For anyone who doesn't know, right now there is a very revealing series starting on SBS called "Anatomy for Beginners."
They are using real-fresh cadavers to show aspects of human anatomy. A good one in general for all, but especially for artists I think.
Yeah, I thought it was quite interesting. Pretty graphic but I found myself (suprisingly) able to watch it quite easily.
They concentrated a lot about the movemnt of the body for this weeks show, anyone know what next weeks show will be on?
Hehe, that german surgeon was like somebody out of movie, kinda funny I thought.
Yes, you obviously missed the skin removal part, though, I thought the chisel hammered to the back of the head was also another good highlight :). Quite liked the use of a kitchen knife to do the work with - I don't think I will look at steak the same way ever again.
I think it is probably the best you'll get in the way of anatomy demonstration of the real thing. The second best is the plastinated models that you could see in the background. But the problem with those is that they are rigid, so they don't move, have lost their fluids so various elements have shrunk and deformed, and they have lost most if not all of their colour and therefore lose their detail - what colour you do see, has been painted onto the models, usually really badly.
Next weeks show as far as I could tell, had to do with the internal organs, so heart, lungs, liver kidneys, stomach, intestines, etc.
For those that have no idea what plastination is or just want to know a bit more, try: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastination
I think that it is definitely one to add to the DVD collection, especially if your SBS reception is as bad as mine. Not a bad price either at $29.95 for a documentary series, there also appears to be an additional special feature documentary on the DVD as well.
Though, not sure if I will watch it that often :)
I just love the dude himself, Gunter something, the bald head, round glasses, black hat, whole weird antisocial thing going on, I mean how much more can one guy possibly fit his vocation? he's great. Apparently his exhibition is on in Canberra at the moment isnt it? My sister has watched them all and she's seen a doco on him and apparently his father is more whacked out than he is, lives in a garden shed in the backyard and eats nothing but seeds or something.
Anyone know anymore about him?
I think that show is the one that was in Sydney a while back. Those "models" come from a "factory" in China I think. They weren't that impressive, and it seemed like they were dragging the bottom of the barrel for the show - some of them weren't in that great a shape. Apparently bits and pieces go "missing," which is also why most are male specimens. I also found them to all be on the short and scrawny side - I'm assuming that they were all once old farts. Would be nice to see one that used to be a body builder, as you would really see the muscle structure and definition.
As for the man who pioneered it all, well... something tells me that he knows the age old question to whether people taste like chicken or not. Actually, I heard his next series will be called:
Dr. Gunther von Hagens' Anatomy Cookery For Beginners - A new interpretation of German classic cuisine.
I saw about two thirds of it (tuned in a bit late). Although what they concentrated on in last night's episode wouldn't have been of too much interest to artists (brain, spinal cord and nerves etc), it was still very interesting stuff.
It was also interesting to see the reactions of some of the audience members too. Some seemed a bit distressed from the expressions on their faces and also the way that some of them sat. Since teh cadaver was drained of all the blood, and there was no skin for obvious reasons, it was a bit harder to identify or associate what you were seeing to as a real person (well for me, anyway).