SERIES 2: EPISODE 5: Turning seafood into art: Jake Tilson’s 12-year walk around Tsukiji fish market

Artist Jake Tilson doesn't care if his projects take decades to complete - in fact, he likes it when they do. He's just finished recreating his vision of Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, an art project which took him years and involved walking around the market for thousands of miles. His recent solo show, which included miniature recreations of some of Tsukiji's 1,700 fish stalls, was a triumph of imagination, technical skill and eccentricity. The work is also a ghostly tribute to a market which no longer exists. In this episode Jake explains why walking and typography are so crucial to his work - and how to make a typeface out of eels. 

Jake's miniature fish stalls on show at White Conduit Projects

Photo credit: Jake Tilson

Jake's vast walking map of Tsukiji

Photo credit: Jake Tilson

The legendary pink pay 'phone 

Photo credit: Agnese Sanvito