This piece is colored with a papier-mâché layer of Japanese washi paper. I made this paper by hand, beginning with the harvest of Japanese kozo trees in the mountains of Tokushima, processing the bark fiber, and ultimately making the sheets of washi paper under the guidance of master washi craftsmen.
The honshu wolf's death was government mandated in the 1850s as American-style ranching was encouraged and there was fear that wolves would be a threat to livestock. Prior to this, there had been a tradition of a positive relationship between wolves and Japanese farmers.
This wolf pelt, made from Japanese paper is stretched upon branches collected in Rhode Island, the birthplace of Matthew C. Perry who is the figure credited with opening Japan to the West.