Etsy

Just a quick post to say I've opened an Esty shop! There's not much on there at the moment, but hopefully I'll be able to build up some stock, most of the prints and some of the embroideries you see on here will eventually make their way onto Etsy. Give it a wee browse! 

Shop - Anatomise Art

Plaster Leg

 I've been working on this plaster cast of my leg an and off for a few weeks, which basically involves a lot of sanding down. Finally got it in a place where I felt it was as finished as it needed to be for the next stage and I break off the little toe transporting it. Hopefully with a bit of polyfilla and some more graft it won't be too much of an issue.

 The plan is to use this cast to make another mould out of silicone which can be used for a multitude of other materials like resin or expanding hard foam. First port of call will probably be resin, as it's the material I've begun experimenting with.

 Hopefully in the near future I'll finally have a prototype limb which will form the basis of further experimentation and design. 

Dopamine and Serotonin Embroidery

 As a continuation of the neuroanatomy prints I posted a while ago I decided to make an embroidery, changing the material with which you approach a subject can make you feel differently and add distinctive qualities you can only get with those new processes. 

Although the subject matter is the same, embroidery always draws me in more. It creates a very tactile surface that makes me want to reach out and touch it. I think the disparity between the subject matter and the material also helps to shift the paradigm by which we see the brain. It's not often that someone will be exposed to the combination of medical imagery and needle work, so my hope is that it will encourage people to think a bit differently about the brain and it's function.

Neuroanatomy Lino Prints

 It's been a fair while since I posted anything, mainly because I've been pretty heavy into the research aspects of my main project. For a bit of relief I've started a side project on neuroanatomy, relating it to mental health in particular. 

 The mind is often seen as an ephemeral thing, unrelated to our physicality when in fact our thoughts and emotions are products of physical structures. I feel this separation of our psyche from our physical self adds to the stigma surrounding conditions such as depression, dysmorphia and other 'mental' health issues by enlarging their division from 'physical' health. 

 It doesn't help that we know relatively little about the brains processes, with the underlying issues causing mental health issues unknown to the border populace. One of the problems, I feel, is that with many physical health conditions there is a gross (as in macroscopic not disgusting) change to the body. With a broken bone we can see the cause and effect, we can see how to treat it and relate to it in a visual way. 

 My question then is this; by making art that relates mental health issues to their physical and neuro-chemical processes, by creating a visual stimulus that shows these conditions are based or related to physiological processes can we reduce the stigma? Can we show people it may 'just be all in your head' but that our heads are physical things and that mental health care is just as important as any other condition?

 I started by working on some of the more simple prints, neuroanatomy wise, looking at the basic topography of the brain and nervous system. I've tried a few colour variations on these, I may experiment a bit more but I'm quite happy with how they turned out. The bright colours remind me of the maps I used to look at as a child, with each country coloured as vibrantly as possible. 

 Depression is a condition that's quite close to home for me, but my experience with it lead me to want to tackle it first. I think coming at it from that point of understanding was necessary for my first foray into art and mental health. The image above shows the general area of influence of serotonin, a neurotransmitter (chemical that relays signals through the brain). Many researchers believe one of the causes of depression is a decreased amount of serotonin, or a lack of receptors for the chemical. It's also been linked to obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, panic and anger. With this image I hoped to show how big of an area of the brain this chemical influenced, relating depression to a chemical and a chemical to a physical form.

Resin Experiments.

I've finally started to produce objects, even if they're materials experiments. Resin is a really versatile tool for the encapsulation of objects and a material I feel I will be using quite frequently throughout this project. It allows for the preservation of an object in almost any form, with the transparency letting light filter through the object as a whole. Dye can also be added to produce colour and opacity giving further versatility. Although brittle it is strong enough for purpose and light weight enough to be used for a prosthetic.

The image above shows two, almost, finished pieces. They just require a bit of polishing to reduce some of the unwanted textures on the outside. 

The main component of the resin I used was a polyester in styrene which when mixed with a catalyst (methyl ethyl ketone) solidifies. Silicone is best used for the mould as it can withstand the exothermic reaction, the heat given off as the resin solidifies.

I just used readily available silicone baking equipment and ice lolly moulds to produce my shapes, but creating a custom cast will be something I attempt in further experiments. 

I shall be posting more on these as I finish the rest of the series. 

Always wear your P.P.E.

Theoretical Context.

-This presentation is about the theories underpinning my work.

-The concepts that drive my work, the dialogues I want to create.

-Post-structuralism is a response to structuralism closely related, but not synonymous, to post-modernism.

-It looks at the idea that objects have no inherent meaning, with meaning defined by the viewer or as an extension discussion of that object.

-This set of distinctions applied by the viewer is the corner stone of binary structures.

-Sex, gender and sexuality are seen as binaries when in reality they are more a spectrum of being.

