The Body Anatomized: New Studio Art and Art History Class with School of Visual Art's Jonathon Rosen, Beginning June 2

We at Morbid Anatomy are beyond delighted to be offering "The Body Anatomized," a new hybrid studio art and art history class with Jonathon Rosen of the School of Visual Art. Over eight sessions, our instructor Jonathon Rosen will present illustrated lectures covering the rich and storied history of anatomical visualization, covering everything from Catholic relics to the "flayed angels" of Jacques Fabien Gautier d'Agoty (top image); Italian wax Anatomical Venuses to the diagrammatic illustrations of Christian Wilhelm Braune (middle image); Clive Barker’s Faust to the man machine of Fritz Kahn (bottom image). Under Jonathon's ongoing critical feedback and guidance, students will generate finished artworks in the medium of their choice incorporating medicine or anatomy as a point of departure, be it personal or political, didactic or obscure.

The course runs over 8 Mondays from June 2nd to July 21st. The class is limited to only 20 people. Full details follow, and tickets can be purchased here. Hope very much to see you there!

The Body Anatomized: Art Studio and History Class with SVA's Jonathon Rosen
Dates: Mondays June 2 to July 21 (8 sessions)
Admission: $300 (Must purchase ticket here)
Time: 7-10pm
Class limited to 20 people
Morbid Anatomy Museum (New Space) , 424A 3rd Avenue (Corner of 7th Street and 3rd Avenue)
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

Temple of the soul or soft machine? The body is where human art, science, culture, politics and medicine all intersect. This hybrid lecture/studio course takes inspiration from artists ancient to post-modern who use medicine and anatomy as a point of departure for personal, political, religious or scientific commentary.

Over eight sessions, Jonathon Rosen will explore the influence of traditional medical imagery on contemporary art-making and pop culture through the lens of history, culture and aesthetics. Examples will range from medieval doctor’s sketchbooks and illuminated manuscripts, via Renaissance medical surrealism and 19^th century medical devices, to contemporary works by Damien Hirst, John Isaacs, the virtual human project, BodyWorlds, and beyond. On the way we will also touch on aesthetic surgery, genetics, biomechanics, medical museums, anatomy in movies and French underground comics.

With Jonathon's ongoing critical feedback and guidance, students will generate finished artworks incorporating medicine or anatomy as a point of departure, be it personal or political, didactic or obscure. This work can be singular or narrative, 2D, 3D, static or moving, in any medium, and projects are not required to be anatomically correct (and please note: Jonathon will not be giving how-to instruction in traditional medical illustration). There will also be an ongoing in-class assignment, based around anatomizing pre-existing vintage images.

SYLLABUS

Class 1: Coming Attractions. A visual overview of the course as an introduction to the history of medical-art & imagery including an introduction to your instructor’s work. Discussion of class, homework and assignments.

Class 2: Sacred Anatomy and Materia Medica. The invention of scientific illustration: The earliest printed medical textbooks and the pioneers of human dissection. From early Islamic to late medieval European. Barbers, surgeons and wound men, demons, miraculous limb transplants, hybrid monsters and diagnosis by zodiac.

Class 3: The emergence of modernity and the culture of dissection in Renaissance culture. Vesalius, Leonardo Da Vinci, Realdo Colombo, Charles Estienne, Jacopo Berengario da Carpi.

Class 4: Medical Chic: Baroque to Enlightenment era. The Anatomy Theater, Albinus. The Altlas of Jean Baptiste Marc Bourgery. Hogarth and satires of medicine. Spotlight on Jacques Fabien Gautier d'Agoty.

Class 5: 19th century; Optical devices, x-rays, prosthetics, automatons, pop-up books & anatomical manikins. Medical Museums, Mutter, Vrolik, La Specola & wax figuration. Etienne-Jules Marey and motion capture.

Class 6: 20^th century; Medical Industrial Complex: Fritz Khan and mechanical/ metaphorical bodies. Vintage Educational anatomy & health films: How the eyes and ears work. Illustrations by Netter. Vintage Chinese medical posters.

Class 7: Fantastic Voyage: Clive Barker’s Faust, Stan Brakhage’s the act of seeing with one’s own eyes. Body Worlds. New imaging: virtual cadavers, prosthetics, braces, body scanning, genetics, medical animation. Growing body parts and sensor-driven prosthetics. New Artists including; Marseille collective Le Dernier Cri’s Hopital Brut, Damien Hurst, John Isaacs.

Class 8
: Final project due / critique.

Jonathon Rosen is a NY-based artist and animator who teaches at the School of Visual Arts. He has worked with Jean Michel Basquiat and Tim Burton (the journal drawings, Sleepy Hollow), and made artwork for ID Magazine, Popular Science, Oxford Review, New Scientist, Psychology Today, Discover Magazine, RCA Records, Rolling Stone, MTV, the New York Times Science Times and Sunday Magazine, and many more. His work has been shown at PS.1, and is in the collections of David Cronenberg and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Images:

1. Gautier D'Agoty; Anatomy of a Woman's Spine via here.
2. Christian Wilhelm Braune, via Ars Anatomica. 
3. Fritz Kahn via here.

