Friday, June 29, 2012

Tomorrow Night: Resurrection! A Gala Benefit to Rebuild the Morbid Anatomy Library! Silent Auction Items Now on View!

A final gentle reminder: tomorrow night at 8:00 at Observatory, we hope very much to see you at RESURRECTION! A Gala Benefit to Rebuild The Morbid Anatomy Library!

The full schedule of the evening's festivities follows, but here are a few highlights listed for your convenience:
The party begins at 8, and the performance begins at 9; tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Full details for the event follow. Hope very much to see you there!
RESURRECTION! A Gala Benefit to Rebuild The Morbid Anatomy Library
Date: Saturday, June 30
Time: 8:00
Admission: $25
Location: Observatory (543 Union Street at Nevins, Brooklyn; Enter via Proteus Gowanus) (DIRECTIONS)

8:00: Doors, drinks, and music
9:00: Introductory remarks by our MCs Evan Michelson of The Science Channel's "Oddities" and cult writer and luminary Mark Dery
9:10: World Premiere of Morbid Anatomy and Evan Michelson episodes of The Midnight Archive, directed by Ronni Thomas
9:20: A Series of 5-minute "Odes to Material Culture:"
Following will be complimentary cocktails, music by Friese Undine,  performances by Jonny Clockworks, and droll giveaways from the design firm Kikkerland. Attendees are encouraged to dress "Obscurely."

Throughout the night, you will also be invited to bid on objects in our silent auction which included works by such amazing artists and makers as:

And, if you can not join us at the benefit and are interested in aiding in rebuilding efforts, here are a few things you can do:
  • Make a monetary donation; to do so, simply click on the black "Donate Here" button on the top right hand side of this blog
  • Sponsor a book; Click here to see a list of damaged books; books purchased here will automatically ship directly to The Library and populate our sadly empty shelves.
  • Help spread the word!
  • Donate new books or artifacts for the collection: Mailing Address: Joanna Ebenstein, c/o The Morbid Anatomy Library, 543 Union Street #1E, Brooklyn, NY 1121 To see more artworks available in the silent auction, click here.
You can find out more here. Hope very, very much to see you there!
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Thursday, June 28, 2012

"Obsessed: Taxidermy," Rachel Poliquin, The Huffington Post


...There is something sufficiently peculiar (read unexpected, off-putting, or downright disturbing) about the lively posturing of animal skins that suggests only an aficionada could possibly write a book on the subject. If I had written a history of slavery, no one would assume any such thing. I don't love taxidermy. I don't collect taxidermy. But for six years of my life, I found it irresistible.

My taxidermy years didn't grow from love, but they did begin with an unsettling sort of fascination. Like a moth irresistibly drawn towards a bare bulb, I have been all-consumed. Some might say obsessed. I've visited natural history museums and private collections across the western world. I've written about taxidermy, curated exhibits about taxidermy, photographed, blogged and talked about taxidermy. I've seen the beautiful, the devastating and the repugnant from haunting works of contemporary art to ancient animal remains lost in almost-forgotten museums. Through my website Ravishing Beasts, I've corresponded with lovers, haters, activists, and kooks (one reader let me know he had smoked the ashes of his dead cat), all because of the unnerving charisma of long dead animals. For me, obsession and fascination don't equate with love and adoration, and a thing can only fascinate for as long as it retains its inexplicable magnetism.

I'm sure you've all had an encounter with taxidermy, whether it was with a museum specimen, a hunting trophy, or a piece of contemporary art. If you gave the animal more than a passing glance, you know something of taxidermy's uncanny mesmeric presence, the way it draws your eyes and demands attention. You can't ignore a stuffed parrot on the mantelpiece in the way you might overlook a ceramic vase, and my fascination with taxidermy was really an obsessive quest to explain why. Why does the artistic recreation of an animal using the animal's own skin (undeniably a very odd practice) create such eerie animal-things? 
--"Obsessed: Taxidermy," Rachel Poliquin, The Huffington Post
You can read the whole article--in today's Huffington Post by Rachel Poliquin, proprieter of the fantastic Ravishing Beasts blog and author of the new book The Breathless Zoo: Taxidermy and the Cultures of Longing--by clicking here. If this is of interest and you are in the New York area, come see Poliquin speak--and purchase signed copies of her brand new book!--at Observatory on Friday, August 17th; more details on that can be found here.

