The Cultural History of 3D! "Oddities" Launch Party! Holiday Fair! Tonight and Beyond at Observatory

This week and beyond at Observatory: A cultural history of 3D in 3D! Holiday Fair! "Oddities" marathon and season launch party! And a score of amazing new art classes comprising the newly launched Morbid Anatomy Art Academy! Hope to see you at one or more of these terrific events.

The Missing Dimension: A Cultural History of 3D Images - Anaglyphs, Stereographs, View-Masters, Holograms, and Flaming Arrows Coming Right at You!
Illustrated lecture on and in 3D (glasses provided) by artist and NYU Professor Chris Muller
Date: TONIGHT Tuesday, December 13th
Time: 8:00
Admission: $5
Presented by Morbid Anatomy

An overview of the development of three-dimensional images, from the first recognition of the stereoscopic function of our two eyes in ancient times, to Charles Wheatstone's explanation of binocular vision and his creation of the stereoscope in 1838, and the flood of three dimensional images that followed the invention of photography. We'll look at the stereograph viewer developed by Oliver Wendell Holmes that was in every Victorian parlor, the View-Master in every baby boomer's childhood bedroom, red and green anaglyph printing that allowed comic book characters to pop off the page, and the strange story of the development of 3D film. The unique pleasures of the 3D image will be celebrated, and its persistent failure to become the Next Step in photography and film discussed. The lecture will be illustrated entirely and gratuitously in 3D, with glasses provided to all comers.

Chris Muller is an artist and exhibit designer based in Brooklyn. He has designed exhibits for the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum for African Art, the Children's Museum of Manhattan, and many others. He has designed sets for Laurie Anderson, Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, the Atlantic Theater Company, and others. He teaches drawing and digital painting at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

Image: Image by Chris Muller

“Oddities” Marathon and Season Launch Party
Screening of TV's "Oddities" followed by after party with MC Lord Whimsy, giveaways, special drinks, and DJ
Date: Saturday, December 17th
Time: 8:00
Admission: $8
Presented by Morbid Anatomy

On Saturday, December 17th, you are cordially invited to join Morbid Anatomy and Observatory as we gather to celebrate the new season launch of "Oddities," that unlikely hit of a television series based on our favorite purveyor of curious and amazing artifacts, Obscura Antiques and Oddities in New York City's East village.

The evenings festivities will include the screening of several new episodes of "Oddities," special drinks and music by Friese Undine, and give-ways by Kikkerland and Obscura Antiques. The always charming Lord Whimsy will oversee the evening in his role of Master of Ceremonies, and members of the cast of "Oddities" will be on hand for questions and comments.

To find out more about the show, check out http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/oddities.

Hope very much to see you there!

2011 Morbid Anatomy and Observatory Holiday Fair
Holiday fair with multiple vendors serving your alternative holiday needs including taxidermy, miniature insect tableaux and more
Dates: Saturday, December 17 & Sunday, December 18
Time: Noon - 6:00 PM
Admission: Free
Free beer courtesy of our sponsor Brooklyn Brewery

Please join us on December 17th and 18th for a holiday fair presented in conjunction with partner spaces Proteus Gowanus and Morbid Anatomy. Here you will find such covetables as steampunk jewlery, anatomical blocks, macabre drawings, ceramic reliquary bat heads, wet specimens, photographs, and books, books and more books, all to music DJed by Lado Pochkhua and washed down with beer provided by our sponsor Brooklyn Brewery. This will be the perfect place to purchase unique, niche, and off-the-beaten-path gifts for those hard-to-please folks on your shopping list! Hope to see you there.

Image: Crocheted Skulls by Dewey Decimal Crafts, a featured seller at last year's fair. More of her work can be found here.

And more upcoming:

• Anthropomorphic Chick Taxidermy Class with Susan Jeiven: ***SOLD OUT; send email to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to mailing list; December 20

JANUARY

• CLASS: Dissection as Studio Practice: Lecture and Studio Art Class with artist Laura Splan *** Class size is limited; Must RSVP to morbidanatomy[at]gmail.com; January 8
• Vanitas Drawing Class with Classically Trained Artist Lado Pochkhua (class 1 of 6); January 9
• January 10: Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class with Susan Jeiven: Back by Popular Demand. ***SOLD OUT; send email to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to mailing list
• Gabba Gabba Hey! Ramones Night at Observatory: A screening of End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones out-takes and Q&A with filmmakers Jim Fields, Michael Gramaglia and John Gramaglia; January 13
• UFOs, Ghosts, Monsters and the Afterlife: “UFO Hunters”' Bill Birnes on the Supernatural: A night with William Burns of TV’s UFO Hunters and Ancient Aliens, introduced and moderated by Ronni Thomas of The Midnight Archive; January 20
• Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class with Susan Jeiven: Back by Popular Demand. ***SOLD OUT; send email to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to mailing list; January 24
• The Search for Granny-Dump Mountain: Illustrated lecture by Journalist Justin Nobel; January 26
• Class: Mummification: Learn the art and ritual of animal mummification with instructor Sorceress Cagliastro *** Limited Class Size; Please RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com; January 29

FEBRUARY

• PERFORMANCE: Buried Alive! A Matchbox Theatre: A matchbox theatre performance by Deborah Kaufmann; February 2 and 3rd
• Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class with Susan Jeiven: Special Valentine's Day Edition! ***SOLD OUT; send email to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to mailing list; February 14
• Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class with Susan Jeiven: Back by Popular Demand. ***SOLD OUT; send email to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to mailing list; February 21:

MARCH

• Dissection and Drawing Workshop with Real Anatomical Specimenswith physical anthropologist Samuel Strong Dunlap, PhD *** Class size is limited; Must RSVP to morbidanatomy[at]gmail.com; March 17
• Carbon Dust Drawing Workshop, Featuring Real Anatomical Specimens with Board Certified Medical Illustrator Marie Dauenheimer, MA, CMI *** Class size is limited; Must RSVP to morbidanatomy[at]gmail.com; March 18:

You can find out more and get directions to Observatory by clicking here. You can join the Observatory Facebook group by clicking here.