep your eyes open.”

His videos give a fascinating insight into his work with the cardboard. We watch as he shapes and sculpts individual pieces of coral, which come to life when painted and placed on the reef. Next come the animals, including eels, various fish and an octopus. As each animal is added to the reef, the sculpture takes on an immersive quality and becomes a 360-degree experience.

With so many details, it’s difficult to choose a favorite part of the reef, but Gluckstein has his personal picks. “The anemone made from cardboard straws and the clownfish,” he admits. “I love the simplicity of the cardboard straws that represent the anemone, and also the subtle message about the threat of plastic waste in the ocean and the difference we can make by making more sustainable choices.”

Now that his work is on its way to Venice, he hopes his reef will remind people of the magical beauty of the ocean and showcase the incredible creative possibilities of cardboard.

To honor his commitment to ocean conservation, Gluckstein is donating 10% of the proceeds from this special piece to the charity Oceana, which works to protect and restore the world’s oceans.

Anyone who wants to see the piece in person should Homo Faberwhich takes place throughout September throughout Venice, Italy.

Cardboard artist Josh Gluckstein has created his most ambitious sculpture yet – an 8-foot-tall coral reef.

The sculpture features over 50 marine species, including sea turtles, an octopus and a blue-spotted stingray.

@joshglucksteinartist How I make my cardboard turtles ♻️ Which process video would you like to see next? #turtle #recycledart #cardboardsculpture #sustainableartist #viralreels #fyp #foryoupage #artinspo #art #wildlifeart #animalart #animalsculpture #sculptureartist #seaturtle ♬ original sound – hanna

Gluckstein explained his creative process in detail in a series of behind-the-scenes videos.

@joshglucksteinartist Part 2: Making a 2.5m long cardboard CORAL REEF ♻️ Using cardboard fruit crates from the supermarket ♻️ What do you think? I’ll be releasing a new process video every week so you can watch the piece come to life. #cardboardcoralreef #recyclingart #cardboardsculpture #oceanart #oceanconservation #sea #reef #oceanwildlife #oceanlover #scubadiving #coral #marinelife #fyp #fypage #viralreels #cardboardart #cardboardcreations #tiktokart #artinspo #art #wildlifeart #paperart #interiordesign #artforsale #reels ♬ The adventure of a lifetime – Coldplay

@joshglucksteinartist Part 4: Octopus crafts a 2.5m cardboard CORAL REEF ♻️ Scuba diving has been my favorite nature experience to date, it’s always an explosion of life and color and I love the feeling of diving into another world. With this piece I really wanted to capture the feeling of diving into a thriving underwater ecosystem. I will be posting a new process video every week so you can watch the piece come to life. ♻️ #cardboardcoralreef #recycledarrowart #cardboardsculpture #octopus #secretofoctopus #oceanart #oceanconservation #sea #reef #oceanwildlife #oceanlover #scubadiving #coral #marinelife #fyp #fypage #viralrolls #cardboardart #cardboardcreations #artstudio #tiktokart #artinspo #art #natgeotravel #sculpturesoninstagram #wildlifeart #conservationartist #paperart #interiordesign #rolls ♬ Soso – Kabusa Oriental Choir

@joshglucksteinartist Part 5: Moray Eels Build a 2.5 Meter Cardboard CORAL REEF ♻️ I’ll be releasing a new process video each week so you can watch the piece come to life ♻️ #CardboardCoralReef #RecyclingArt #CardboardSculpture #MorayEel #Octopus #OceanArt #fyp #fypage #OceanConservation #Sea #Reef #OceanWildlife #OceanLovers #ScubaDiving #Coral #MarineLife #ViralReels #CardboardArt #CardboardCreations #ArtStudio #TikToKart #Artinspo #Art #NatGeoTravel #WildlifeArt #PaperArt #InteriorDesign #Reels ♬ Electric Feel – MGMT

@joshglucksteinartist Part 8: Green Sea Turtles Make a 2.5 Meter Long Cardboard CORAL REEF ♻️ What do you think of the reef so far? ♻️ #CardboardCoralReef #RecyclingArt #CardboardSculpture #GreenTurtle #Turtle #CoralReef #OceanArt #fyp #Jellyfish #fypage #OceanProtection #Sea #Reef #OceanWildlife #OceanLovers #ScubaDiving #Coral #MarineLife #ViralReels #CardboardArt #CardboardCreations #ArtStudio #TikToKart #Artinspo #Art #WildlifeArt #PaperArt #InteriorDesign #Reels ♬ Paradise – Coldplay

@joshglucksteinartist Part 9: Sea Creatures Craft a 2.5 Meter Cardboard CORAL REEF ♻️ It’s bittersweet to be nearing the end of the reef… The final part 10 is coming next week! ♻️ #CardboardCoralReef #RecycledArt #CardboardSculpture #TropicalFish #Turtle #CoralReef #OceanArt #fyp #Jellyfish #fypage #OceanConservation #Sea #Reef #OceanWildlife #OceanLovers #ScubaDiving #Coral #MarineLife ##Tiktokart #Tiktokartist #CardboardArt #CardboardCreations #ArtStudio #Artinspo #Art #SculpturesonInstagram #WildlifeArt #PaperArt #InteriorDesign ♬ missed – Dominic Fike

@joshglucksteinartist COMPLETED cardboard coral reef ✨️ Five months of work and my coral reef is now finished and on its way to Venice! #cardboardcoralreef #recycledart #cardboardsculpture #tropicalfish #turtle #coralreef #oceanart #fyp #jellyfish #fypage #oceanconservation #sea #reef #oceanwildlife #oceanlover #scubadiving #coral #marinelife ##tiktokart #tiktokartist #cardboardart #cardboardcreations #artstudio #artinspo #art #sculpturesoninstagram #wildlifeart #paperart #interiordesign ♬ Sunshine (feat. Dan Harkna) (Extended Mix) – TIEKS

Josh Gluckstein: Website | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook

My Modern Met has granted permission to display photographs by Josh Gluckstein.

Related articles:

French artist creates ethereal cardboard bridges hanging from balloons

Giant lifelike animal sculptures made entirely from recycled cardboard

Japanese artist transforms old Amazon cardboard boxes into amazing sculptures

Artist connects with family history by building cardboard sculptures that look like wood