All images are from her book, and found on the Huffington Post Slideshow; you can find out more about them by clicking here.
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"A History of Mourning" Richard Davey, 1890

“The body of Inez was lifted from the grave, placed on a magnificent throne, and crowned Queen of Portugal. The clergy, the nobility, and the people did homage to her corpse, and kissed the bones of her hands. There sat the dead Queen, with her yellow hair hanging like a veil round her ghastly form. One fleshless hand held the sceptre, and the other the orb of royalty. At night, after the coronation ceremony, a procession was formed of all the clergy and nobility, the religious orders and confraternities which extended over many miles each person holding a flaring torch in his hand, and thus walked from Coimbra to Alcobaga, escorting the crowned corpse to that royal abbey for interment. The dead Queen lay in her rich robes upon a chariot drawn by black mules and lighted up by hundreds of lights.”
Text and images drawn from A History of Mourning, by Richard Davey, 1890, as found on the wonderful Public Domain Review website.

Click on images to larger, more detailed images. Click here to peruse the entire book. And thanks so very much to Aaron Beebe for sending this along.
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

"Bone," The Florence Nightingale Museum, London, July 19th thorugh August 31

Exiting upcoming exhibit alert just in from my friend Natasha McEnroe at the Florence Nightingale Museum:
BONE

19 July – 31 August 2012
Florence Nightingale Museum
2 Lambeth Palace Road London SE1 7EW

This summer, the Florence Nightingale Museum will host an eclectic exhibition of around 60 objects that explores the rich history and substance of bone, across cultures, throughout time and between disciplines.
Mobile Studio Architects will transform part of the museum allowing visitors to explore objects including an x-ray of Sigmund Freud's head, a cat skeleton to ward off evil spirits, a skull shaped candle made for Marilyn Manson's wedding, a contemporary apothecary jar showing the effects of syphilis on bone, cutting edge medical bone imaging and Florence Nightingale’s pet tortoise ‘Jimmy’.
The exhibition will reflect bone’s intriguing and multi-faceted story in its objects as well as through live performances and demonstrations by biomedical researchers and clinicians, forensic archaeologists, bone carvers, dancers, historians, artists and other professional bone users.

Simon Gould, BONE Curator says:
“I am so excited to be bringing together some of the most extraordinary objects from more than a dozen of London’s museums and collections along with remarkable medical expertise and acclaimed contemporary artists. Bone is an astonishing material and this exhibition promises to bring this to life for the visitor.”

Natasha McEnroe, Director of the Florence Nightingale Museum says:
“In the heart of London’s Southbank in this Olympic year, we are thrilled to be hosting BONE and to offer our visitors an even more inspiring experience. Following the museum’s hugely successful refurbishment in 2010, this multi-disciplinary exhibition will further establish the Florence Nightingale Museum’s position on London’s cultural and scientific map”.
More can be found here.

Images, top to bottom:
  1. It is 19th bone china, that has been “up-cycled” by Melody Rose to add the skull image. “Reproduced by Courtesy of Melody Rose.”  
  2. 1908 x-ray of Parissien woman in a whalebone corset.
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'Magnificent and Unrivaled Exhibition of Illuminated Chemical Dioramas', a 19th Century 'Optical Entertainment': Lecture with Suzanne Wray at The Coney Island Museum, Thursday, June 28

This Thursday at The Coney Island Museum:
Ask the Experts - Suzane Wray on Magnificent and Unrivaled Exhibition of Illuminated Chemical Dioramas
Date: This Thursday, June 28th
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: The Coney Island Museum, 1208 Surf Ave.
Admission: $5 General Public, Free for Coney Island USA Members.
Advance tickets here

Showman Robert Winter painted chemical dioramas “in the style of Daguerre.” He came to New York in 1843, showing his “chemical paintings” in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and for the next 20 years he traveled widely, eventually adding a magic lantern to his show. Historian Suzanne Wray has been researching Mr. Winter's show for several years and the Coney Island Museum is thrilled to finally be able to share her work with the public. 
You can find out more--and purchase advance tickets--by clicking here.

Image: Le Dyorama, an engraving by Marlet of Daguerre’s Diorama, 1824 found at dwellstudio.com.

