True Blood Season 6 Preview: No One Lives Forever

Events have been set in motion. It is the beginning of the end.

HBO has released a new preview for True Blood Season 6.

The latest promo features fresh footage and includes your first look at new characters, such as the Governor of Louisiana and his daughter, both of whom will play critical roles on the network smash this summer, as the state declares war against vampires.

Elsewhere, we see Sookie confronted by Bill, asking him if he truly believes he's God. The answer?  Check it out now for yourself, before it airs on television tomorrow night for the first time:

True Blood Season 6 premieres on June 16 and you can bookmark our True Blood video section for all new promos, teasers and clips.

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/05/true-blood-season-6-preview-no-one-lives-forever/

Pretty Little Liars Season 4: First Promo!

The truth won’t set you free. I’m going to bury you with it. - A

ABC Family has unveiled the first promo for Pretty Little Liars Season 4, and from the looks of the 30-second teaser, the tables have turned on ostracized "A" Team member Mona in a big way.

Surprise, surprise, the Liars find themselves taunted and tormented by the infamous "A" in the trailer below, and the notorious one's threats only appear to be getting more vindictive with time.

Just watch the promo for the June 11 premiere and see ...

In other news, the PLL spinoff Ravenswood will star Tyler Blackburn (Caleb), but he will not be spun off until the annual Halloween special, after which Ravenswood will premiere on ABC Family.

That means he'll be in Rosewood for the entirety of the summer season, at least. For a few hints on what's to come in June, check out TV Fanatic's interview with Troian Bellisario!

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/05/pretty-little-liars-season-4-first-promo/

Jim’s Notebook: Glee, The Office Finale & More!

Sure, some of your favorite shows have already wrapped up their seasons and many more will soon soon. This week’s Notebook features intel from Blake Jenner on the Glee finale, John Krasinski on The Office series finale and David Giuntoli's take on not only Nick/Renard working together but also Grimm’s Tuesday night move.

Let’s go!

Jim's Notebook

Glee viewers are not the only ones annoyed that the Catfish story has yet to be resolved but Blake Jenner talked to me about what he thought when he read that finale script. “I was very frustrated. It was like Ryder frustration. I was like ‘who is it? Who is it?’ But when I found out who it was, I was very surprised [because] I think I expected everyone ... I was just like ‘Finally I know who it is! Let's do this.’

And after Ryder’s molestation revelation in the “Lights Out” episode, Jenner believes that the Catfish situation has its upside. “I think regardless who it is, it really opened him up [and] it really gave him a chance to say things that he’s never said before,” Jenner explained. “I think without the Catfish he wouldn't have admitted to everyone that he was molested when he was eleven. I think that’s definitely opened him up a bit.” And, yes, Jenner said, we will find out the mysterious identity in next week’s “All Or Nothing” finale. (More from my chat with Jenner next week!)

Glee Cast Image

The Office series finale on May 16 is fast approaching but John Krasinski commended the writers for the challenges they’ve put Jim and Pam through over the years, including their recent rift. “My favorite thing about the show,” he explained on a press call with Executive Producer Greg Daniels earlier this week, “has always been how, especially with the Jim and Pam story, how real the writers have always been to a relationship in that yes, they’re incredibly blissful times but, there’s also times where the world around them can stall out and feel like it’s not enough or that it is enough, or feel bland or more exciting from time-to-time.” (Inside scoop - the idea of having Jim go to another city for his career came from Krasinski’s brother.)

One spoiler that Daniels shared about the final episode was that there’s one thing they desperately want for the one-hour finale. “We’re trying to get more time,” he said, “and the network’s being very creative about scraping some more time together for us without having us start the finale in a weird time that will cause half the audience to miss the first ten minutes or something. So, we’ll see how we’re doing, but we’re still hopeful to get slightly more than an hour too.” Can’t wait!

Grimm star David Giuntoli told reporters this week that he’s well aware that the fairy tale-based drama has been having a hard time with ratings on Friday nights. “I think that NBC is showing a lot of faith in Grimm by moving us to Tuesday nights…hopefully The Voice can start getting some of our followers.” He added, “we're very excited to expose Grimm to an entirely new audience and, you know, scare and befuddle the whole new segment of the population.”

And while the season started with that big Nick/Renard fight, it’s surprising that the two are now working closely. It wasn’t surprising to Giuntoli, who gave a warning to those thinking they’re going to be BFFs. “I wouldn't call it a friendship. I wouldn't call us pals,” he explained. “I think we more or less have a common enemy.” The actor also said that he and Juliette will be patching things up soon…only for the writers to throw more obstacles in their path, of course!

That’s a wrap for this week! Anything else you’re dying to know about your favorite show? Leave a comment or email me directly at jim@jimhalterman.com, and follow @TVFanatic for all your TV scoop!

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/05/jims-notebook-glee-the-office-finale-and-more/

NCIS Round Table: "Revenge"

Our NCIS review broke down "Revenge," this week's episode, in detail.

Now, TV Fanatic staff members Steve Marsi, Douglas Wolfe and Christine Orlando have assembled for our weekly Round Table Q&A discussion of various events and topics from this installment.

Join in as we analyze another entertaining hour of TV's #1 show!

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1. How would you describe this week's episode in one word (or two, or three, or four)?

Doug: Absolute closure.

Christine: The Beginning of the Fall.

Steve: Going rogue.

NCIS Round Table Logo NEW!

2. What was your favorite quote or scene from "Revenge?"

Doug: I liked the entire episode. If I had to pick just one scene it would have to be the elevator scene with Tony and Tim: McGee: "If you don't like my rules you can find someone else to drive you in." Tony: "All I wanted was to stop for coffee. I was willing to treat." McGee: "No one eats or drinks in my car." Tony: "Well I guess sex is out of the question." We saw Tony shake his head a bit afterwards, as if he just heard what he said. I actually burst out laughing.

