skeletons

I love this image of "Animal Theatre" by Zhang Xiaotao in the Iberia Center for Contemporary Art.

Check out all the photographs of skeletons taking over in the photographer's flickr account.

I've been toying with Christmas project ideas. To get into the spirit, I decided to start with transforming some little wooden nutcracker soldiers to reflect a darker side.

Once again, the folks at Street Anatomy have found something which I covet.

This life-sized, laser-cut Perspex skeleton mirror soars to the top of my wish list, doomed to remain out of my grasp with its price of $192. This price, as far as mirrors go, isn't actually that bad. In fact, if you consider the mirror is 5'5" tall, it's quite the bargoon.

Just not a bargoon I can afford to take advantage of.

I'll wait for the locker mirror version.

And I'll ignore the placement of the female model.

I am mesmerized by this photograph taken by Tom Pakeman.

Morbid Anatomy is one of my favourite blogs. It's jam packed with images, links and articles on all things anatomical with a dark twist.

These images (left and below) are from the book Dissection: Photographs of a Rite of Passage in American Medicine 1880–1930 by John Harley Warner and James M. Edmonson. If you visit the blog, you'll find an insightful interview with the co-publisher and editor of the collection that shines light on the history of the images.

The blog itself represents an actual Morbid Anatomy Library in Brookyn, New York. Apparently it's open to the public if you make an appointment (I know where I'd be spending a few afternoons each month). The library is part of the Proteus Gowanus Interdisciplinary Gallery and Reading Room:

No time to chat about it, but really there's not much I can say about the sculptures of Saúl Hernández besides stunning, breath taking and truly amazing.

See and learn more through the link above.

Kris Kuksi is a genius. I can get lost in the tiny details of his sculptures. Whenever I view his work online, I end up leaning forward in my chair, nose close to the glass of my monitor, but I can never see it as clear as I'd like to.

Each piece is like two works of art in one: you have the wide view, like a dark landscape; and then you have all the tiny characters within it.

Luckily, it seems he is coming to the Meta Gallery in Toronto from May 15th to June 14th, 2009, so I will finally be able to see those micro-beauties clearly.

For those of you who aren't going to check out his show in person, you can view his sculptures online. He has a handy (yet finicky) flash application that allows you to zoom in fairly tight on the images.

He has an interesting bio posted on his site, not unlike many stories we've heard before. But there were specific quotes that resonated with me:

Recently I posted a bone scan of myself I'd had taken a while ago. I'd remembered I had it because I was getting x-rays done. Turns out the x-rays were useless to the doctor, but they're a welcome addition to my growing collection (nice profile, don't you think?).

It's all rather fitting, since there's been a blogging frenzy this week covering an x-ray lamp made by Sture Pallarp (shown right), and I'm thinking of making my own sometime.

While I've seen 'how-to's online that get people to attach their x-rays to existing paper lampshades, I think I'll pick up a plastic shade made for DIY stained glass projects.

I don't normally post images of myself on the website, but this time I couldn't resist.

I have to get some x-rays done today, which reminded me I had this floating around on my computer.

That's me. No foolin.

I had a bone scan done years ago, and this is a copy of it. I've been meaning to post it (and incorporate it into a Halloween theme) for a long time.

There's something humbling about seeing your own skeleton; of seeing past the flesh.

There's also something really cool about it. Is it me, or do I have a happy evil skull?

I've posted a larger image below, including the scan of me from the back. Enjoy contemplating your own mortality...or mine, anyway.