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Final Lineup and Schedule for "RESURRECTION! A Gala Benefit to Rebuild The Morbid Anatomy Library," This Saturday, June 30th, at 8:00 PM!

As most of you have no doubt already heard, on Good Friday of this year, The Morbid Anatomy Library suffered a mighty and devastating deluge. This Saturday, June 30th, Morbid Anatomy and Observatory will host an epic and underground-star-studded rebuilding gala, and we would love to see you there.

Following is a somewhat finalized schedule. The party begins at 8, and the performance begins at 9; tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Hope to see you there!
RESURRECTION! A Gala Benefit to Rebuild The Morbid Anatomy Library
Date: Saturday, June 30
Time: 8:00
Admission: $25
Location: Observatory (543 Union Street at Nevins, Brooklyn; Enter via Proteus Gowanus) (DIRECTIONS)

8:00: Doors, drinks, and music
9:00: Introductory remarks by our MCs Evan Michelson of The Science Channel's "Oddities" and cult writer and luminary Mark Dery
9:10: World Premiere of Morbid Anatomy episode of The Midnight Archive, directed by Ronni Thomas
9:20: A Series of 5-minute "Odes to Material Culture:"
Following will be complimentary cocktails, music by Friese Undine, screenings of The Midnight Archive, performances by Jonny Clockworks, and droll giveaways from the design firm Kikkerland. Attendees are encouraged to dress "Obscurely."

Throughout the night, you will also be invited to bid on objects in our silent auction which included works by such amazing artists and makers as:
You can find out more here. Hope very, very much to see you there!

And, if you can not join us at the benefit and are interested in aiding in rebuilding efforts, here are a few things you can do:
  • Make a monetary donation; to do so, simply click on the black "Donate Here" button on the top right hand side of this blog
  • Sponsor a book; Click here to see a list of damaged books; books purchased here will automatically ship directly to The Library and populate our sadly empty shelves.
  • Help spread the word!
  • Donate new books or artifacts for the collection: Mailing Address: Joanna Ebenstein, c/o The Morbid Anatomy Library, 543 Union Street #1E, Brooklyn, NY 1121
Thanks so much! And hope to see you soon at a bigger, better Morbid Anatomy Library very very soon!
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Monday, June 25, 2012

Old Machines--The Tim Mullen Collection: An All New Episode of The Midnight Archive


The first episode of Season 2 of The Midnight Archive--that wonderful web-based documentary series centered around Brooklyn's Observatory--has just gone live! It features friend of Morbid Anatomy Tim Muller--whose collection you might remember from my recent exhibition Private Cabinets--and his amazing collection of quirky, arcane, and often terrifying machines.

To watch the episode, simply press play in the viewer above. More on Tim and his collection, in the words of director/creator Ronni Thomas:

Old Machines: The Tim Mullen Collection - This episode takes a look at the collection of NYC's Tim Mullen, an engineer with a soft spot for Antique Machinery... His amazing apartment is LITTERED with Machines from before the turn of the century and onwards. The scope of it was pretty hard to capture on film but i hope we did a good job of it. X-Ray Machines, Victorian hospital devices, Old TVs and Radios, and my favorite - a funeral fan (complete with burning Jesus lighting) are just a few of the many amazing items in this electrifying collection. Tim is always on the lookout for 'new' old stuff so if you have anything in your basement - drop him a line!
For more on the series, to see any of the episodes, or to sign up for the mailing list and thus be alerted to future uploads, visit The Midnight Archive website by clicking here. You can also "like" it on Facebook--and be alerted in this way--by clicking here.
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Saint Victoria and Saint Wittoria in Rome, or The Difficulties of Researching Catholic Artifacts



A few of the most wonderful things I saw on my recent trip to Italy with Evan Michelson were the two saints seen above, both to be found in Rome, the last stop on our tour. The first is Saint Vittoria, or Victoria, on view in the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, directly across from that Bernini's masterwork The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa (top 3); The second is a wonderful reliquary preparation of "S. Wittoria, Martire" fantastically posed and costumed, and showcased in a gold and glass coffin in the Basilica of Saint Mary Sopra Minerva (bottom 2 images).

