Atlas of the Human Body

My latest project is an artistic investigation into the workings of the human body. I am working on a series of abstracted images of some fascinating photos I came across in a book entitled "The Photographic Atlas of the Human Body." What I saw as beautiful images of abstract art were in fact a pictorial view of the human body and its organs through a variety of imaging technologies. The imagery was striking as the dyes for the imaging process created a surreal, abstract effect. The therapist who lent me the book recalled a story of a client who was recovering from a car accident and used the book as a visualization aid to identify the specific aspects of her body as she was healing. I found many images that made an impression but especially ironic in my mind were the dyed crystals of testosterone and Estrogen taken by light microraphy. My stereotypical expectations of the "feminine" and "masculine" were reversed. The sharp edges and linear alignment of the estrogen versus the almost floral impression of the testosterone caught me by surprise. I ended up with two paintings that I am hoping will be the starting point for some larger images on canvas. There are many other images in the book that will inspire more pieces to come--the image of the kidney stone crystals is truly cringeworthy (I need not say more...).