Tiny But Not Timid, Maria Fernanda Cardoso’s ‘Spiders of Paradise’ Show Their True Colors

a male Maratus spider photographed during a courtship ritual in which the creature lifts a colorful abdomen in the air and dances

Maratus australis. All images © Maria Fernanda Cardoso, courtesy of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, shared with permission

“The Maratus spiders of Australia are the most colourful, flamboyant, sexy, and charming spiders on the planet,” says Maria Fernanda Cardoso, whose vibrant portraits capture the tiny creatures in remarkable detail. Kicking off a tour throughout Australia, the photographer’s exhibition Spiders of Paradise, organized in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, highlights the arachnids’ incredible diversity.

Maratus are commonly referred to as “peacock spiders” due to the males’ brilliant displays during courtship rituals—and in some cases, combat. When a male woos a partner, he raises his legs, displays a brightly patterned abdomen, and dances as if there’s no tomorrow—literally. If he isn’t successful and allowed to mate, the female may eat him instead.

The genus Maratus consists of more than 100 unique species, and averaging only about three to five millimeters in size, the minuscule jumpers are smaller than a grain of rice. “To me, their use of colour, gesture, sound, and movement makes them sophisticated and performing artists,” Cardoso says.

a male Maratus spider with gold, red, blue, and green details, photographed during a courtship ritual in which the creature lifts a colorful abdomen in the air and dances

Maratus volans

Born in Bogota, Colombia, Cardoso has called Sydney home since 1997 and has long been fascinated by the intersections of nature, science, art, and technology. Her practice centers around the concept of worlds within worlds, and sculptures and installations often incorporate organic materials and beguiling geometries. For Spiders of Paradise, the tiny critters became her muse.

Cardoso collaborated with scientific imager Geoff Thompson and entomologist Andy Wang from the Queensland Museum to prepare a series of seventeen large-scale images. Each one comprises more than 1,000 individual photographs merged together to show every microscopic detail.

Spiders of Paradise runs initially at Cairns Art Gallery in Cairns City, Queensland, from August 31 to November 24, then continues to venues throughout the country during the next two years. Find more information and details about where to see the show on the MCA’s website.