3D Tatoos

Other Extreme forms of Body Art

Scarification Past and Present

This form has been a marker in african culture and is currently a popular form of expression.

Expressions

I found these online. A non- permanent form of artwork on the body.

A Sketch of Leonardo Da Vinci's.

The body in Art

Art has always had a fascination with the body. People have sketched it, painted it and on it. We have Morphed the body into cyborgs of our imaginations, created entire civilizations where the people within were human but not. Artists have gone to great lengths to understand how the body works, what makes us move, what makes us feel the way we do.
There are the artists that believe that the body is a canvas to entertain, to encourage or discourage thoughts or ideas of the time. We can abuse the body and it returns to it's original state of being, we can enhance the body and it becomes new again, different than before.
Some add to the body like Orlan and Stelarc, some just want so see how we tick like Leonardo Da Vinci. Society cherishes the body and takes it for granted. What would happen if the body was no longer able to return to it's calm state of being? Would it last? Would we?

More Mueck

RON MUECK

Untitled (Man In Blankets), 2000Mixed media

17 X 23 1/2 X 28 inches

Ron Mueck

Another artist that works with the body is Ron Mueck. He did life like models that were only perfect from the side that would be seen. He got out of that field thinking that he wanted to try something new. He now creates life like sculptures of the human form.

He began to explore fiberglass resin and the possiblities it represented to his art. Here are some of his pieces.

RON MUECKAngel, 1997

Silicone rubber and mixed media

43 1/3 X 34 1/4 X 31 7/8 inches

Stelarc

Stelarc is another artist who uses his body as an expression. He differs from Orlan in that he implants electronics to show how outdated the human body has become. He creates fantastic cyber shows with technology that allows for the sensors in his body to control and move robotic and virtual simulations of the human body. He also did a variety of performances in which he had hooks put into his skin and was suspended in the air naked for varying amounts of time and in various ways and places.

For more on Stelarc and to see his preformances Please go to:

http://www.stelarc.va.com.au/

Orlan

Orlan is a "Carnal artist", she uses her body as a canvas. She has undergone multiple surgeries to create herself into the exact opposite of the societal stereotype of beautiful. Orlan is the first to use plastic surgery as a medium.

Orlan's surgeries have partially been projections of ancient goddess' and well known 'beauties'. Her mouth was from Francois Boucher's Europa; a mock up of the Mona Lisa is her forehead, which she had two cheek implants in place of a forehead implant; Orlan's chin is from Botticelli's Venus; and so on.

For more on Orlan please go to the following sites:

http://www.orlan.net/

http://www.english.ucsb.edu/faculty/ecook/courses/eng114em/whoisorlan.htm

Objectivity

Looking for new ways of expression take many on new and different paths. Some come in the form of exploiting different bodies in the form of photography, paintings or sculptures.

Others find that exploiting and exposing their own bodies to any form of mutation is good. Surgically changing the very physicality of what you used to look like to something entirely new and different.Trying to find and express the meaning of male dominance or the stupidity of having one way of looking at beauty. Changing one's body for the sole purpose of proving how easy it is to change what you originally were.

Others look at the body as an obsolete form. Bettered only by the technology that the body created. Having the technology emulate what the body is already capable of achieving. Thrusting the new age upon a classical object, subjecting the classic to the trial of adapting or be put aside.

Microscopic Me's

Come together to make a form

Form upon form upon form

Many small forms joining into bigger forms

No longer unseen

Large forms uniting as one whole Me