Christine: I liked when Tony returned the plunger to Gibbs. The poor guy is scrambling trying to figure out how to help Ziva and what to do next. Unfortunately I'm not sure Gibbs was much help this time.

Steve: There were so many, but I particularly enjoyed these three: 1) Gibbs knowing Tony would need coffee because he got a ride from McGee; 2) McGee using the NYC foliage phenomenon to pinpoint Bodnar's location, and Bodnar having used it to throw NCIS off his trail; 3) Gibbs quietly covering up whatever he's building in the basement. What do you think it is?!

3. What, if anything, did you not like about the episode?

Doug: There were a number of problems with it. First off: Bodnar had no qualms about shooting Eli - so why didn't he finish the job on Ziva and Tony after t-boning their car? It isn't logical - except for the fact that the writers couldn't exactly kill off two of their main characters. I didn't like that Ziva had qualms about shooting Bodnar just because he didn't have his gun out. I found it unbelievable that in a fight between two equally-trained Mossad agents, the man didn't win out. It's basic physiology: men are typically stronger than women, with more muscle mass. Also Ziva was still feeling the pain of her injuries. A more believable storyline would have had him knock her out and escape (since the writers couldn't obviously have him kill her).

Christine: I understand Ziva slipping back into her all business persona but I have grown tired of the one step forward, three steps back we get between her and Tony. She's holding his hand and making goo goo eyes at him one minute and then barely speaking to him the next. I understand why but I still don't like it.

Steve: That neither Ziva and Tony were more injured in the crash. Not that I wish either character harm, but the cliffhanger ending and climactic scene from the previous week lost a lot of its power when they were suddenly fine. Yes, she was shown in serious pain throughout the episode, but as Doug says, that didn't stop her from taking down Bodnar.

4. Did Ziva do the right thing?

Doug: Her motives, and those of Vance were understandable. However, no, she did the wrong thing. Her mandate as a federal agent was to bring him in, if possible. Her - and NCIS' - specific mandate was to stand down and let Homeland take over. Personally, she did the right thing for herself. Legally, not so much.

Christine: Was what she did understandable? Completely. Was it right? No. They needed him alive and if she hadn't run off and gone rogue perhaps that could have happened.

Steve: In her mind, she did the only thing.

5. Were you surprised Bodnar was taken out with two episodes left in Season 10? Or at all?

Doug: Great question. Yes, I was surprised, and expected his storyline to continue until the end of the season and maybe continue into the next. I was also surprised that Bodnar proved to be the guy behind Eli's death. He had told Ziva that all was not as it seems, and so there was an expectation that the plot was more muddied than it first appeared. To be sure, it is - but only around the death of Arash Kazmi.

Christine: Yes, I expected them to be chasing him until the end. Now I'm guessing the story arc will be about the consequences of Bodnar's death for the team.

Steve: Absolutely. With two episodes to go I don't know how they'll match the intensity, or where they'll take the overall narrative heading into Season 11. But I'm excited to find out.

6. Colin Hanks guest stars next week as DOD investigator Richard Parsons. What impact will he have on the team? What will the fallout be?

Doug: I think he's going to have a devastating impact on the team. He's going to call into question their whole command structure, and will therefore be looking for blood. I doubt anyone - well, maybe except Abby - to come away unscathed. Although even she might be impacted. Basically, anyone who had anything to do with assisting Ziva in her hunt for Bodnar will be brought up on the carpet. At a minimum, I expect Ziva to be charged with arson, or perhaps even murder (though she could claim self-defense).

Christine: Huge fallout. (See my answer to question #1.) Vance was given far too many warnings for there not to be serious consequences. We'll see who still has a job at the end of the season and if anyone is brought up on charges. Needless to say, it won't be pretty.

Steve: He's obviously going to have a huge impact, and there will be ramifications after the way this was all handled. My question is this, though: Is the case even over, beyond the internal investigation? Or are there more loose ends pertaining to Bodnar, Mossad and Eli?

What's your take on these issues of the week on NCIS? Discuss below!

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/05/ncis-round-table-revenge/

Nikita Post-Mortem: Creator Talks Mikita, Black Box, Trap Door To Come?

Spoiler Alert: Only read ahead if you’ve seen Friday’s Nikita episode, “High-Value Target."

If you read our chat with Craig Silverstein Friday you know he teased a lot about last night’s installment. But since there were some big things that happened with our gang trying to keep Division in one piece (or maybe blow it into many, many bits) we wanted to hold the rest of the interview until now. 

Here's what the Nikita creator told us about the events of last night and beyond ...

Nikita Scene

TV Fanatic: So are things coming full circle with these final episodes?

Craig Silverstein: You’re going to have to go back to Season 2, I would say, to find some of the scenes that are going to bloom in the finale. There’s actually a hint that begins in this episode with Amanda and The Shop that carries forward into the finale but people hopefully won’t see that coming.

TVF: Cyrus comes back in this episode and I wondered, nothing against him or Isaiah Mustafa, but why Cyrus?

CS: We loved him and we always wanted to bring him back. I wish we could’ve done more with him. We hope to do more with him in the future. Also, story-wise, it helped us for him to come back and there’s also a schematic thing where everybody has abandoned Division and he comes back because of what Nikita did for him earlier in the season.

TVF: Got it. And, of course, you managed to work in a shower scene, which I’m sure was appreciated by the Mikita fans.

CS: I hope they like it. I know it’s not exactly what they may have had in mind.

TVF: Who is the bigger threat moving forward? Owen/Sam or Amanda?

CS: By the end of that episode, [Owen] hasn’t at all Han Solo-ed back. The fact that he destroyed the box was a bit of an olive branch or a sign of hope that there’s a struggle within Sam. He still remembers Owen.

TVF: The decision to destroy the Black Box is huge since so much story has circled around that. Talk to me about that decision.

CS: Yeah, I think the point is that they’re really closing one chapter as another is opening beneath them like a trap door.

Nikita airs Fridays at 8 p.m. on the CW.

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/05/nikita-post-mortem-creator-talks-mikita-black-box-trap-door-to-c/

Nikita Review: Division’s Dead … Or Is It?

Division was decimated with a skeleton crew left, the black box was for sale, and it was only a matter of how long before the President realized what was going on and gave the kill order. The situation for those left at Division was desperate until a surprising ally walked through the door to save the day.

In "High Value Target," Cyrus paid back Nikita for saving his life by providing the crucial intelligence they needed to prevent the black box from getting into enemy's hands and used for nefarious purposes. He picked the perfect time to pop in and save the day, well, until his life was put in danger once again.

Who Can Stop Amanda?

Nikita season 3 has done an amazing job of using the past to inform and influence the present. While Amanda's mission at the beginning of the season was a little weak, it's grown into a nice driving force for the characters. And, at first, I was a little annoyed that Percy's black boxes were still at play, but ultimately with Amanda around and Owen's transition to Sam, the last box was the perfect asset.

The black box was the one thing that Ryan could hold over the President's head in order to save their lives. It's odd to think that they have Percy to thank for still being alive. From the beginning until the final moment, I wasn't sure how or if they would actually get out of the mess, though I was pretty sure that SEAL team wouldn't end up killing them all since there are two more episodes left.

The flashback to Nikita's assassination of the drug dealer was well used. It's a wonder that in the insular espionage and criminal world, agents aren't recognized more often from their previous missions. In this case, Nikita was recognized at an inopportune time as the assassin of one of the black box bidder's brothers. Her cover was blown and Sam got away.

One curiosity is how does Amanda continue to find people who will help her and work with her? She has a bad habit of either killing those around her or getting them killed. Sam used her to his own end, but what about the German? He paid with his life after getting the black box back for Amanda. And, it turns out that she's now aligned herself or has offered her services to "The Shop" ... that's not going to end well.

Division is dead. So, what now? There is no way that Nikita and Alex are going to let Amanda get away with messing with their heads. She's going to have to pay for the people she's killed. Will Sam ride off into the sunset with his millions of dollars? Or, will he want revenge against Amanda too? By destroying the black box, he proved that he hasn't lost all of the good within him.

And, is Division really dead? Will Team Nikita continue to work out of the facility? Or, will they move on to a new location? At this point, there are more questions than answers. The Dirty Thirty are still out there along with all the other ex-Division agents. Ryan was right that they have an incentive to stay out of trouble, but they are highly trained and perfect for mercenary or criminal work.

The last two episodes are sure to be a wild ride and I hope we see a Nikita season 4 too!

Odds and Ends

  • Alex's offer to use her money to bid for the black box was a noble one, as was using her true identity and her father's death as a means to get the Turk to trust her. It was a reminder of all the tragedy she's had to endure.
  • The woman in red. Nikita's red dress was a nice callback to her previous mission and it was a gorgeous dress. I loved the back of it.
  • Michael: Who's his brother?
    Nikita: No idea. I'm sure he deserved it. | permalink
  • Was it Alex's talk with Sam that brought out enough of Owen for him to destroy the box? "How long did it take you to get over Emily?" Between their butterfly tattoos and loss of their loved ones, could Alex connect with Sam in a way to integrate his two personalities for the better? They would be a cute couple!
  • The much anticipated Mikita shower scene! Even though it wasn't a sexy scene, it was hilarious and perfect!
  • "Division is dead, Baby."

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/05/nikita-review-high-value-target/

Vegas Review: A Common Enemy

An explosion, a car crash and a murder conspiracy made for lots of "Unfinished Business" as well as one of the strongest episodes of Vegas we've seen yet.

Katherine's In Trouble

Porter Gainsley has turned out to be the uber-villain of Clark county. Like a spooled child, he blew up the Tumbleweed as though if he couldn't keep his favorite toy then no one else could play with it either. Unfortunately it's going to take more than a spanking to discipline Porter.  

Something tells me that Lamb and Savino are up for the challenge.

When Dixon figured out that his mother's death was more than just an accident, I was a little surprised that Ralph balked at pursuing it.  Perhaps he just didn't want his son involved in something that dangerous.  At least they agreed to move forward with the investigation together.

Katherine did her best to stand up to Porter but in the end she's lucky she's only in a coma.  Safety features in cars of the 1960s were almost nonexistent. She could have easily been killed. 

Ralph was devastated, both by the severity of Katherine's injuries and by the similarity of her accident to his late wife's. If she pulls through, perhaps he'll be a little more forthcoming about his feelings for the ADA.

Jack's proposal of running a ranch with Mia was sweet, but naive. I simply can't picture her being happy in that life. Things would have to change drastically for her to make that kind of change and it certainly doesn't seem in the cards now that she knows that Jack planted the listening device. 

I just hope she doesn't end up running into Tommy's arms on the rebound. Not only do I love Mia and Jack together but Tommy's just a little too slick and she deserves better.

One of the best things about the explosion at the Tumbleweed was how it brought Vince and Lena closer together.  I've been enjoying these two more each week.  When Savino told her in this  Vegas quote

Savino: You don't come up in Chicago without getting your ears rung once in a while. | permalink

She understood because she understands his life and his business.  He doesn't have to pretend for her and that must be a relief.

In the end, Vince Savino and Ralph Lamb are at their best when they are playing off one another. A common enemy should make that all the more fun.  With only one episode left, I'm looking forward to the Vegas season finale. 

 

 

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/05/vegas-review-a-common-enemy/

Blue Bloods Review: A Life Without Hope

"The Bitter End"was just that. Bitter, as we had to watch a good Officer who had escaped the projects be gunned down in them anyway.  

But it started with a suicide. How horrifying that a mother could be that hopeless for her son's future that she'd rather jump off a rooftop with him than try to find a way to escape. Noni's parents had been killed. Her baby's father was a drug dealer who would never leave the gang and would drag her son down the same path.  

Attempted Suicide Call

Noni's despair was so great that she saw no other way out than death.

But how do you fight generations of hatred and fear.  No one had that answer but Frank was right, that doesn't mean you stop trying. 

I understood the DA's unofficial policy just as Erin did. Without a victim's testimony the odds of a conviction were weak and as usual, funds are always limited.

But Frank was equally right. That policy meant that poor people who lived in unsafe neighborhoods would have to risk their lives and those of their families to have their day in court. The policy's intent may not have been discriminatory but its reality certainly was.

As Frank was quick to point out in this Blue Bloods quote...

Frank: Doing the right thing may be hard but it sure as hell isn't complicated. | permalink

I appreciated that Frank tried to take Erin's advice and use a little more honey than vinegar to persuade the mayor to see his point of view.  I was extremely disappointed when Grace didn't come through for him.  There's could have been a beautiful friendship.

In the end it took the death of a good cop to bring about change. I had really grown to like Vinny Cruz and he made a good partner for Jamie. They were different enough to keep things interesting but respected one another to where they worked well together.  He will be missed.

At the end of this episode were the words To Be Continued, which can only mean this story is far from over.  

As we head into the Blue Bloods season 3 finale, I think we need to be ready for just about anything.

 

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/05/blue-bloods-review-a-life-without-hope/

Tonight: Masonic Slapstick with Mike Zohn of "Oddities!" Forthcoming: Topographical Anatomy; Morbid Curiosity; Taxidermy, Hair Art, Dance of Death and Insects; London… Morbid Anatomy Presents This Week and Beyond!

Tonight (Tuesday, April 30th) we hope to see you at our "Masonic Slapstick" event devoted to the work of the DeMoulin Brothers, leading makers of Masonic and other lodge "initiation prank devices;" this event will feature an illustrated lecture by John Goldsmith, Curator of the DeMoulin Museum, along with a special one-night-only exhibition of initiation devices curated by Mike Zohn, co-star of TV's "Oddities".

In the following weeks, we will also be offering classes in taxidermy, Victorian mourning hair art, anthropomorphic insect shadow boxes, and Dance of Death linocuts. If none of this intrigues, perhaps you might enjoy our newly announced lecture on “topographical anatomy” with the amazing Michael Sappol (May 23) or an illustrated lecture with professor Eric G Wilson about the history and science of "morbid curiosity" (June 6); or perhaps a special London-based 2-month series of events, workshops, special backstage tours, screenings and spectacles surveying the interstices of art and medicine, death and culture (June 2 - July 25).

Full details for all follow. Hope to see you at one or more of these terrific events!

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Masonic Slapstick - The DeMoulin Brothers and their Odd Initiate Prank Devices
An Illustrated lecture by John Goldsmith, Curator of the DeMoulin Museum accompanied by a one-night-only exhibition of initiation devices curated by Mike Zohn, co-star of TV's "Oddities"
Date: Tuesday, April 30th
Time: 8:00 PM
Admission: $8
Presented by Morbid Anatomy

Between 1890 and 1930, hundreds of thousands of men belonged to the Masons, the Elks, the Kiwanis, or another of the over one hundred lodges which provided American men with a social outlet, a sense of importance, and sometimes even health and life insurance. One way these many lodges competed for members was with the use of inventive, theatrical and unlikely gadgets used in lodge initiations.

In 1892, Ed DeMoulin, a small town photographer who had more than a passing interest in the gadgets of the day, founded the DeMoulin company which went on to become one of the leading manufacturers of these lodge initiation devices. The DeMoulin brothers (Ed, U.S. and Erastus) held patents on many of the best known of these including "The Lifting & Spraying Machine," "The Lung Tester," and "The Low Down Buck Goat." The DeMoulin’s motto was “Fun in the Lodge Room” and there’s little doubt that these water shootin’, electric shockin’, blank firin’, collapsin’ devices could do the trick.

Who were the DeMoulin brothers? And how did they become the zany geniuses behind these lodge initiation pranks? Tonight John Goldsmith, curator of the DeMoulin Museum, will share their story and demonstrate some of the devices. He’ll also provide a virtual tour of the DeMoulin Museum. There will also be a one-night-only mini exhibit of initiation devices curated by Mike Zohn, co-star of TV's "Oddities."

John Goldsmith is curator of the was the DeMoulin Museum. He was also a consultant on Catalog 439: Burlesque Paraphernalia published by Fantagraphics in 2010 and The Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions published by Perigee in 2011. The DeMoulin Museum has been featured on KSDK’s “Show Me St. Louis” and WSEC’s “Illinois Stories”.
Mike Zohn--co-star of TV's "Oddities" and co-owner of Obscura Antiques--is a long term DeMoulin enthusiast and collector.

Image: "The DADDY Uv-Um ALL," parade goat by The DeMoulin Brothers.
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Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy TaintonWith Daisy Tainton, Senior Insect Preparator at the American Museum of Natural History
Date: Saturday, May 11th
Time: 1 – 4 PM
Admission: $75
***Tickets MUST be pre-ordered by clicking here
You can also pre-pay in person at the Observatory during open hours.
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

Today, join former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton for Observatory’s popular Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop. In this class, students will work with Rhinoceros beetles: nature’s tiny giants. Each student will learn to make–and leave with their own!–shadowbox dioramas featuring carefully positioned beetles doing nearly anything you can imagine. Beetles and shadowboxes are provided, and an assortment of miniature furniture, foods, and other props will be available to decorate your habitat. Students need bring nothing, though are encouraged to bring along dollhouse props if they have a particular vision for their final piece; 1:12 scale work best.

