Tag: anatomy

Fernando Vicente

May 4th, 2009

I hate to jump on the blogwagon with this one, but I keep running into this stunning anatomical series by Fernando Vicente. Hopefully these will be new to some readers who don’t obsessively follow anatomical art like I do.

It’s as if high fashion landed in the cold, blue tinted world of the morgue.

The detail is rather striking…

Beauty and brains…(yes, I had to say it).

This one reminds me of my strange love for the term “neck meats.” That phrase instantly makes any conversation more entertaining, and this is one of the more fashionable depiction of neck meats that I’ve seen:

Vicente’s work is extremely varied, so I do recommend checking out the rest of his site.
Merging Dendrites and Butterfly Brains

May 2nd, 2009

I tend to do image searches for random things I’m reading about, many of which pertain to neuroscience. This vision of merging dendrites blew me away:

These electrical storms…these trees of fire…are operating, thousands upon thousands, in your brain right now. Who knew the merging branched projections of a neuron could be so breathtaking?

On a related note, look at this stunning Butterly Brain greeting card! Favorite colors…favorite things…

By graphic designer Tweek
Flickr Finds: Skeleton Action Figures Pool

April 28th, 2009

I could get sucked into flickr searches and not emerge for days. I’m toying with giving myself an excuse to do so regularly, in order to post here. While I’m mulling this over, enjoy these random selections from the Skeleton Action Figures pool:

by Darkmoon Evil

Of course I love this one:

by karlyherron

by SUB-HUMANO

Romance…

by tsogy

Grace…

by primatebonz
Shake It

April 26th, 2009

Been a bit under the weather this weekend, but I found this post sitting in my drafts folder. I had forgotten about it!

I came across this awesome Brain Salt and Pepper Shaker a while back, and it got me thinking about clever spice devices. Of course, this one is my first choice:

I’m also a fan of the Good Chemistry Salt and Pepper Shakers, which add a periodic table flare to any dining setup:

This one’s for the geeks (myself included). The Keyboard Salt and Pepper Shakers:

And to indulge the inner child, we have Salt and Playtime Shakers:

On a side note, I’ve noticed a trend in “aggressive kitchen ware” lately. Not that it will surpass bacon or ninjas as the next big cultural meme, but there definitely seems to be a market for it. Take, for example, the Ouch Toothpick Holder. Voodoo-licious!

And the affectionately titled The Ex Stainless Steel Knife Set:

This one has the feel of Edward Gorey’s Drowning Hand: The
Help Drain Stopper

May all of your shakes, cuts and stabs go well today.
Phrenology: A Megapost

April 20th, 2009

I have a strange fascination with dead sciences; the so-called discoveries, championed by experts for years and subsequently discarded as nonsense. Of course, we are by no means past our tendency to espouse a theory wholeheartedly until something comes along to disprove it.

Phrenology was a rather popular (now defunct) science in the nineteenth century, purporting that mental faculties and personality traits corresponded with cranial bone formation.

I love the old charts and models (I’ve used some of these images in jewelry, clothing and other craft designs)…

Equipment included measuring devices and even electric “testing helmets:”

Should you want your own model, you can purchase a Dr. Willarton Phrenology Head:

Or a L.N. Fowler Phrenology Head:

People seem surprised that I don’t already own one of these. In time…in time…

And look at this fantastic set of miniature head models, made by William Bally in 1831:

Although disproved long before, 1931 saw the advent of the Robot Phrenologist:

I must hand it to the phrenologists for being the first to roughly conceive cognitive localization.

Modern imaging technology presents a weighty issue when it comes to brain scans. Although certain connections can be made between activity, thought and specific brain regions, there are definitely limits of cognitive function localization.

There is a book about this topic.

Some have postulated that there are more connections in the human brain than atoms in the known universe. Whether or not there’s any validity to this statement, it is clear that neuroscience can’t transform raw data into complex thought patterns. We’ve yet to uncover exactly where “identity” is located.

Image: Lost Identity

Even as an avid student of mind-body medicine and neuroscience, I like that human beings can’t be relegated to a series of bits and bumps.

Note: while posting this I kept thinking of the Simpsons.

Smithers: Sir, phrenology was dismissed as quackery 160 years ago.
Mr. Burns: You WOULD say that! You have the brain pan of a stage coach tilter!
Dan Beckemeyer

April 18th, 2009

I’ve seen this Dan Beckemeyer piece pop up in a few of my favorite places, and I have to site it as another fantastic inspiration to learn the craft of needle felting.

Beckemeyer gets major innovation points for making this a multimedia project. I’ve yet to see needle felting blend seamlessly with print media.

I would love to see him do more work of this type. Perhaps a triptych of anatomical pieces.

Source.
Tar Cover: April 2009

April 4th, 2009

Tar magazine editor Evanly Schindler set out to “explore the intersection of art and fashion from a perspective that is both intellectually pointed and socially conscious but still stylishly produced.”

Damien Hirst designed the cover for April’s issue of Tar magazine; a somewhat de-fleshed Kate Moss, brandishing the sweet curvature of muscle tissue.

From the New York Times article:

It is not the idealized cover image you might expect would help to sell a magazine, though the distortion is really not that different from the extreme retouching that routinely goes on at mainstream publications to make celebrities look “better,” only to make them look like aliens.

I am very curious to browse this magazine and see how they achieve the intended expressive balance.
Evolution

March 5th, 2009

After wanting to go for the longest time, I finally paid a visit to Evolution. This place is a truly incredible wunderkammer of natural history.

I wish I had taken my camera. I spent a good hour in the store, examining all of the unique treats: fossils, bones, stones, shells, insects, jewelry, medical models, ancient artifacts, taxidermy specimens.

I was surprised at how reasonable the prices were. For under $150, you can purchase a freeze dried two-headed bat, mounted and preserved in glass (regular bats are only $49!).

(I have a personal quirk which makes me unable to purchase even the most interesting taxidermy because I can’t stand the thought of a creature being intentionally snuffed out for the sake of display. In a museum? Perhaps. In my house…not a chance).

If man eating Piranha are more your speed, look for further.

They even carried the entire collection of Kikkerland Anatomical Puzzles!

I was quite proud of the restraint I showed, leaving with only a tiny fossilized Trilobite.

It feels quite special to have this artifact that is over 300 million years old, like a strange connection to a nearly unfathomable history.

If you are in NY, I highly recommend paying evolution a visit.
Organ Donors by Foox

February 25th, 2009

Yet another series of vinyl toys for me to lust after. Foox is putting out this amazing collection of Organ Donors.

Though I can’t spring for the whole set, perhaps I can splurge on just one. Maybe a heart and brain duo?

More information at the wonderful TOYSREVIL.
Meat Shorts

February 19th, 2009

Weird Clothing Co. is offering these delightful Meat Shorts, seemingly designed as beach wear.

The label says they are “human meat” (an unconventional twist to the assorted meat apparel on the market).

Found on I Love Bad Things.

If you really want to turn some heads, you can pair these shorts with some Meat Socks in standard muscular tissue:

…or the stunning swirly intestinal variety: