Artist Curtis Talwst Santiago Tansforms Antique Jewellery Boxes Into Tiny Dioramas

Nine years ago, Canadian-Trinidadian artist Curtis Talwst Santiago was given an old ring box by a Parisian street vendor, who told him: “I want to see what you make with this.”

Talwst placed a miniature figure emerging from a tiny seascape inside and, ever since, has been creating dioramas of scenes inspired by pop culture, current events and everyday experiences.

“I like to capture memories and fleeting moments,” he says. “They feel all the more moving because of their fugitive nature.” He hunts out the ring boxes in antique markets and on eBay, and is sent old ones by fans. “I want the viewer to open the box and feel they have been transported to another world.”

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