BEETLES WILL BE PROVIDED. Each student receives one beetle approximately 2-3 inches tall when posed vertically.

Daisy Tainton was formerly Senior Insect Preparator at the American Museum of Natural History, and has been working with insects professionally for several years. Eventually her fascination with insects and  love of Japanese miniature food items naturally came together, resulting in cute and ridiculous museum-inspired yet utterly unrealistic dioramas. Beetles at the dentist? Beetles eating pie and knitting sweaters? Even beetles on the toilet? Why not?


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Naturalistic Squirrel Taxidermy Class with Divya Anantharaman***** This is a 2 part class
Dates: Sunday, May 12 AND Sunday, May 19
Time: 12-3 PM
Admission: $250
Advance Tickets Required; Click here to purchase
Email divya.does.taxidermy at gmail dot com with questions or to be put on wait list
Class limit: 5
This class is part of the Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

In this intimate, hands-on class (limited to only five students), we will study the nutty ways of the squirrel! Students will create a fully-finished classic squirrel mount in a natural sitting position. Students will learn everything involved in producing a finished mount - from initial preparation, hygiene and sanitary measures, to proper technique and dry preservation. The class will teach how to use and modify a pre-made form to suit the nuances of each unique animal. The use of anatomical study, reference photos, and detailed observation will also be reviewed as important tools in recreating the natural poses and expressions that magically reanimate a specimen. A selection of natural props will be provided, however, students are welcome to bring their own bases and accessories if something specific is desired. All other supplies will be provided for use in class.
This class is now split in two sessions. Each student will leave class with a fully-finished piece, and the knowledge to create their own pieces in the future.

Also, some technical notes:

  • We use NO harsh or dangerous chemicals.
  • Everyone will be provided with gloves.
  • All animals are disease free.
  • Although there will not be a lot of blood or gore, a strong constitution is necessary; taxidermy is not for everyone
  • All animals were already dead, nothing was killed for this class.
  • Please do not bring any dead animals with you to the class.

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Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class with Divya Anantharaman
Date: Saturday, May 18
Time: 1-5 PM
Admission: $110
***Please note: This class will be held offsite at Acme Studio : 63 N. 3rd Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Advance Tickets Required; Click here to purchase
Email divya.does.taxidermy at gmail dot com with questions or to be put on wait list
Class limit: 10
This class is part of the Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

Anthropomorphic taxidermy--in which taxidermied animals are posed into human attitudes and poses--was an artform made famous by Victorian taxidermist and museologist Walter Potter. In this class, students will learn to create--from start to finish--anthropomorphic mice inspired by the charming and imaginative work of Mr. Potter and his ilk. With the creative use of props and some artful styling, you will find that your mouse can take nearly whatever form you desire, from a bespectacled, whiskey swilling, top hat tipping mouse to a rodent mermaid queen of the burlesque world.

In this class, Divya Anantharaman--who learned her craft under the tutelage of famed Observatory instructor Sue Jeiven--will teach students everything involved in the production of a fully finished mount, including initial preparation, hygiene and sanitary measures, fleshing, tail stripping, and dry preservation. Once properly preserved, the mice will be posed and outfitted as the student desires. Although a broad selection of props and accessories will be provided by the instructor, students are also strongly encouraged to bring their own accessories and bases; all other materials will supplied. Each student will leave class with a fully finished piece, and the knowledge to create their own pieces in the future.

Also, some technical notes:

  • We use NO harsh or dangerous chemicals.
  • Everyone will be provided with gloves.
  • All animals are disease free.
  • Although there will not be a lot of blood or gore, a strong constitution is necessary; taxidermy is not for everyone
  • All animals were already dead, nothing was killed for this class.
  • Please do not bring any dead animals with you to the class.

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Dance of Death by Hans Holbein: A Linocut Workshop with Classically Trained Artist Lado Pochkua 
Dates: Tuesdays May 20, May 27 and June 4
Time: 7 - 10 PM
Admission: $60
***MUST RSVP to morbidanatomylibrary [at] gmail.com
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

The "dance of death" or "danse macabre" was a "medieval allegorical concept of the all-conquering and equalizing power of death, expressed in the drama, poetry, music, and visual arts of western Europe, mainly in the late Middle Ages. It is a literary or pictorial representation of a procession or dance of both living and dead figures, the living arranged in order of their rank, from pope and emperor to child, clerk, and hermit, and the dead leading them to the grave." (Encyclopedia Britannica). One of the best known expressions of this genre are a series of forty-two wood cuts by Hans Holbien published in 1538 under the title "Dance of Death."

In this class, students will learn the techniques of woodcuts and linocuts by creating a copy of one of Hans Holbein’s prints from the Dance of Death series. The class will follow the entire process from beginning to end: drafting a copy of the image, either a fragment or whole; transfer of the image to a linoleum block; cutting the image; printing the image on paper. Students will leave class with their own finished Dance of Death linocut and the skills to produce their own pieces in the future.

  • Lesson 1: creating a copy of either a fragment or full image from the series on paper. The copy can either be freehand and stylized, or students can use a grid to copy more exactly.
  • Lesson 2: transfer the drawing to linoleum.
  • Lesson 3: correction of image, and beginning to cut the image.
  • Lesson 4: finalizing the cut image.
  • Lesson 5: Printing t
    he image. Students will be able to use several colors and backgrounds to create the final image.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

  • A block of linoleum: Blick Battleship Gray Linoleum, mounted or unmounted (details here)

OR

  • Speedball Speedy-carve blocks, pink only (details here) Size: 9x12 or 8x10.