I am not sure if these two representations might possibly depict the same saint (Wittoria being an alternate/old fashioned spelling for Vittoria?), or two separate ones. I have been able to find nothing official on the Internet about a Saint Wittoria, though Vittoria seems to be a depiction of the Roman Saint Victoria, "virgin and martyr of the catacombs." I also am not sure if there are human bones embedded in the wax of St. Victoria, though Marina Warner asserts this is the case in her wonderful book Phantasmagoria, and the close-up photo above of her hand seems to support this assertion.

Regardless of the problems with research, I hope you agree with me that these are astoundingly amazing and fascinating artifacts. These Saints--and many more, both sacred and profane--will be featured in my upcoming exhibition at Viktor Wynde's Fine Arts in London this September. They will also feature in a book I am working on with friend, Morbid Anatomy Library Scholar in Residence and co-star of The Science Channel's "Oddities" Evan Michelson. Stay tuned for more on that!
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Sunday, June 24, 2012

Just a Few More Slots Left: "Drawing from the Bestiary: Animal Anatomy of Real and Imagined Creatures," Class with Artist Saul Chernick, Observatory, June 25-July 16


We still have a few more slots available for the class "Drawing from the Bestiary: Animal Anatomy of Real and Imagined Creatures" with one of our favorite artists, Saul Chernick. This class will teach students--via illustrated lectures and in-class projects including paper puppets and the creation of bestiary pages--"to use observational and imaginative drawing skills in tandem to capture the essential qualities of their subject" and "learn to draw animals (real, mythic, and otherwise) with greater skill and sensitivity."

You can see some of Chernick's wonderful artworks above; you can see more of them by clicking here. The class will take place on 4 consecutive Mondays, starting tomorrow night June 25 and running until July 16th. The full class description follows. Also, please note that the class size is limited to 15, so if you are interested, please RSVP as soon as possible to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.

Drawing from the Bestiary: Animal Anatomy of Real and Imagined Creatures with Saul Chernick
A 4-part class with Artist Saul Chernick, M.F.A., Rutgers University
Dates: Mondays June 25, July 2, July 9 and July 16th (4 consecutive Mondays)
Time: 6:30-9:00 PM
Class Fee: $120
***Class size limited to 15; Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy
Contemporary artist and arts educator Saul Chernick is renowned for gorgeous artworks featuring convincingly corporeal depictions of imaginary or mythical creatures rendered in the style of Medieval and early Renaissance woodcuts from Northern Europe. Observatory is very pleased to announce a new workshop developed by Saul Chernick specially for the Morbid Anatomy Art Academy. In this class, Chernick will teach students--via illustrated lectures and in-class projects including paper puppets and bestiary pages--"to use observational and imaginative drawing skills in tandem to capture the essential qualities of their subject" and "learn to draw animals (real, mythic, and otherwise) with greater skill and sensitivity."
Full class description follows; you can see more of Chernick's fantastic work by clicking here. Class size limited to 15; Please RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.
Course Description
Open to artists of all levels, the goal of this workshop is help participants learn to draw animals (real, mythic, and otherwise) with greater skill and sensitivity. Through exercises in drawing and paper puppetry, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the skeletal/muscular structures of most mammals, reptiles, and birds. Participants will also learn to use observational and imaginative drawing skills in tandem to capture the essential qualities of their subject and create works of convincing visual fiction!
What to expect
  • Participants will cull images from the web to create a dossier on the animal(s) that interest them
  • Participants will fashion movable paper puppets to understand how their chosen animal moves
  • Participants will draw studies of the skeletal and muscular structures of animals
  • Participants will use the medium of their choice to create a Bestiary page entry that depicts an animal situated in an environment
Materials
What to bring to the first class:
  • Choose 1-3 animals and gather pictures on the web. Be sure to get images of their skeletons in profile. Please print these as they may be hard to use on a phone screen.
  • 3-5 sheets of Bristol Board Paper 9" x 12" or larger
  • Pencils & erasers
  • Scissors
  • Xacto or utility knife
  • Glue
What to bring for subsequent classes:
  • White or tinted drawing paper 16" x 20" or 18" x 24"
  • Tracing paper (same size as drawing paper)
  • Mechanical and/or regular pencils (2h, hb, 2b, 4b)
Optional:
  • Markers, watercolors, gouache, ink, brushes, chalk/oil pastels, colored pencils, Caran D’Ache, collage papers, etc (we’ll discuss further in detail!)
Saul Chernick, M.F.A., Rutgers University, is a visual artist and educator. Chernick has exhibited internationally in galleries and museums including the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, the Bronx Museum of Art, the Jewish Museum of Art, as well as Max Protetch and Meulensteen Galleries in New York City. He has taught art for the public school system, the 92nd Street Y, Cooper Union, Parson's School of Design, and the Museum of Modern Art. He is currently the Professional Development Coordinator for the Joan Mitchell Foundation where he coaches New York artists in teaching art to young people throughout city. His work can be seen at www.saulchernick.com.

