provided to The Santiva Chronicle
A new exhibition is now on view at the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium: Shell Architecture: The X-Ray Photography of Jim Wehtje.
Historically, X-ray technicians have used X-ray machines to create images, called radiographs, of the human body and other subjects, including shells. Shells are a great subject for X-ray imagery because the process reveals internal structures, the shapes of empty spaces within shells, and what lies behind a shell’s external appearance. Shell Architecture features 23 photographs of local and global mollusks, including gastropods, bivalves, and marine and terrestrial species.
Jim Wehtje is an X-ray technician, photographer, and author. While people have made shell radiographs for decades, Wehtje’s unique, stylish blend of radiographs and color photography sets his work apart from traditional shell X-ray imagery. It reveals remarkable connections and contrasts between a shell’s inside and outside.
“Jim is a master in the rare artistic technique of blending regular photography with X-ray imaging,” said Museum Science Director & Curator Dr. José H. Leal. “We’re delighted to be presenting his work to the public.”
The exhibition is open during regular Museum hours, 10 am to 5 pm daily, with paid admission. It is on view through summer 2027. Bank of the Islands is the presenting sponsor, with additional support from the Boler Family Foundation.
Learn more about the Museum’s permanent and special exhibitions at ShellMuseum.org/exhibits.
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