AND

  • Linocutter set: Blick Lino Cutter Set (details here)Water soluble printing inks
  • Printing paper
  • Tracing paper
  • Pencils
  • Black markers (fine point)

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Lado Pochkhua was born in Sukhumi, Georgia in 1970. He received his MFA in Painting and Printmaking from Tbilisi State Art Academy in Georgia in 2001. He currently divides his time between New York and Tbilisi, Georgia.

Image: Image: “Melior est mors quam vita” to the aged woman who crawls gravewards with her bone rosary while Death makes music in the van." From Hans Holbein's "Dance of Death."

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The Apotheosis of the Dissected Plate: Spectacles of Layering and Transparency in 19th- and 20th-Century Anatomy
Presented by Michael Sappol, National Library of Medicine

Date: Thursday, May 23
Time: 8:00 PM
Admission: $8
Presented by Morbid Anatomy

This is a story about “topographical anatomy”— a tradition of slicing and sawing rather than cutting and carving — and its procedures for converting bodies from three dimensions to two dimensions and back again. In topographical cross-section anatomy, the frozen or mummified body was cut into successive layers that were then transcribed and reproduced as pages of a book or a sequence of prints or slides (sometimes with the original slices preserved as a sequence of specimens for the anatomical museum). The topographical method influenced, and was in turn influenced by, flap anatomy (the technique of cutting out printed anatomical parts on paper or cardboard and assembling the parts into a layered representation of the human body). In the 20th century, medical illustrators and publishers developed a new technique of three-dimensional anatomical layering: the anatomical transparency — an epistemological/heuristic device which in the postmodern era has come to enchant artists as well as anatomists. I will argue that these anatomical productions — artworks, but also, exhibitions, toys, gimmicks, and other objects of consumer desire — are meaningful to us because the oscillation between the dis-assembly and re-assembly of bodies as images and image-objects, rehearses our own ambivalent relation to the anatomical body. It also rehearses (perhaps more mysteriously) our ambivalent relation to the planearity of anatomical images which serve as an effigy of self and other, and to the Flatland universe of planearity in which we imaginatively dwell. This talk features astonishing photographs by Mark Kessell.

Michael Sappol is a historian in the History of Medicine Division of the National Library of Medicine (National Institutes of Health), Bethesda, MD. His scholarly work focuses on the body; the history of anatomy; the history of death; the history of medical illustration and display; and the history of medical film. He is the author of A Traffic of Dead Bodies (2002) and Dream Anatomy (2006), and editor of Hidden Treasure (Blast, 2012). PDFs of his selected works can be read or downloaded here. He currently lives in Washington, DC.

Mark Kessell, an Australian medical doctor and professional artist  based in New York City, focuses on the art and science of our species and its biology. His next exhibition, “Perfect Specimens”, a life cycle of Homo sapiens, opens at Last Rites Gallery, a renowned center of the tattoo-and-bod-mod subculture, in August 2013.

Image: Transparency. Artist: Gladys McHugh. McHugh, Polyak et al., The Human Ear in Anatomical Transparencies (Elmsford, NY, 1946). Courtesy National Library of Medicine. Photo: Mark Kessell.
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Date: Sunday, June 2
Time: 12-4 PM
Admission: $75
***Must pre-order tickets here: http://victorianmourningjewelry.bpt.me
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy
Hair jewelry was an enormously popular form of commemorative art that began in the late 17th century and reached its zenith during the Victorian Era. Hair, either of someone living or deceased, was encased in metal lockets or woven to enshrine the human relic of a loved one. This class will explore a modern take on the genre.
The technique of "palette working" or arranging hair in artful swoops and curls will be explored and a variety of ribbons, beads, wire and imagery of mourning iconography will be supplied for potential inclusion. A living or deceased person or pet may be commemorated in this manner.
Students are requested to bring with them to class their own hair, fur, or feathers; all other necessary materials will be supplied. Hair can be self-cut, sourced from barber shops or hair salons (who are usually happy to provide you with swept up hair), from beauty supply shops (hair is sold as extensions), or from wig suppliers. Students will leave class with their own piece of hair jewelry and the knowledge to create future projects.

Karen Bachmann
 is a fine jeweler with over 25 years experience, including several years on staff as a master jeweler at Tiffany and Co. She is a Professor in the Jewelry Design Dept at Fashion Institute of Technology as well as the School of Art and Design at Pratt Institute. She has recently completed her MA in Art History at SUNY Purchase with a thesis entitled Hairy Secrets:... In her downtime she enjoys collecting biological specimens, amateur taxidermy and punk rock. 
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Morbid Curiosity, or Everyone Loves a Good Train Wreck: Why We Can't Look AwayAn Illustrated Lecture and Book Signing with author Eric G. Wilson
Date: Thursday, June 6
Time: 8:00
Admission: $5
Produced by Morbid Anatomy

"Why can’t we look away? Whether we admit it or not, we’re fascinated by evil. Dark fantasies, morbid curiosities, Schadenfreude: As conventional wisdom has it, these are the symptoms of our wicked side, and we succumb to them at our own peril. But we’re still compelled to look whenever we pass a grisly accident on the highway, and there’s no slaking our thirst for gory entertainments like horror movies and police procedurals. What makes these spectacles so irresistible? Author Eric G. Wilson attempts to discover the source of our morbid fascinations, drawing on the findings of biologists, sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, philosophers, theologians, and artists. A professor of English with a penchant for Poe as well as a lifelong student of the macabre, Wilson believes there’s something nourishing in darkness. He believes that to repress death is to lose the feeling of life, and that a closeness to death discloses our most fertile energies.