All images are by Saul Chernick and include, top to bottom:
  1. Field Urchin, 2011, from a series of studies in which he attempted to impose the proportions of cherubs onto horses.
  2. Desktop 2013, 2010, Ink, Watercolor, & Opaque White on Paper
  3. Heavenly Touch , 2009, Ink, Watercolor, & Opaque White on Paper
  4. Guilty Pleasures, 2010, Ink, Watercolor, & Opaque White on Paper
  5. Ars Gratia Artis, 2010, Ink on Paper
You can found out more here. As mentioned above, class size is limited to 15, so if you are interested, please RSVP as soon as you are able to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.
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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Museums of London Tour, October 5-14, with Jim Edmonson of the Dittrick Museum

Friend of Morbid Anatomy Jim Edmonson of Cleveland's Dittrick Medical Museum has just informed us that he will be leading a guided tour of London Museums this October 5th to 14th; stops along the way include such wonderful museums as The Wellcome Collection (who is celebrating its 5th birthday today! Happy birthday!), The Hunterian, and the Old Operating Theatre.

Blurb follows; full details can be found here:
Museums of London Tour
Art, History and Medicine, October 5-14, 2012 
We invite you to join Catherine Scallen, Chair of the Art History department and Jim Edmonson, Curator of the Dittrick Museum on the campus of Case Western Reserve University, for this custom designed tour of the key museums of London, England. Jim's contact with fellow curators and museum directors opens doors and provides the group with unique insights into their collections and aspects not normally open to the general public. Catherine's experience teaching and researching the masters of European Art from 1400 to 1900 will provide historical depth that makes the art museums' collections come alive.  

Please note that our deadline for reserving a place on the London tour is June 30,
so contact us today to secure your reservation.
Please note: the final sign up day has been extended to June 30 from June 15th. If interested, you can find out more here.

Photo: The Hunterian Museum, London, from the museum's website.
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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

RESURRECTION! A Gala Benefit to Rebuild The Morbid Anatomy Library, Saturday, June 30th, 8:00 PM

For those of you who might not have already heard, on Good Friday of this year, The Morbid Anatomy Library suffered a mighty and devastating deluge. On Saturday, Saturday, June 30th, Observatory and Morbid Anatomy will host an epic and underground-star-studded rebuilding gala, and we would love to see you there.

The fête will be hosted by Evan Michelson of The Science Channel's "Oddities" and cult writer and luminary Mark Dery, and will feature mini-lectures by such luminaries as Ryan Mathews of "Oddities;" Melissa Milgrom, author of Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy; New York Magazine's Mark Jacobson; Carl Schoonover, author of Portraits of the Mind, and many more. The silent auction to follow will include works by such amazing artists and makers as Mark Dion and Dana Sherwood, Rosamond Purcell, Robert Marbury, Sophie Blackall, Jessica Joslin, Paul Koudounaris, Sue Jeiven, Daisy Tainton, Sigrid Sarda, Saul Chernick, Nicholas Kahn, Laura Splan, Alex Kanevsky, Erika Larsen, Shannon Taggart, and Justine Cooper.

Full details follow, and invitation can be found here. Hope very very much to see you there!
RESURRECTION! A Gala Benefit to Rebuild The Morbid Anatomy Library
Date: Saturday, June 30
Time: 8:00
Admission: $25
Presented by Morbid Anatomy

On Good Friday, 2012, The Morbid Anatomy Library suffered a deluge; a fire in an upstairs gallery set off the sprinkler system, dousing the library below and destroying many books and artifacts.

