I have always admired the traditional arts of Japan, particularly the beautifully stylised creatures in old woodblock prints and elegantly crafted bronze okimono. These artworks manage to capture the essence of nature without being overly constrained by realism. So when I sculpted this octopus I wanted to create it from memory as much as possible, almost creating a version of an octopus as I see one in my mind rather than get distracted by specific details. Because of this it is not a particular species more a stylised version as I imagine one. I liked the thought of taking the octopus out of its natural environment and displaying it in an unnatural way. The hard, steel cube plinth stands in contrast to the almost liquid, flowing nature of the octopus, creating tension between the two very different forms.