Eric G Wilson is Thomas H. Pritchard Professor of English at Wake Forest University and author of several books that explore the power of life's darker sides, including Everyone Loves a Good Train Wreck: Why We Can't Look Away; Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy; and The Mercy of Eternity: A Memoir of Depression and Grace. 

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Morbid Anatomy Presents at London's Last Tuesday Society this June and July
A series of London-based events, workshops, special tours, screenings and spectacles surveying the interstices of art and medicine, death and culture curated by Observatory's Morbid Anatomy
Date: June 2 - July 25
Time: Variable, but most lectures begin at 7 PM
Location: The Last Tuesday Society at 11 Mare Street, London, E8 4RP map here) unless otherwise specified

The series will feature Morbid Anatomy's signature mix of museum professionals, professors, librarians, artists, rogue scholars, and autodidacts--many flown in direct from Morbid Anatomy's base in Brooklyn, New York--to elucidate on a wide array of topics including (but not limited to!) The Neapolitan Cult of the Dead; "human zoos;" "speaking reliquaries;" why music drives women mad; eccentric folk medicine collections; Santa Muerte (or "Saint Death); dissection and masturbation; dissection and magic; Victorian memorial hair jewelry; the "hot nurse" in popular fiction; The Danse Macabre; "a cinematic survey of The Vampires of London;" and anatomical waxworks and death.

There will be also two special backstage tours: one of the legendary Blythe House, home of the vast and incredible collection of Henry Wellcome and the other of the Natural History Museum's zoological collection, featuring the famously gorgeous Blaschka invertebrate glass model collection; a special magic lantern show featuring "the weirdest, most inappropriate and completely baffling examples of lantern imagery" conjured by collector and scholar Professor Heard, author of Phantasmagoria- The Secret Life of the Magic Lantern; a screening of rare short films from the BFI National Archive documenting folk music, dance, customs and sport; and workshops in the creation of Victorian hair work, lifelike wax wounds, and bat skeletons in glass domes.

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Wax Wound Workshop with medical artist Eleanor Crook
Sunday, June 2, 2013 at 1:00 - 5:00 PM
More here

Let acclaimed sculptor Eleanor Crook guide you in creating your very own wax wound. Crook has lent her experience to professionals ranging from forensic law enforcement officers to plastic surgeons, so is well placed to help you make a horrendously lifelike scar, boil or blister.
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Art, Wax, Death and Anatomy : Illustrated lecture with art historian Roberta Ballestriero
Monday, June 3, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

Wax modelling, or ceroplastics, is of ancient origin but was revived in 14th century Italy with the cult of Catholic votive objects, or ex votos.  Art Historian Roberta Ballestriero will discuss the art and history of wax modeling sacred and profane; she will also showcase many of its greatest masterworks.
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Music Driving Women Mad: The History of Medical Fears of its Effects on Female Bodies and Minds: Illustrated lecture with Dr. James Kennaway
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

Over the past few centuries, countless physicians and writers have asserted that music could cause very serious medical problems for the 'weaker sex'. Not only could it bring on symptoms of nervousness and hysteria, it could also cause infertility, nymphomania and even something called 'melosexualism'. This talk will give an outline of this strange debate, using the raciest stories to be found in gynaecological textb
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Solitary vice? Sex and Dissection in Georgian London With Dr Simon Chaplin
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

In this lavishly illustrated lecture, Simon Chaplin explores the sexual undertones of the anatomy schools of Georgian London, in which students dissected grave-robbed bodies in the back-rooms of their teachers' houses, while their masters explored new strategies for presenting their work to polite audiences through museums and lectures.
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Heartthrobs of the Human Zoo: Ethnographic Exhibitions and Captive Celebrities of Turn of the Century America: An Illustrated Lecture with Betsy Bradley
Thursday, June 6, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

From ransomed Congolese pygmies to winsome Eskimo babies, the American world's fairs and patriotic expositions  present history with a number of troubling ethnographic celebrities, and their stories offer a rare glimpse inside the psychology and culture of imperial America at the turn of a new century.
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The Astounding Collection of Henry Wellcome: Blythe House Backstage Tour with Selina Hurley, Assistant Curator of Medicine, The Science Museum
Friday, June 7, 2013 at 3:00pm
More here

Henry Wellcome (1853 - 1936)----early pharmaceutical magnate and man behind the Wellcome Trust, Collection, and Library--was the William Randolph Hearst of the medical collecting world. That collection, possibly the finest medical collection in the world, now resides in Blythe House, kept in trust by The Science Museum on permanent loan from the Wellcome Trust. Today, a lucky fifteen people will get a rare chance to see this collection, featuring many artifacts of which have never before been on public view, in this backstage tour led Selina Hurley, Assistant Curator of Medicine at The Science Museum.
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Neapolitan Cult of the Dead with Chiara Ambrosio
Monday, June 10, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

In tonight's illustrated lecture, Italian artist and filmmaker Chiara Ambrosio will elucidate this curious and fascinating "Neapolitan Cult of the Dead" and situate it within a the rich death culture and storied history of Naples.
  
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A Vile Vaudeville of Gothic Attractions: Illustrated lecture by Mervyn Heard, author of Phantasmagoria- The Secret Life of the Magic Lantern
Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

An illustrated talk in which writer and showman 'Professor' Mervyn Heard waxes scattergun- sentimental over some of the more bizarre, live theatrical experiences of the 18th, 19th and early 20th century - from the various ghastly manifestations of the phantasmagoria to performing hangmen, self-crucifiers and starving brides.

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Professor Heard's Most Extraordinary Magic Lantern Show with Mervyn Heard
Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

Professor Heard is well known to patrons of the Last Tuesday Lecture programme for his sell-out magic lantern entertainments. In this latest assault on the eye he summons up some of the weirdest, most inappropriate and completely baffling examples of lantern imagery, lantern stories and optical effects by special request of Morbid Anatomy.