On Saturday, June 30th, join Observatory and The Morbid Anatomy Library for a star-studded resurrection spectacular MCed by Evan Michelson of TV's "Oddities" and cult writer and luminary Mark Dery. Presenters will include Mike Zohn and Ryan Mathews of TV's "Oddities;" Melissa Milgrom, author of Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy; New York Magazine's Mark Jacobson; Carl Schoonover, author of Portraits of the Mind; Barbara Mathé of AMNH; Lisa O’Sullivan, director of the Center for the History of Medicine and Public Health at the New York Academy of Medicine; Lord Whimsy of The Affected Provincial's Almanac Volume 1, Salvador Olguín of Borderline Projects; and Professors Amy Herzog of Queens College and Daniel Margocsy of CUNY Amy Herzog of Queens College. There will be screenings of The Midnight Archive, complimentary cocktails, performances by Jonny Clockworks, and droll  giveaways from the design firm Kikkerland. Attendees are encouraged to dress "Obscurely."

Following the festivities, be sure to stick around for a scintillating silent auction of Morbid Anatomy-themed taxidermy, artworks, specimens and artifacts, which will include pieces by fine artists Mark Dion and Dana Sherwood, Rosamond Purcell, Minnesota Rogue Taxidermist Robert Marbury, MTA Artist-in-Residence Sophie Blackall, creative taxidermist Jessica Joslin, Ryan Mathews of "Oddities," Empire of Death author/photographer Paul Koudounaris, anthropomorphic taxidermist Sue Jeiven, anthropomorphic insect shadowbox maker Daisy Tainton, waxworker Sigrid Sarda, and museum-exhibit designer Christopher Muller, as well as unforgettable works by photographers Erika Larsen, Shannon Taggart, Julia Solis, and Justine Cooper,  artists Saul Chernick, Nicholas Kahn, Laura Splan, Alex Kanevsky, Suzanne Anker, Friese Undine, Demetrios Vital, Cindy Stelmackowich, GF Newland, and Andrea Meadows, to name just a few.
If you can not join us at the benefit and are interested in aiding in rebuilding efforts, here are a few things you can do:
  • Make a monetary donation; to do so, simply click on the black "Donate Here" button on the top right hand side of this blog
  • Sponsor a book; Click here to see a list of damaged books; books purchased here will automatically ship directly to The Library and populate our sadly empty shelves.
  • Help spread the word!
  • Donate new books or artifacts for the collection: Mailing Address: Joanna Ebenstein, c/o The Morbid Anatomy Library, 543 Union Street #1E, Brooklyn, NY 1121
Thanks so much! And hope to see you soon at a bigger, better Morbid Anatomy Library very very soon!
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Thursday, June 14, 2012

"X-ray Visions: Drawings and Prints from an Artist Residency at the NYU School of Medicine," Works by Laura Ferguson, Through August 13




On through August 13th at MSB Gallery at the NYU Health Sciences Libraries:
X-ray Visions: Drawings and Prints from an Artist Residency at the NYU School of Medicine
MSB Gallery, June 11 - August 13, 2012

What if we could look into the body’s inner space with a kind of enhanced x-ray vision, without the need for dissection or medical imaging – perhaps lit by candlelight, with an eye to the beauty within? As an artist at NYU’s School of Medicine I’ve worked to create this kind of personal vision, making drawings in the Anatomy Lab and from 3D radiology images of my own body.

Art looks beneath the surface of life, and for me the place to look has always been the body. A curving spine – asymmetry at my core – means that for me, walking, moving and even breathing require conscious effort, an engagement with the workings of my bones and muscles, nerves, and senses. Drawing myself lets me work from the inside out, to visually convey the feeling of inhabiting this particular, individual body, and the many ways that personal identity and even consciousness are rooted in physical experience.