-I appreciate these distinctions are necessary to discus these issues, but through discussion I hope for the eventual dissolution of these definitions. That one day these issues will not need to be discussed.    

-Science and art are often seen as binary, opposites.

-Science and art actually have a long history of co-operation.

-Renaissance artists where well schooled in anatomy, preforming dissections and recording the figure. For this reason many of the drawings and sculptures of the time have well defined musculature.

-Scientist by nature were also artists, recording their findings through image.

-It was with the advent of photography that these two separated due to the reverence of authenticity to the photo. This in itself creates issues which I will discuss in my next presentation.   

-As such medical illustration has become somewhat of a stagnant field.

-The image to the right shows the work of Pauline La Riviere who worked throughout the 40’s and 50’s, her use of colour was revolutionary at the time.

-The image on the right shows the work of Emily Evans, a modern medical illustrator. Through these images it’s easy to see how little has changed in the past 60 years. The composition and tone are really similar.

-Contemporary movements such as street anatomy are giving new life to the subject.  

N.B. By stagnant I do not mean un-usefull, medical illustration does it's job very well, illustrating and teaching about the human body. 

- In the process of elevating an object of functionality to one of art does the object lose it's function?

- Can we create an object of art to be used functionally, to have a physical purpose or is the loss of use essential in placing an object on the artistic pedestal?

- If we design an object aesthetically as well as functionally, to raise questions and create dialogue can the object be called art? Or is it a product?

-Duchamp's "Fountain" is a good example of this. An object of use raised to the pedestal of art by removal from it's normal context and function.

- Objects placed on the artistic pedestal are often separated from the viewer and isolated from touch.

-By making more tactile art, art to be touched and communed with physically can we breakdown the boundaries between the viewer and art?

- I believe dissolution of this barrier encourages participation of the viewer, enabling them to engage with art in new ways and encouraging them to ask questions due to the shift in the way they are interacting with a piece.

- I also feel like this can mitigate some of the elitism in the art world by providing a way to interact not based solely on the need for specific language.

- Antony Gormley's "Event Horizon" is a suspended platform which moves with the motion of its passengers. When you place your ear to the platform you can hear the footsteps of others, creating a tactile, audial space. 

- The self is felt with very differently in my private and professional practices.

- The professional deals with the anatomy, what physically forms us.

-This breaks us down into base components, looking at commonality to create opposition and dialogue on individuality. By doing this I hope to create a common ground with which to discuss the self.

-This analytical approach is apposed in my private practice, which is more focused on the individual, more self reflective. This deal with my experimentation into gender and sexuality as well as my experience with depression.

-You don't need to show everything to be authentic.

-What is necessity and what is desire?

-Prosthetics are necessary to regain function.

- The flex-foot prosthetic (running blades) increase efficiency and function, this is not a necessity but driven by desire.

- Increase in functionality isn't questioned, but to prioritise aesthetics can be seen as shallow or trivial. 

- So why don't we put more of a priority on the aesthetics of an object that is going to become a part of someone's body? An extension of their body image? 

- In these terms how does our secondary view of aesthetics effect our mental health?

- Put simply, well designed objects bring us joy.

-So why don't we prioritise the aesthetics of something so intimate?

- The extract above describes the emotional process of losing a limb, basically stating that amputees go though the normal stages of grief with acceptance not realised until they are well into rehabilitation, learning to walk (or already using) prosthetics.

- Could we look to aesthetics as a way to challenge this? Return as sense of control over their bodies?

-Giving aesthetic choice and involvement to a patient could help them reassert this control.

- Ethics are obviously a very important part of any practice.

- I have discussed the ethical implications of my work in my proposal (which is available on this blog).

- The ethics of this project will be a continuously evolving subject. 

-I think most of my work comes down tot his question. The crux of my work.

-Why are we bound by definitions? Those self imposed and those externally imposed.

- These definitions are more often than not illusions we create to lend structure to reality, which is fine, but these structures also restrict us.

- Breaking down these restrictions is my focus.

Terrarium.

 As a responce to my idea of a terrarium limb I decided to experiment with the creation of a bottle garden. To make one all you need is a drainage layer (gravel/sand), high nutrient soil, water and a suitable plant. Basically one that will grow in confined space.

  So far the only issues I had were finding a glass big enough. Even with these ones I had a few issues getting the plant and soil in without damaging the plant. I made them two weeks ago now and they're still going strong, I'm even seeing some new growth which is obviously a good sign. Bottle gardens such as these have been known to last over a decade. The link at the bottom takes you to an article about a man who created one that's lasted for more than 40 years. His is quite a bit bigger than mine. 

 My mother decided that they made quite nice centre pieces for the kitchen table, and so for the time being they have been confiscated. I'm quite proud they earned her seal of approval though. 

Video of successful bottle garden

(I love how over the top the music is at the start)

Daily Mail Article