Art and Anatomy Intensive Summer School Course with Sarah Simblet, Brian Catling and Eleanor Crook: Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford, 2013

My good friend--and one of my favorite artists--Eleanor Crook just brought to my attention a fantastic looking art and anatomy intensive course taking place this summer at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art in Oxford. At £950.00 its a bit on the cost-y side, but what a great looking week of classes! By the end of the 7th day, you will have learned the skeleton and musculature and you will leave the course with your own hand-crafted wax model of the head and neck and ecorché (muscle figure) and, as the copy puts it, "a portfolio of new work, a much wider understanding of the subject explored and a wealth of ideas for future artistic development." Plus you get to learn from such wonderful artists as Sarah Simblet, Brian Catling and Eleanor Crook.

There are two sessions to choose form; the first is Sunday 4th August - Saturday 10th August
and the second is from Sunday 1st September - Saturday 7th September. Full details follow; You can find out more here and book a place by clicking here.

Art and Anatomy Course
Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford
With instructors Dr Sarah Simblet, Brian Catling and Eleanor Crook
Session 1: Sunday 4th August - Saturday 10th August 2013
Session 2: Sunday 1st September - Saturday 7th September 2013
(Please note, both courses offer the same programme)
The fee for each course is £950.00; Places can be booked here.

I found this course a unique opportunity as it is taught by artists that have learned directly from dissecting bodies. Also, the tutors present the subject with an exciting approach as this is what they are passionate about.’
--Jaime, Summer School Participant 2011

‘Such intensity of learning the musculature was really interesting, now fully appreciate how intricately the tissues intertwined.  I’m fascinated!’  -- Summer School Participant 2012

Dr Sarah Simblet continues to offer her highly successful Art and Anatomy course in 2013. Based around Dr Simblet’s best selling book, Anatomy for the Artist, Dorling Kindersley,this year we have extended the course to 7 days. The course continues to cover aspects of human anatomy, its drawing and history.For the third year, the Ruskin will be offering two non-residential courses on Art and Anatomy. Human anatomy is explored through intensive workshops, lectures and group discussions, with time for personal studio work. Participants need to bring their own drawing materials and the Ruskin will provide easels, paper and life models. No academic or artistic criteria is required for attendance at either course although all participants must be 16 years old and over.

Participants can expect to leave our Summer School with a portfolio of new work, a much wider understanding of the subject explored and a wealth of ideas for future artistic development.

To book a place on either of these courses, please go to the University’s online booking page for Short Courses: http://www.oxforduniversitystores.co.uk

Programme
Day 1         :    Structural Drawing
Day 2         :    The Skeleton
Day 3         :    Musculature
Days 4       :    Wax Modelling Head & Neck
Day 5         :    Wax Modelling Ecorché (muscle figure)
Day 6         :    Personal studio time with tutor
Day 7         :    Life Drawing

COURSE TEACHING STAFF

Dr Sarah Simblet
Sarah Simblet is an artist who writes and draws. She is also a broadcaster, lecturer and anatomist with broad research interests in the relationship between art, science and history. She has published three major art reference books with Dorling Kindersley: ‘Anatomy for the Artist’, ‘The Drawing Book’ and ‘Botany for the Artist’ and exhibits her drawings through her books. Sarah contributes to contemporary art shows, festivals and live events and her work is held in national and private collections. She contributes regularly to British, American and international television and radio programmes about science and art, and consults on national exhibitions. She is Tutor in Anatomy at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, University of Oxford, a freelance lecturer at the National Gallery London, and Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, and is an academic member of Wolfson College, Oxford.
http://unitedagents.co.uk/sarah-simblet
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/sep/25/arts.artsnews
http://www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780751334418,00.html

Professor Brian Catling
An academic, poet and contemporary artist who has had a life long fascination with the visualisation of human anatomy in everything from wood blocks to science fiction.  Brian is a Professor at the University of Oxford, on the teaching staff at the Ruskin and a Fellow at Linacre College.
http://briancatling.com/

Eleanor Crook
Eleanor Crook is one of the world’s leading anatomical modellers in wax: a contemporary artist who uses traditional and newly invented techniques to express and explain the drama of the human body.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVL7nE4UiIs

Image: Side of Head Without Skin, from Anatomia Humani Corporis or Ontleding des Menschelyken Lichaams, Govard Bidloo, 1690

Dream Summer Course in Florence? Museum Studies: Museum Origins Course; Applications Due April 1

Via The Attic:

Museum Studies: Museum Origins Course
Summer Course for MAs or PhDs in Italy

--Do you ever wonder why people collect things?
--How did 15th century private desires to own collections lead to the museum as we know it today?
--Why is Florence, Italy, considered one of the birthplaces of the modern museum?
--Find out this summer in Museum Origins!

June 10- August 3: An 8-week course that blends online learning with onsite investigation (in ITALY!) and scholarly research.

Open to current graduate students and alumni of master's or Ph.D. programs in any field from any college or university

Great for students in art, art history, literature, history, public history, anthropology, psychology, museum studies, library & information science, classics - all majors welcome!

• First three weeks: Course readings and discussions online.
• Middle two weeks: You go to "class" in museums in Italy.(How cool is
• that?!)
• Last three weeks: You write a research paper.
• After the course: An experience that lasts a lifetime.
• APPLY NOW! Applications are due April 1!

And more, from the Kent State website

Class limit: 15 participants
Open to: Graduate students at any institution
Alumni of any graduate program (master’s or Ph.D.)
NOW ACCEPTING UPPER-DIVISION UNDERGRADUATES FROM ANY INSTITUTION, ANY MAJOR! 

Itinerary in Florence:
Morning: Visits to museums
Afternoon: Discussions and lectures at Kent State Florence Palazzo de Cerchi

Course Description
While the collecting of objects can be found as far back as ancient times in various parts of the world, the birth of the modern museum finds its roots in Europe, especially in Italy. In the context of today’s world, students will “go back in time” to understand the origins of Western museums and the meaning of publicly shared collections through a series of competing dualisms in knowledge creation and organization. Students will explore the history of the modern museum and spend two weeks visiting actual sites and collections that played a role in this history. Exploring the past in this way is geared specifically to help today’s museum workers gain a better understanding of their own role and purpose in their community, society and nation.

This course is part of a Museum Studies specialization within the Master of Library and Information Science degree at Kent State School of Library and Information Science. Museums, like libraries, are in the information business. The museum studies courses at Kent State employ a holistic approach to the study of museums as institutions that generate and perpetuate knowledge. Students will gain an understanding of museums in context as dynamic, interactive information systems composed of people, objects, and activities. Because the SLIS courses are structured within a library and information science framework, students are able to cut across the spectrum of traditional academic disciplines, which strengthens the skills of future museum professional by giving them a broader perspective, a larger knowledge base, and more flexibility. Students in the Museum Origins class do not need to be in the M.L.I.S. program, but should understand this unique approach to the discipline of museum studies.

More here.

Image: "The Tribuna degli Uffizi," Johann Zoffany, 1772-1779; found here. Click in image to see larger, more detailed version.

One Open Spot in This Saturday's Raccoon Head Taxidermy Class with Rogue Taxidermist Katie Innamorato

We have a single open spot available for this Saturday's previously sold out raccoon head taxidermy class; if anyone out there is interested, please email morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com as soon as possible! The slot will go to the first respondent.

Full details follow:

Raccoon Head Taxidermy Class with Rogue Taxidermist Katie Innamorato
Date: This Saturday, February 9
Time: 11 – 5 PM
Admission: $350
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

This course will introduce students to basic and fundamental taxidermy techniques and procedures. Students will be working with donated raccoon skins and will be going through the steps to do a head mount. The class is only available to 5 students, allowing for more one on one interaction and assistance. Students will be working with tanned and lightly prepped skin; there will be no skinning of the animals in class. This is a great opportunity to learn the basic steps to small and large mammal taxidermy. All materials will be supplied by the instructor, and you will leave class with your own raccoon head mount.

Rogue taxidermist Katie Innamorato has a BFA in sculpture from SUNY New Paltz, has been featured on the hit TV show "Oddities," and has had her work featured at La Luz de Jesus gallery in Los Angeles, California. She is self and professionally taught, and has won multiple first place ribbons and awards at the Garden State Taxidermy Association Competition. Her work is focussed on displaying the cyclical connection between life and death and growth and decomposition. Katie is a member of the Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermists, and with all M.A.R.T. members she adheres to strict ethical guidelines when acquiring specimens and uses roadkill, scrap, and donated skins to create mounts.
Her website and blogs-
www.afterlifeanatomy.com
www.afterlifeanatomy.tumblr.com
www.facebook.com/afterlifeanatomy
www.etsy.com/shop/afterlifeanatomy

More here.

Raccoon Head Taxidermy Class with Rogue Taxidermist Katie Innamorato, Saturday, February 9

We at Morbid Anatomy are so excited to be offering a new taxidermy class with rogue taxidermist Katie Innamorato. We have only two slots still available for this five person intensive; if interested, please shoot an email to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.

