Creature Feature
Ichthyostega
Ichthyostega by Yoh Kakuda
Three Hundred Sixty Five Million years ago, give or take, during a brief sixty million year stint known as the Devonian period (between the Silurian and Carboniferous periods) of the Paleozoic era, the first amphibious tetrapods made their appearance on Earth, both in the ocean and on land, theoretically. These primordial creatures, championed by the ichthyostega, appear to have been the first water dwellers to drag themselves onto the sand and writhe their way to greener pastures. Ichthy, technically a tetrapodomorph, was for a very long time the only “transitional fossil” discovered to exhibit features of both fish and tetrapods. Ichthy had lungs, but primarily used his gills to exchange carbon dioxide, had a tail he used for swimming, and had strong forelimbs he used for crawling. His feeble hindlimbs did not likely support much weight, but were dragged along with the rest of his body as he “crutched” his way along, synchronously pulling his forelimbs in a slow, steady advance like something straight out of a horror movie.
be nice, he’s going through some transitions right now
With that image firmly unsettling in your mind, welcome to this year’s installment of Boxes and Boos, dedicated to that amorphous amphibious man fish. To mark the occasion we have the adorably ancient Ichthyostega by Japanese Karakuri Creation Group artist Yoh Kakuda, who pondered the mysteries of the ancient world for the group’s annual themed exhibition. From Kakuda: “When the theme of the exhibition became ancient and I was thinking about what to do with it, a friend told me that ancient creatures would be good. So, after researching ancient fish and Anomalocaris, Opavinia etc, I thought that Ichthyostega had a simple form and that the process of growing legs from the sea to the land could be used as a mechanism. As I researched, I found this description of Ichthyostega. They were early creatures to rise from the sea and considered quadrupedal. However recent research suggested that they may have moved around using only their front legs, like crawling. The hind legs were just flapping around... and the story was complete when I heard that.”
this creature is evolving
photo courtesy of Yoh Kakuda
Kakuda also pondered how to recreate this visual effect as part of the solution, and came up with a few potential variations. The best version was also the simplest, using what he describes as “a rather primitive method: friction”. It seems rather fitting, as well, to resort to a primitive method in this particular design. The end result is perfectly smooth and comical, as intended. Like many Kakuda creations, Ichthy comes to life as it is solved, acting like a mini automaton with movement built into the solution. There is a little bit of deception and trickery at play as well, which might keep you guessing for a little before you get your treat.
docile fossil?
Back in 1954 a geology expedition into the Amazon, led by marine biologist Dr. Carl Maia and his team from Brazil, uncovered the fossilized remains of a skeletal hand with webbed fingers dating from the Devonian period. To help with this amazing, legendary and cinematic find, ichthyologist and former student of Dr. Maia, Dr. David Reed, left his California aquarium to join his mentor on a new quest to track down the remains of this piscine amphibious humanoid, following a lead in the jungle to a secluded black lagoon. Little did they know, the modern day ancestor of that creature had been watching them – and watching in polarized projected black and white light 3D!
Swampwater by Chris Hannah and Konrad Kantor
It all went rather badly for many of the research expedition, and – spoiler alert – for the creature too. If they had just done the civilized thing and offered him a drink, who knows what mankind might have learned. This creature had clearly learned the secrets of a long life, something that has fascinated us for many an age. Perhaps it was he who gave the secret recipe to François Annibal d’Estrées, a noble Frenchman who had an illustrious military and then diplomatic career in the seventeenth century. In 1605, d’Estrées presented a mysterious manuscript containing a recipe for the elixir of long life to the Carthusian monks in Vauvert. The recipe made its way to the Grand Chartreuse monastery in Grenoble, where it was used to create the original Elixir Végétal de la Grande Chartreuse. With 130 herbs and botanicals to work with, the monks rushed the final product in just about 100 years and got it perfect by 1737. The potent Green Chartreuse we drink today, at 55 percent alcohol by volume, was finally introduced in 1764.
swamp romp
American distributors of the seventies disco era could have accepted the fact that this noble and difficult to drink French spirit would be a challenge to market to such unrefined clientele. But that never stopped any clever sales team, who in this case came up with a tipsy alligator to promote the liqueur to a thirsty American public. They created the “Swampwater”, a surprisingly tasty mixture of green Chartreuse, pineapple and lime juice which was served over ice in a bespoke mason jar. Ads of the era encouraged partygoers to batch up literally gallons of the stuff, with no specifications on how much Chartreuse to use (the more the better!). Much like our maligned creature from the black lagoon, the Swampwater was quickly lost to history. But like many disco era drinks, it has been reborn, with more modern ratios and balance, in the current cocktail climate which allows that drinks should be fun and not such serious business. One of the best new recipes for this old drink comes from modern bar legend Chris Hannah at Manolito in New Orleans. In it, he dials up the Chartreuse, dials down the pineapple, adds basil for a perfectly herbal compliment to the liqueur, and whips it up frappe style. The original Swampwater was advertised to bite, thanks to Chartreuse’s 110 proof pedigree, and the modern version pulls no punches, either. Trick and Treat!
primordial pair
Swampwater updated by Chris Hannah and Konrad Kantor, Manolito
2 ½ oz green Chartreuse
¾ oz pineapple
½ oz lime
2 basil leaves
15 oz ice
1 oz dry rum (for float)
Blend ingredients and pour into a mason jar. Float rum on top (optional) and garnish with a sprig of mint, or a creature from the black lagoon if you are feeling Halloweenish. Cheers!
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