I see my work as following in the Renaissance tradition of Leonardo da Vinci and his great anatomy drawings, informed by the new ways of seeing made possible by contemporary medical imaging technologies. As a patient with a lifetime of x-rays, I was always fascinated by these mysterious, shadowy pictures – but felt disconnected from a part of me that seemed to belong more to my doctors than to me. As an artist I’ve been able to reclaim this hidden territory for myself, and hope my work can bring viewers to feel a deeper sense of connection with their own unique inner spaces.
Learn more about the floating colors process.
You can find out more by clicking here.
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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

A Few More Slots Left: "Drawing from the Bestiary: Animal Anatomy of Real and Imagined Creatures," Class with Artist Saul Chernick, Observatory, June 25-July 16


We still have just a few more slots available for the upcoming class "Drawing from the Bestiary: Animal Anatomy of Real and Imagined Creatures" with one of our favorite artists, Saul Chernick. This class will teach students--via illustrated lectures and in-class projects including paper puppets and the creation of bestiary pages--"to use observational and imaginative drawing skills in tandem to capture the essential qualities of their subject" and "learn to draw animals (real, mythic, and otherwise) with greater skill and sensitivity."

You can see some of Chernick's wonderful artworks above; you can see more of them by clicking here. The class will take place on 4 consectutive Mondays, from June 25 to July 16th. The full class description follows. Also, please note that the class size is limited to 15, so if you are interested, please RSVP as soon as possible to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.

Drawing from the Bestiary: Animal Anatomy of Real and Imagined Creatures with Saul Chernick
A 4-part class with Artist Saul Chernick, M.F.A., Rutgers University
Dates: Mondays June 25, July 2, July 9 and July 16th (4 consecutive Mondays)
Time: 6:30-9:00 PM
Class Fee: $120
***Class size limited to 15; Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy
Contemporary artist and arts educator Saul Chernick is renowned for gorgeous artworks featuring convincingly corporeal depictions of imaginary or mythical creatures rendered in the style of Medieval and early Renaissance woodcuts from Northern Europe. Observatory is very pleased to announce a new workshop developed by Saul Chernick specially for the Morbid Anatomy Art Academy. In this class, Chernick will teach students--via illustrated lectures and in-class projects including paper puppets and bestiary pages--"to use observational and imaginative drawing skills in tandem to capture the essential qualities of their subject" and "learn to draw animals (real, mythic, and otherwise) with greater skill and sensitivity."
Full class description follows; you can see more of Chernick's fantastic work by clicking here. Class size limited to 15; Please RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.
Course Description
Open to artists of all levels, the goal of this workshop is help participants learn to draw animals (real, mythic, and otherwise) with greater skill and sensitivity. Through exercises in drawing and paper puppetry, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the skeletal/muscular structures of most mammals, reptiles, and birds. Participants will also learn to use observational and imaginative drawing skills in tandem to capture the essential qualities of their subject and create works of convincing visual fiction!
What to expect
  • Participants will cull images from the web to create a dossier on the animal(s) that interest them
  • Participants will fashion movable paper puppets to understand how their chosen animal moves
  • Participants will draw studies of the skeletal and muscular structures of animals
  • Participants will use the medium of their choice to create a Bestiary page entry that depicts an animal situated in an environment
Materials
What to bring to the first class:
  • Choose 1-3 animals and gather pictures on the web. Be sure to get images of their skeletons in profile. Please print these as they may be hard to use on a phone screen.
  • 3-5 sheets of Bristol Board Paper 9" x 12" or larger
  • Pencils & erasers
  • Scissors
  • Xacto or utility knife
  • Glue
What to bring for subsequent classes:
  • White or tinted drawing paper 16" x 20" or 18" x 24"
  • Tracing paper (same size as drawing paper)
  • Mechanical and/or regular pencils (2h, hb, 2b, 4b)
Optional:
  • Markers, watercolors, gouache, ink, brushes, chalk/oil pastels, colored pencils, Caran D’Ache, collage papers, etc (we’ll discuss further in detail!)
Saul Chernick, M.F.A., Rutgers University, is a visual artist and educator. Chernick has exhibited internationally in galleries and museums including the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, the Bronx Museum of Art, the Jewish Museum of Art, as well as Max Protetch and Meulensteen Galleries in New York City. He has taught art for the public school system, the 92nd Street Y, Cooper Union, Parson's School of Design, and the Museum of Modern Art. He is currently the Professional Development Coordinator for the Joan Mitchell Foundation where he coaches New York artists in teaching art to young people throughout city. His work can be seen at www.saulchernick.com.