Full details follow:

Raccoon Head Taxidermy Class with Rogue Taxidermist Katie Innamorato
Date: Saturday, February 9
Time: 11 – 5 PM
Admission: $350
***Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be addedt; 5 person limit
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

This course will introduce students to basic and fundamental taxidermy techniques and procedures. Students will be working with donated raccoon skins and will be going through the steps to do a head mount. The class is only available to 5 students, allowing for more one on one interaction and assistance. Students will be working with tanned and lightly prepped skin; there will be no skinning of the animals in class. This is a great opportunity to learn the basic steps to small and large mammal taxidermy. All materials will be supplied by the instructor, and you will leave class with your own raccoon head mount.

Rogue taxidermist Katie Innamorato has a BFA in sculpture from SUNY New Paltz, has been featured on the hit TV show "Oddities," and has had her work featured at La Luz de Jesus gallery in Los Angeles, California. She is self and professionally taught, and has won multiple first place ribbons and awards at the Garden State Taxidermy Association Competition. Her work is focussed on displaying the cyclical connection between life and death and growth and decomposition. Katie is a member of the Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermists, and with all M.A.R.T. members she adheres to strict ethical guidelines when acquiring specimens and uses roadkill, scrap, and donated skins to create mounts.

Her website and blogs-
www.afterlifeanatomy.com
www.afterlifeanatomy.tumblr.com
www.facebook.com/afterlifeanatomy
www.etsy.com/shop/afterlifeanatomy

More here.

"Hairy Secrets: Human Relic as Memory Object in Victorian Mourning Jewelry:" Lectures and Hair Art Workshop, January 18-31, Observatory

We at Morbid Anatomy are delighted to announce a new series at Observatory developed in conjunction with master jeweler and art historian Karen Bachmann. Entitled Hairy Secrets: Human Relic as Memory Object in Victorian Mourning Jewelry, this series will explore, in a three-part  lecture series and one workshop, the history of the preservation of human remains for reasons sacred and profane, culminating in the flowering of Victorian hair art mourning jewelry, or jewelry which incorporates the hair of the beloved dead.

Full details on all events follow; hope to see you and one or more! And please note: If you are interested in attending the workshop, please RSVP to morbidanatomy@gmail.com. This class is very nearly sold out, but we are hoping to add an additional class in February if interest justifies.
_________________________________________

"Speaking Reliquaries" and Christian Death Rituals
 Date: Thursday, January 17
Time: 8:00 PM
Admission: $10
Presented by Morbid Anatomy
Part 1 of Hairy Secrets Lecture Series

In tonight's illustrated lecture--the introductory lecture of a 3-part series on human relics and Victorian mourning jewelry--master jeweler and art historian Karen Bachmann will focus on what are termed "speaking" reliquaries: the often elaborate containers which house the preserved body parts--or relics--of saints and martyrs with shapes which reflect that of the body-part contained within.

Bachmann will examine these fascinating objects from an art historical perspective, and discuss their relationship to concepts of human body parts as icons of the immortal. They will be put into the larger context of Christian death rituals, in particular the veneration of saints body parts as sacred and magical relics. Also discussed will be the extremely odd proclivities of a variety of renaissance saints, such as Catherine of Sienna who drank pus from open sores. This will serve as the genesis in our further discussions of human hair, teeth, and nails as icons of the immortal.
_________________________________________

The History of the Memento Mori and Death’s Head Iconography
Date: Thursday, January 24
Time: 8:00 PM
Admission: $10
Presented by Morbid Anatomy
Part 2 of Hairy Secrets Lecture Series

In tonight's illustrated lecture--the second in a 3-part series on human relics and Victorian mourning jewelry--master jeweler and art historian Karen Bachmann will explore the development of the memento mori, objects whose very raison d'être is to remind the beholder that they, too, will die. Bachman will trace the symbolism and iconography of the memento mori and death's head imagery in both Medieval and Renaissance art, focusing on jewelry. She will also discuss the development of the "portable relic" -- a wearable form of body part reliquary, will be the focus of this lecture. The importance of hair in contemporaneous art of the period will be addressed, as well as the development of bereavement jewelry with hair.
_________________________________________

The Victorian Love Affair with Death and the Art of Mourning Hair Jewelry
Date: Thursday, January 31
Time: 8:00 PM
Admission: $10
Presented by Morbid Anatomy
Part 3 of Hairy Secrets Lecture Series

The Victorians had a love affair with death which they expressed in a variety of ways, both intensely sentimental and macabre. Tonight's lecture--the last in a 3-part series on human relics and Victorian mourning jewelry--will take as its focus the apex of the phenomenon of hair jewelry fashion in the Victorian Era as an expression of this passion. Nineteenth century mourning rituals will be discussed, with a particular focus on Victorian hairwork jewelry, both palette worked and table worked. Also discussed will be the historical roots of the Victorian fascination with death, such as high mortality rates for both adults and children, the rise of the park cemetery, and the death of Queen Victoria's beloved Prince Albert and her subsequent fashion-influencing 40-year mourning period. Historical samples of hair art and jewelry from the lecturer's personal collection will also be shown.

 _________________________________________

Class: The Victorian Art of Hair Jewelry with Art Historian and Master Jeweler Karen Bachmann
Date: Sunday, January 13
Time: 12 - 4 PM
Admission: $75
***Must RSVP to morbidanatomy@gmail.com to be added to class list; 15 person limit
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

Hair jewelry was an enormously popular form of commemorative art that began in the late 17th century and reached its zenith during the Victorian Era. Hair, either of someone living or deceased, was encased in metal lockers or woven to enshrine the human relic of a loved one. This class will explore a modern take on the genre.

The technique of "palette working" or arranging hair in artful swoops and curls will be explored and a variety of ribbons, beads, wire and imagery of mourning iconography will be supplied for potential inclusion. A living or deceased person or pet may be commemorated in this manner.

Students are requested to bring with them to class their own hair, fur, or feathers; all other necessary materials will be supplied. Hair can be self-cut, sourced from barber shops or hair salons (who are usually happy to provide you with swept up hair), from beauty supply shops (hair is sold as extensions), or from wig suppliers. Students will leave class with their own piece of hair jewelry and the knowledge to create future projects.

Karen Bachmann is a fine jeweler with over 25 years experience, including several years on staff as a master jeweler at Tiffany & Co. She is a Professor in the Jewelry Design Dept at Fashion Institute of Technology as well as the School of Art & Design at Pratt Institute. She has recently completed her MA in Art History at SUNY Purchase with a thesis entitled "Hairy Secrets; Human Relic as Memory Object in Victorian Mourning Jewelry". In her downtime she enjoys collecting biological specimens, amateur taxidermy and punk rock.

More on all events can be found here. To see all Morbid Anatomy events, click here.

Image: Mourning brooches containing the hair of a deceased relative. Wellcome Images 

Creating Stereoscopic 3-D Images of Small Specimens Using a Desktop Scanner: Workshop with Stereoscopic 3-D Artist Gerald Marks, This Saturday, January 5

This Saturday! Students are invited to use objects from the Morbid Anatomy Library for scanning. If interested in attending this class, please email morbidanatomy[at]gmail.com.

Creating Stereoscopic 3-D Images of Small Specimens Using a Desktop Scanner:
Workshop with Stereoscopic 3-D Artist Gerald Marks
Date: Saturday, January 5, 2013
Time: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM with a short lunch break
Fee: $60
Presented by Morbid Anatomy
*** Class size is limited to 16; please RSVP to morbidanatomy[at]gmail.com

In this workshop class you will learn to produce high-quality stereoscopic images of small objects, using a conventional desktop scanner. Everyone in the class can expect to leave with at least one 3-D picture, ready to post on a the web, email, or include in digital slide show, and the knowledge of how to do the process. With this technique, quite a bit of magnification is possible, almost rivaling microscope work.

After scanning, we will work with the images in Adobe Photoshop, using the same basic approach that the instructor has developed for Stereoscopic 3-D images in general, so you will be learning a professional technique for working with 3-D image pairs.
We will primarily view and work with our 3-D images using traditional Anaglyph Red/Blue 3-D glasses but we can output our scan work to any 3-D viewing system, including all types of 3-D projection and 3-D Television. 3-D glasses will be provided.
We will be scanning the objects on a conventional desktop scanners, such as the Epson Perfection series, and working with the scans on a laptop, using Adobe Photoshop (any version). All of the computer work on the instructor's laptop will be projected large, and in 3-D, so that it will be easy to follow.

Bring to Class
The primary thing to bring to class is the object you wish to scan. Almost anything in your collection from about .25" to about 6" wide should work, as long as it holds together. (Slime, for example, doesn't hold together) Natural or man-made objects, such as coins or medals work great. Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral are all OK, as long as it will hold still for at least two exposures. Bring additional objects as some things scan better than others and there may be time to scan more.

Bring a flash drive, or a blank CD, to put your scans on and take home

You may bring your own laptop, with Photoshop installed, but it is not required. Bring your own scanner, too, if you like (When transporting a scanner, remember to "lock" the scanner head!)

Gerald Marks is an artist working along the border of art and science, specializing in stereoscopic 3-D since 1973. He may be best known for the 3-D videos he directed for The Rolling Stones during their Steel Wheels tour. He has taught at The Cooper Union, The New School for Social Research, and the School of Visual Arts, where he currently teaches Stereoscopic 3-D within the MFA program in Computer Art. He was artist in residence at San Francisco's Exploratorium and a Visiting Scholar at the MIT Media Lab, where he worked with computer-generated holography. His Professor Pulfrich's Universe installations are popular features in museums all over the world, including the Exploratorium, The N. Y. Hall of Science, and Sony ExploraScience in Beijing & Tokyo. He has done 3-D consulting, lecturing & design for scientific purposes for The American Museum of Natural History, the National Institutes of Health, and Discover Magazine. He has created a large variety of 3-D artwork for advertising, display, and pharmaceutical use, as well as broadcast organizations Fox and MTV. He has designed award winning projections and sets at the N.Y. Public Theater, SOHO Rep, Kaatsbaan International Dance Center and the Nashville Ballet, where he created stereoscopically projected sets. He created the 3-D mural in the 28th Street station of the #6 train in New York City’s subway. He did 3-D imaging of dance around the New York shoreline as part of an iLAB grant from the iLAND Foundation for using the arts to raise environmental consciousness.

More here.

ADDITIONAL CLASS ADDED Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class with Sue Jeiven, London, Last Tuesday Society, September 27, 1-5

Due to popular demand, we have just added one additional "Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class" to the month-long Morbid Anatomy Presents lineup at The Last Tuesday Society.

The new class will take place next Thursday, September 27th at 1:00 PM. No former taxidermy experience is required, and you need bring nothing; you will leave with your own taxidermied mouse set in a tableau, and the skills to create your own in the future; past student projects can be seen by clicking here. It must also be mentioned that Sue is a passionate and amazing teacher, and we have had nothing but excellent feedback about her class.

Class size is limited to 15, and this class tends to sell out very quickly--the first two we announced are already sold out!--so if interested, I suggest you purchase tickets straight away. You can do so by clicking here. Hope very much to see you there!

Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class  with Susan Jeiven
Dates: Thursday September 27 2012 
Cost: £60.00
Time: 1-5
Location: Last Tuesday Society, 11 Mare Street London E8 4RP

Anthropomorphic taxidermy–the practice of mounting and displaying taxidermied animals as if they were humans or engaged in human activities–was a popular art form during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. The best known practitioner of the art form is British taxidermist Walter Potter who displayed his pieces–which included such elaborate tableaux as The Death of Cock Robin, The Kitten Wedding, and The Kitten Tea Party–in his own museum of curiosities.

We invite you to join taxidermist, tattoo artist and educator Susan Jeiven for a beginners class in anthropomorphic taxidermy. All materials–including a mouse for each student–will be provided, and each class member will leave at the end of the day with their own anthropomorphic taxidermied mouse. Students are invited to bring any miniature items with which they might like to dress or decorate their new friend; some props and miniature clothing will also be provided by the teacher. A wide variety of sizes and colors of mice will be available.

No former taxidermy experience is required.

Also, some technical notes:

• We use NO harsh or dangerous chemicals.
• Everyone will be provided with gloves.
• All animals are disease free.
• Although there will not be a lot of blood or gore, a strong constitution is necessary; taxidermy is not for everyone.
• All animals were already dead, nothing was killed for this class. All mice used are feeder animals for snakes and lizards and would literally be discarded if not sold.
• Please do not bring any dead animals with you to the class

Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class with Sue Jeiven, London, Last Tuesday Society, September 29-30, 1-5

I am so very very excited to announce that Sue Jeiven's is bringing her wonderful and ubiquitously sold out Observatory "Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class" to the London as part of my month-long Morbid Anatomy Presents lineup at The Last Tuesday Society.

There will be two iterations of the class, one on Saturday the 29th and one on Sunday the 30th of September. No former taxidermy experience is required, and you need bring nothing; you will leave with your own taxidermied mouse set in a tableau, and the skills to create your own in the future; past student projects can be seen by clicking here. It must also be mentioned that Sue is a passionate and amazing teacher, and we have had nothing but excellent feedback about her class.

Class size is limited to 15, and, at least in Brooklyn, this class tends to sell out very quickly, so if interested, I suggest you purchase tickets straight away. 

For the Brits among you, you might want to check out this writeup about the Brooklyn iteration of the class in--yes, you guessed it--The Daily Mail, from which the classroom photos above were drawn. You can also watch a brief featurette on Sue and her work in the episode of The Midnight Archive above.

Full details for the class follow; you can purchase tickets by clicking here. Hope very much to see you there!

Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class  with Susan Jeiven
Dates: Saturday the 29th September 2012 and Sunday the 30th September 2012 
Cost: £60.00
Time: 1-5
Location: Last Tuesday Society, 11 Mare Street London E8 4RP

Anthropomorphic taxidermy–the practice of mounting and displaying taxidermied animals as if they were humans or engaged in human activities–was a popular art form during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. The best known practitioner of the art form is British taxidermist Walter Potter who displayed his pieces–which included such elaborate tableaux as The Death of Cock Robin, The Kitten Wedding, and The Kitten Tea Party–in his own museum of curiosities.

We invite you to join taxidermist, tattoo artist and educator Susan Jeiven for a beginners class in anthropomorphic taxidermy. All materials–including a mouse for each student–will be provided, and each class member will leave at the end of the day with their own anthropomorphic taxidermied mouse. Students are invited to bring any miniature items with which they might like to dress or decorate their new friend; some props and miniature clothing will also be provided by the teacher. A wide variety of sizes and colors of mice will be available.

No former taxidermy experience is required.

Also, some technical notes:

• We use NO harsh or dangerous chemicals.
• Everyone will be provided with gloves.
• All animals are disease free.
• Although there will not be a lot of blood or gore, a strong constitution is necessary; taxidermy is not for everyone.
• All animals were already dead, nothing was killed for this class. All mice used are feeder animals for snakes and lizards and would literally be discarded if not sold.
• Please do not bring any dead animals with you to the class

"Dissection as Studio Practice with Real Anatomical Specimens," Class with Laura Splan, Observatory, Next Monday, July 23

I am very excited about "Dissection as Studio Practice," a class taking place next Monday, July 23, at Observatory. Taught by artist Laura Splan, the class will begin with an illustrated survey of the use of notions of "dissection" in contemporary art practice; these principles will then be applied to in-class projects which include the dissection of your very own anatomical specimens (i.e. frog, sheep brain, cow eye). This class is open to all expernience levels, and participants are invited to bring additional materials, objects and artifacts that will inspire their “dissective” inclinations.

We had a wonderful time in the last iteration of this class, as you can see from the photos above. Full description of the class follows. Class size is limited; if interested, be sure to RSVP via email to morbidanatomy[at]gmail.com. You can see more of Laura Splan's work by clicking here. Hope very much to see you there!

Lecture and Studio Art and Dissection Class with artist Laura Splan
Date: Monday, July 23
Time: 7-10 PM
Fee: $75
*** Class size is limited to 16; please RSVP to morbidanatomy[at]gmail.com
This class is part of the Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

This class will survey the use of dissection in contemporary art practice through an illustrated lecture, specimen dissections, and studio time for individual and collaborative projects. We will examine the conceptual and cultural significance of cutting, excavating, disassembling, labeling, observing and displaying “bodies.” The lecture will present a brief history of dissection as well as work by contemporary artists exploring imagery, tropes and methods of dissection. The collaborative and individual art projects will be fun and lively hands on explorations of the meaning of dissection in a work of art. Each student will receive a complete specimen dissection kit (i.e. frog, sheep brain, cow eye) to create a self-directed dissection project with. Participants should bring additional materials, objects and artifacts that will inspire their “dissective” inclinations. Additional supplies will be provided by the instructor to stimulate your creativity. No prior art training is required. Everyone is welcome.

Laura Splan is a Brooklyn based visual artist. Her mixed media work explores historical and cultural ambivalence towards the human body. She was a Visiting Lecturer at Stanford University where she taught “Art and Biology”. She has been a Visiting Artist at the New York Academy of Sciences, California College of Art, San Francisco Art Institute, Maryland Institute College of Art, and Cal Arts. Her artwork was recently commissioned by the CDC Foundation. She curates the visual portal DomesticatedViscera.com. Images of her artwork can be found on her website: LauraSplan.com. You can find out more here. Feel free to contact Laura through her website with any questions about the class by clicking here. You can see photos from the last class by clicking here.

You can find out more here, and RSVP with an email to morbidanatomy[at]gmail.com.

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.

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.

Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton at Observatory: Open Slots for This Saturday's Class!

Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox by Daisy Tainton, teacher of Saturday's workshop

I am very excited to announce a few open slots in this Saturday's long sold-out Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton, part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy at Observatory. Full details for the class follow; send an email to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to class list. First come, first served!

Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton
With Daisy Tainton, Former Senior Insect Preparator at the American Museum of Natural History
Date: This Saturday, May 12
Time: 1 - 4 PM
Admission: $65
***Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to class list
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

Rhinoceros beetles: nature's tiny giants. Adorable, with their giant heads and tiny legs, and wonderful antler-like protrusions. If you think they would be even more adorable drinking tiny beers and holding tiny fishing poles, we have the perfect class for you! In today's workshop, students will learn to make--and leave with their own!--shadowbox dioramas featuring carefully positioned beetles doing nearly anything you can imagine. An assortment of miniature furniture and foods will be made available to decorate your habitat, but students are strongly encouraged to bring any dollhouse props they would like to use. 1:12 scale is generally best.

Daisy Tainton was formerly Senior Insect Preparator at the American Museum of Natural History, and has been working with insects professionally for several years. Eventually her fascination with insects and  love of Japanese miniature food items naturally came together, resulting in cute and ridiculous museum-inspired yet utterly unrealistic dioramas. Beetles at the dentist? Beetles eating pie and knitting sweaters? Even beetles on the toilet? Why not?

You can find out more about this class here, and more about The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy by clicking here.

A Few More Slots Remaining for Comparative Anatomy: Animals and the Fundamentals of Drawing Weekend Workshop with Chris Muller, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, May 5 & 6, Observatory

Hi all! we have just a few more slots for Chris Muller's upcoming comparative anatomy drawing class; full info follows. If interested in attending, shoot me an email at morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.

Comparative Anatomy: Animals and the Fundamentals of Drawing Weekend Workshop
A weekend workshop with Chris Muller, NYU's Tisch School of the Arts
Dates: Saturday May 5 & Sunday May 6
Time: 1 - 4 PM
Fee: $75 (includes museum admission)
*** Class size limited to 15; Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy
Using animal and human anatomy as a jumping off point, this course will look at the ground-level, first principles of drawing as representation. Focusing mainly on mammal anatomy, we’ll look at the basic shared forms between humans and other animals, how these forms dictate movement, and how to express those forms.
Saturday’s class will be held at Observatory, where with the aid of several skeletons we’ll look at basic structures, sprinkling our exploration with odd facts and observations. Messy investigatory drawings will ensue.

Sunday’s class will be a field trip to the American Museum of Natural History, where applying the principles of Saturday’s class we’ll create beautiful drawings of the animals on display. Then, mastery attained, we will stride forth into the world, better artists and better people.

Materials
Saturday

• Sketchbook or sketchpad, 11 X 14 or larger
• B and HB pencils
• Colored pencils, in the reds and blues and browns
• Hand pencil sharpener
• Erasers

Sunday

• All of the above, with perhaps a portable sketchbook in place of the larger sketchpad
• Portable folding stool (optional)

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.

You can find out more here; you can RSVP by emailing me at morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com. You can find out more about the Morbid Anatomy Art Academy by clicking here.

Observatory's Anthropomorphic Taxidermy Class with Sue Jeiven in the International News!

The one-day workshop, which teaches students how to stuff dead mice and pose them up as if they were humans, is becoming a popular pastime in New York.

White-haired mice styled in tutus and polka dot hair bows; their spindly paws strumming miniature guitars - even reading the New York Times - were photographed in Ms Jeiven's class

An educator and tattoo artist, [Sue Jeiven] begins the four-hour lesson handing out the lifeless little creatures, having sucked out their blood with a syringe beforehand. A statement on the class website warns only feeder mice are used for the arts and crafts session.

But strange or morbid as it might seem to some, anthropomorphic taxidermy – the practice of mounting and displaying taxidermied animals as if they were humans or engaged in human activities – has a long and storied history, beginning with the most privileged classes.

It was a popular art form during the Victorian and Edwardian eras; the best known practitioner of the art form being British taxidermist Walter Potter, whose works included The Kitten Wedding and The Kitten Tea Party, which the mind immediately wants to imagine.

--"Is this the most bizarre art project ever? Taxidermy class teaches students how to stuff dead mice and pose them up 'as if they were humans'" Jennifer Madison, The Daily Mail

For anyone looking for that extra-authentic flavour to their fireplace display, Susan Jeiven's anthropomorphic taxidermy class might just the class you're looking for.

At the Morbid Academy, as Jeiven calls it, about 20 students learn to transform the bodies of dead white mice into human-like pantomimes. In one example, a white mouse holds a miniature classical guitar. In another, a mouse wearing a pink bow on its head reads a tiny facsimile of the New York Times.

--"Would you buy or make dead mouse art?" Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News

There are mice and men and, thanks to a macabre hobby, there are also mice that look like men.

Bent over tables in a room in an industrial corner of Brooklyn, about 20 New Yorkers use scalpels to slice into dead white mice, the first step in the animals’ unlikely journey toward an afterlife spent in human poses and dolls’ clothing.

Anthropomorphic taxidermy is an art form that became hugely popular in Britain in the 19th century, with Queen Victoria herself a fan. Now, as with many odd activities, it has found new life in Brooklyn.

“It’s a little immortality,” instructor Susan Jeiven, 40, explains at the start of her latest sold-out class.

--"Morbid Anatomy 101: Macabre hobby gives dead animals new life" Sebastian Smith, Ottawa Citizen

Congratulations to Sue Jeiven--our amazing anthropomorphic taxidermy teacher--for the recent flurry of international press surrounding her oft-sold out class excerpted above. You can read the whole Daily Mail article--from which all of the images and first excerpt above are drawn--by clicking here, the CBC News article by clicking here, and the Ottawa Citizen article by clicking here.

I am also very pleased to announce that we just added five new classes to our roster, and four of those still have vacancies. If you are interested in learning more--or better yet, signing up for one of Sue's incredible classes--click here. To find out more about the "Morbid Academy" Sue refers to (we call it The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy), click here. To watch a short video about Sue and her work, click here.

All images from the Daily Mail Article; ©AFP/Getty Images.