Man wants to donate his skin to art museum

[Deleted]

So, this is an older article, but I still found it odd...

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1225705543901

"HE is an art lover who has dedicated his whole body to his passion.

Now retired history teacher Geoff Ostling, 65, has pledged to donate his skin to the National Gallery in Canberra.

He worked with cult artist eX de Merci over 15 years to tattoo a masterpiece on his body, from neck to ankle, with the theme "All the flowers of a Sydney garden".

"I wanted something unique, so I thought about a garden of plants, of natives and imported flowers, what you would find in a Sydney garden with a distant view of the city from Heartbreak Hill (at Rose Bay)," he said.

"To donate skin is not the most amazing thing in the world but the tattoos are revolutionary."

The concept of donating his skin was followed in an Australian documentary Anatomy, which has already won international acclaim.

He will also donate his organs to medicine.

"It has never been done as a whole body before and not in a gallery," he said.

"People can be squeamish about it. Portraits painted on human skin hang in galleries around the world. They don't tell you that, of course, and valuable books were also covered in human skin."

Sydney taxidermy expert Sascha Smith said it could be a challenge to preserve the tattoos unharmed but the process would be no different to skinning an animal."

[Ryuukon]

I honestly don't see anything odd about it.

The donor has an amazing collection of tattoos, from a notable artist, worthy of notice. He then decided that instead of letting that artwork rot in a grave, to have it displayed to those would recognize and appreciate the art.

So I guess you think the odd thing is it is art imprinted upon human skin? Do you really think there are works of art around the world that DON'T incorporate human skin?

At best, the only thing I can think would happen is having the "human skin art" displayed in an area where people are warned about what they might see. Even then, those who might be abhorrent to the idea might find a bit of courage to view the art and see it for what it really is. Not the decaying skin of a human being, but an honest to God expression of creativity and artistic ability.

[Deleted]

If I remember correctly this used to be relatively common in Japan, though it was more of testamenting your skin to your family after death.

[StayTuned]

I think it's okay.

His body after all, right?

[Deleted]

Well.....whatever makes him happy I guess?

[Kisho]

Kinda weird, but hey. At least the tattoos are creative and worth seeing.

Y'know, rather than the blob of blu-tack that's in one art museum somewhere.

[Ettan]

They should make lampshades out of him.

[Deleted]

Why don't they stuff him and make a helicopter out of him? (remember the cat?)

[Deleted]

Why don't they stuff him and make a helicopter out of him? (remember the cat?)

Yes, yes I do... now that would be something.

[Deleted]

I went on a school Biology trip to an exhibition showing human bodies the other week It was quite gruesome, think human bodies propped up, with everything but the muscles and bones stripped away. There was also foetuses on show there (some 28 weeks old when they died) which was really weird.

The worst thing there was the whole body transections there (think of it as a thin vertical strip of your body, like being cut into really thin slices from head to toe), can you imagine that being done to your body?

[Bakis]

It is odd but hell we already got mummies, shrunken heads from cannibal tribes on prime display at our museums etc.
I got less problem with this cos he is willing unlike most of the rest of the gruesome artifacts at museums

[ptwonline]

Why don't they stuff him and make a helicopter out of him? (remember the cat?)

Pilot: "Ok Bill, hit the switch."

Co-Pilot: "No f'ing way. YOU hit that switch."

[Deleted]

Yes, yes I do... now that would be something.

It'd be super weird. `.`


I don't see a problem with him wanting to give his skin away(lol). I remember going to a museum once and there was a skin of a man in there exposed, the skin wasn't gross or anything, it actually just seemed like plastic, maybe it was. xd

[Dezerte]

When I die, I want to donate my body parts for some funky stuff like this.

[Bolson13]

I went on a school Biology trip to an exhibition showing human bodies the other week It was quite gruesome, think human bodies propped up, with everything but the muscles and bones stripped away. There was also foetuses on show there (some 28 weeks old when they died) which was really weird.

The worst thing there was the whole body transections there (think of it as a thin vertical strip of your body, like being cut into really thin slices from head to toe), can you imagine that being done to your body?

A from that German doctor guy? There is also a horse (it is sort of a center piece).

Its the reason I would never give my body for science. You might end up as "science".

[Powerogue]

That's pretty disgusting. He can't just frame some pictures of him posing with the tattoos visible?

[Deleted]

I went on a school Biology trip to an exhibition showing human bodies the other week It was quite gruesome, think human bodies propped up, with everything but the muscles and bones stripped away. There was also foetuses on show there (some 28 weeks old when they died) which was really weird.

The worst thing there was the whole body transections there (think of it as a thin vertical strip of your body, like being cut into really thin slices from head to toe), can you imagine that being done to your body?

aaaa.... are you sure that was an exhibition and not just the lair of some serial killer?

It'd be super weird. `.`


I don't see a problem with him wanting to give his skin away(lol). I remember going to a museum once and there was a skin of a man in there exposed, the skin wasn't gross or anything, it actually just seemed like plastic, maybe it was. xd

Yes, the thing is you never know if the pieces displayed in a museum of humans are real or not.

[Samanth]

I went on a school Biology trip to an exhibition showing human bodies the other week It was quite gruesome, think human bodies propped up, with everything but the muscles and bones stripped away. There was also foetuses on show there (some 28 weeks old when they died) which was really weird.

The worst thing there was the whole body transections there (think of it as a thin vertical strip of your body, like being cut into really thin slices from head to toe), can you imagine that being done to your body?

Its called Body World from the German anatomist Gunther von Hagens.

Very Interesting and the med. class in my Uni went there to examine the human body. To be honest it cant get any better. You see all the artery's, veins whatnot.
And people give their body for this exhibition. Why rot in a grave or get burned, while medicine can actually learn from it? And the sliced body is a "the human body" Book.

Have to give credit to this guy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Worlds

OT: Why not? If he likes it. And maybe it is a piece of art. Tbh its strange what we in today's society consider art...

[Deleted]

Ed Gein would be proud.

[shise]

They call art to anything nowadays.




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Look, it was art!

But now seriously, wouldn't it fit a bit better in a sience museum?