All images are by Saul Chernick and include, top to bottom:
  1. Field Urchin, 2011, from a series of studies in which he attempted to impose the proportions of cherubs onto horses.
  2. Desktop 2013, 2010, Ink, Watercolor, & Opaque White on Paper
  3. Heavenly Touch , 2009, Ink, Watercolor, & Opaque White on Paper
  4. Guilty Pleasures, 2010, Ink, Watercolor, & Opaque White on Paper
  5. Ars Gratia Artis, 2010, Ink on Paper
You can found out more here. As mentioned above, class size is limited to 15, so if you are interested, please RSVP as soon as you are able to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.
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The Art of Illusions: Pre-cinematic Entertainment in Mexico, Velaslavasay Panorama, Los Angeles, June 16th


If only I lived in Los Angeles....

This Saturday, at the fantastic Velaslavasay Panorama:

The Art of Illusions
Pre-cinematic Entertainment in Mexico
An Illustrated Lecture by José Antonio Rodríguez
Saturday, June 16th
8 o ’clock pm
Tickets $12 {$10 VPES Members}
Advance tickets are highly recommended and are available at
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/242705
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The Velaslavasay Panorama welcomes José Antonio Rodríguez, who will be here to present an illustrated lecture about pre-cinematic entertainment in Mexico.

Having conducted research on the subject for many years, José Antonio Rodríguez will talk about the multitudinous forms of optical magic, including the magic lantern, diorama, cosmorama, panorama and scientific spectacles which were once popular throughout Mexico and beyond. Professor Rodríguez will discuss the entertainments and forms of visual culture in the eighteenth century as they were experienced in Mexico, which inspired and made possible the proliferation of moving images. He will also address the archaeology of visual media which encouraged the later popularity of the Kinetoscope and the Cinematograph in nineteenth century Mexico. In essence, "The Art of Illusions" will present ideas about how our encounters with visual spectacles guide us in constructing our own vision of the world.

José Antonio Rodríguez is an Art History professor of at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and the author of the landmark publication The Art of Illusions: Pre-cinematic Entertainment in Mexico published through the National Institute of Anthropology and History in Mexico. He is also the author of Edward Weston: The Look of Rupture; Bernice Kolko: Photographer; Ruth D. Lechuga: A Mexican Memory; and Agustin Jimenez: Memories of the Avant-Garde. He is also the editor of the magazine Alquimia, amongst other works. This will be Professor Rodríguez's first appearance in Los Angeles.

This presentation has been funded in part by The Department of Cultural affairs of the City of Los Angeles, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and The Velaslavasay Panorama Enthusiast Society.

You can find out more by clicking here.
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Thursday, June 7, 2012

Greetings from the David J. Sencer Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Museum in Atlanta, Georgia

My apologies for the recent silence; I have been hard at work creating--and now installing!--an  exhibition entitled "Savior of Mothers: The Forgotten Ballet of Ignaz Semmelweis." The show officially opens at the David J. Sencer CDC Museum in association with the Smithsonian Institution at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia next Monday, June 11th.

More on the exhibition, from the CDC Museum website:
Savior of Mothers: The Forgotten Ballet of Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis is an installation of artifacts and ephemera related to an imaginary 19th century ballet created by artist Joanna Ebenstein. The ballet is based on the true story of the brilliant, yet reviled Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis (1818-1865). Scenes range from his earliest attempts to curb the "childbed fever" epidemic in his Viennese obstetrical clinic to his premature death of the very disease he had spent his life trying to defeat. Ebenstein was drawn to Semmelweis' distinctive story not only for its topical and scientific theme--albeit tinged by melodrama and mythic elements--but also for its mixture of beauty and the grotesque. His tale, best suited to the form of a popular tragedy, makes ballet the ideal medium for Semmelweis' tale. Ebenstein's installation includes costume designs for the "Plague Demons of Cadaverous Particles"--expressionistic representations of the virulent bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes itself--and the "12 mourning mothers from beyond the grave," as well as model theaters, posters, and more.
More on this to come very soon; In the meantime, above are some photos of the installation as it inches along. My favorite piece is the very truly enchanting model theatre (bottom 2 images), designed by the astounding Chris Muller and executed by the exceptionally talented Jason Ardizzone-West; it depicts a set for of a mid-19th century anatomical theatre in which some of the major action of the ballet takes place.

The exhibition opens on next Monday, June 11th, at the  David J. Sencer Museum at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. More can be found here.
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