TO some of us, fishing is more an art form than it is a sport or hobby. But for Damian “Dooma” Oswald, the artistic expression begins after the fish is caught.
A keen surfer and fisho, Dooma is based in North Narrabeen on Sydney’s northern beaches but travels the world working as a deckie for leading game boats. During a stopover in Japan four years ago he was introduced to “gyotaku”, which translates as “fish rubbing”.
Gyotaku probably had its origins as a way for the fishermen to record the size of their catches but it’s since evolved into an art form in its own right. After that initial introduction in Japan, Dooma refined his skills while deckying for Captain Mike Hennessy aboard Maggie Joe in Hawaii and later developed his own signature style while working on Namotu Island, a surfing resort in Fiji.
And it’s not just fish that can be turned into artworks. Dooma has produced some stand-out prints of octopus and even squid. See below for a top quality video showing Dooma at work printing a GT in Fiji.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV8rn17vj6Q
The appeal of gyotaku is that each work is completely original. No two look the same. Personally speaking, a framed gyotaku print of a “special” catch has far more appeal that a fibreglass mould or even a photo. I’d be happy to hang a few of these works in my hall or living room. Even non-fishos would appreciate the fine detail and striking appeal, especially of bigger fish such as kings, wahoo or tuna.
Each print that Dooma produces is marked with a unique stamp he hand carves from a potato, further highlighting the fact that these are original works of art, not just mass produced images.
Man of vision – Dooma with some completed gyotaku prints including a flathead and trophy bream (above). He also does prints and caps and clothing.
He can also do custom prints. Catch a noteworthy fish, keep it in an ice slurry and Dooma can transform it into a piece of art that’s sure to be a conversation piece for decades. After all, how many people can say they “caught” the picture that’s hanging on their dining room wall?
And the good news is that after Dooma has taken the print, you can wash off the non-toxic ink and eat the fish as per usual.
And he’s building up a “library” of prints of various species if you prefer to practice C&R or if you live away from Sydney and can’t get the fish to Dooma’s northern beaches studio. For example, you can catch & release a trophy bream or snapper and it’s odds on that Dooma has a similar sized fish on file and can provide a print. It’s not the same as “your” fish but certainly a lot more appealing than a stock standard photo.
Obviously the bigger the fish, the more work involved in making a print. Dooma’s done some sizable tuna, dollies, kings and wahoo, plus the heads of marlin. “Flatter” fish like trevally, bream and snapper tend to be easier to work with than more cylindrical species like mackerel and tuna.
This large tuna print would look pretty amazing on any home wall!
To find out more about Dooma’s work, or to check out his clothing range, contact him at printmyfish@gmail.com or go to his Facebook page HERE.
