Arts Design

THE ART OF SPECIMENS NOW

Courtesy of Michael Mapes. “Dutch Specimen MT1639.”

Today we are sharing works of specimen art by two artists Michael Mapes and Patrick Gries, each who uses real biological specimens, among other findings and materials, as their media. Each artist takes a different approach, with each to a different effect, but both render incredibly beautiful, entirely new kinds of images.

SPECIMEN COLLAGE -- MICHAEL MAPES

If Seurat were a scientist, he might have created art similar to the portraits of Michael Mapes. Rather than rendering faces in dabs of paint, Mapes construct his visions out of a plethora of diverse specimens, arranged by shape, color, size, and texture, in a sort of 3D pointillism.

They appear as cohesive recognizable likenesses when viewed from a few paces back and, like Seurat’s paintings, they fragment upon closer view.

When you do step in, you are rewarded with fascinating bits -- specimens of jetsam, and flotsam, which may include tiny photos of relatives, jewelry, hair clippings, gelatin capsules, magnifiers, glass vials, plastic bags, handwritten notes -- an endless variety of curious findings.

Some portraits are made up of the subject’s personal artifacts. Mapes calls it “biographical DNA.”

The recently produced “Dutch Master Collection” recreates the classics by mapping collages to photographs of portraits originally painted by Rembrandt, Blauw, van der Heist and Pickenoy.

“In this work, I deconstruct the original subject, in both a figurative and literal sense by dissecting photos of a painting and considering ways in which the parts might serve to inspire new parts within the reconstruction to suggest unique and complex meanings,” says Mapes.

Mapes’ use of a visual metaphor evokes the rantings of both a mad scientist and an artistic genius, turning specimens from entomological, biological and forensic science into beautiful fascinations.

Mapes has exhibited his work extensively in the USA and Europe.

EVOLUTIONARY SPECIMENS -- PATRICK GRIES

Photographer Patrick Gries celebrates the sculptural beauty of ordinary animal specimens by arranging them in compositions that show them in motion, predation and evolution.

Gries, known for his gorgeous luxury goods photography, had a field day, turned loose on hundreds of anatomical animal skeletons kept at the Natural Museum of History in Paris and other museums in France. The result: 300 extraordinary pieces of biological art.

Gries originally took these photographs for Evolution, a book by oceanographer and documentarian Jean-Baptiste de Panafieu (Steven Stories, 2011). They were recently featured in the Photovisa festival in Krasnodar, Russia.

"My job was to take one specimen, isolate it, and work with light to photograph that specimen as if it was a sculpture," explains Gries. Each animal's unique adaptations is emphasized.

With the aid of some digital magic, Gries was able to eliminate the practical realities that tethered these specimens to their museum displays. Many of the skeletons' feet are nailed to wooden boards, for example.

Using low-tech trickery (wires), Gries also managed to take the stiff bodies and make them appear as if they were in motion, often as if they were stalking or catching prey. Gries helped to convey the story of their evolution by animating and giving life to them.

Enter your own images and ideas about Beautiful Specimens in this week’s creative Photo Competition. Open for entries now until 11:59 p.m. PT on 10.19.14. If you are reading this after that date, check out the current BN Creative Competition, and enter!

PHOTO CREDITS:

Photo: Courtesy of Michael Mapes. “Dutch Specimen MT1639.”
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Mapes. Blauw Girl.
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Mapes. Dutch Specimen.
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Mapes. Dutch Male Specimen.
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Mapes. Dutch Specimen.
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Mapes. Close up of a Michael Mapes Dutch Specimen.
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Mapes. Close up of Dutch Specimen.
Photo: Courtesy of Patrick Gries. Eagle swooping on rabbit.
Photo: Courtesy of Patrick Gries. Cheetah.
Photo: Courtesy of Patrick Gries. Rattlesnake.
Photo: Courtesy of Patrick Gries. Horse and Rider.
Photo: Courtesy of Patrick Gries. A eurasian sparrhawk preys upon a house sparrow.
Photo: Courtesy of Patrick Gries. Red Fox and Common Vole.
Photo: Courtesy of Patrick Gries. African Elephant.