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"Speaking Reliquaries" and Christian Death Rituals: Part One of "Hairy Secrets" Series With Karen Bachmann
Thursday, June 13, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

3-part series on human relics and Victorian mourning jewelry--master jeweler and art historian Karen Bachmann will focus on what are termed "speaking" reliquaries: the often elaborate containers which house the preserved body parts--or relics--of saints and martyrs with shapes which reflect that of the body-part contained within.

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Hair Art Workshop Class: The Victorian Art of Hair Jewellery With Karen Bachmann
Friday, June 14, 2013 at 1:00pm
More here

Hair jewellery was an enormously popular form of commemorative art that began in the late 17th century and reached its zenith during the Victorian Era. Hair, either of someone living or deceased, was encased in metal lockers or woven to enshrine the human relic of a loved one. This class will explore a modern take on the genre.

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The History of the Memento Mori and Death's Head Iconography: Part Two of "Hairy Secrets" Series Illustrated lecture with Art Historian and Master Jeweler Karen Bachmann
Friday, June 14, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

In tonight's lecture--the second in a 3-part series on human relics and Victorian mourning jewelry--master jeweler and art historian Karen Bachmann will explore the development of the memento mori,objects whose very raison d'être is to remind the beholder that they, too, will die.

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Hair Art Workshop Class: The Victorian Art of Hair Jewellery With Karen Bachmann
Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 1:00pm (More here)
Sunday, June 16, 2013 at 1:00pm (More here)

Hair jewellery was an enormously popular form of commemorative art that began in the late 17th century and reached its zenith during the Victorian Era. Hair, either of someone living or deceased, was encased in metal lockers or woven to enshrine the human relic of a loved one. This class will explore a modern take on the genre.

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The Victorian Love Affair with Death and the Art of Mourning Hair Jewelry: Illustrated lecture with Art Historian and Master Jeweler Karen Bachmann
Monday, June 17, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

The Victorians had a love affair with death which they expressed in a variety of ways, both intensely sentimental and macabre. Tonight's lecture-the last in a 3-part series on human relics and Victorian mourning jewelry-will take as its focus the apex of the phenomenon of hair jewelry fashion in the Victorian Era as an expression of this passion.

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Dissection and Magic with Constanza Isaza Martinez
Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

This lecture examines images of human corpses in Early Modern European art in relation to two specific themes: the practice of 'witchcraft' or 'magic'; and the emergent medical profession, particularly anatomical dissection.
  
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Future Death. Future Dead Bodies. Future Cemeteries Illustrated lecture by Dr. John Troyer, Deputy Director of the Centre for Death and Society at the University of Bath
Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

Dr. John Troyer, from the Centre for Death & Society, University of Bath, will discuss three kinds of postmortem futures: Future Death, Future Dead Bodies, and Future Cemeteries. Central to these Futures is the human corpse and its use in new forms of body disposal technology, digital technology platforms, and definitions of death.

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‘She Healed Their Bodies With Her White Hot Passions’: The Role of the Nurse in Romantic Fiction with Natasha McEnroe Illustrated lecture Natasha McEnroe, Director of the Florence Nightingale Museum
Sunday, June 23, 2013 at 7:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/478987722156193/

Victorian portrayals of the nurse show either a drunken and dishonest old woman or an angelic and devoted being, which changes to a 20th-century caricature just as pervasive - that of the 'sexy nurse'. In this talk, Natasha McEnroe will explore the links between the enforced intimacy of the sickroom and the handling of bodies for more recreational reasons.

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Face lift or face reconstruction? Redesigning the Museum Vrolik, Amsterdam's anatomical museum An illustrated lecture with Dr. Laurens de Rooy, curator of the Museum Vrolik in Amsterdam
Monday, June 24, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

Counting more than five thousand preparations and specimens, the Museum Vrolikianum, the private collection of father Gerard and his son Willem Vrolik was an amazing object of interest one hundred and fifty years ago. In the 1840s and 50s this museum, established in Gerard's stately mansion on th
e river Amstel, grew into a famous collection that attracted admiring scientists from both the Netherlands and abroad. In this talk, Museum Vrolik curator Dr Laurens de Rooy will take you on a guided tour of the new museum, and give an overview of all the other aspects of the 'new' Museum Vrolik.

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The Walking Dead in 1803: An Illustrated Lecture with Phil Loring, Curator of Psychology at the Science Museum in London
Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

A visiting Italian startled Londoners at the turn of the 19th century by making decapitated animals and executed men open their eyes and move around, as if on the verge of being restored to life. This was not magic but the power of electricity from the newly invented Galvanic trough, or battery. This talk will discuss a variety of historical instruments from the Science Museum's collections that figured in these re-animation experiments, including the apparatus used by Galvani himself in his laboratory in Bologna.
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The Influencing Machine: James Tilly Matthews and the Air Loom with Mike Jay
Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

Confined in Bedlam in 1797 as an incurable lunatic, James Tilly Matthews' case is one of the most bizarre in the annals of psychiatry. He was the first person to insist that his mind was being controlled by a machine: the Air Loom, a terrifying secret weapon whose mesmeric rays and mysterious gases were brainwashing politicians and plunging Europe into revolution, terror and war. But Matthews' case was even stranger than his doctors realised: many of the incredible conspiracies in which he claimed to be involved were entirely real.

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A Waxen France: Madame Tussaud’s Representations of the French: Illustrated Lecture by Pamela Pilbeam Emeritus Professor of French History, Royal Holloway, University of London and author of Madame Tussaud and the History of Waxworks
Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

Madame Tussaud's presentation of French politics and history did much to inform and influence the popular perception of France among the British. This lecture will explore that view and how it changed during the nineteenth century.

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Backstage Tour of the Zoological Collection of the Natural History Museum with Miranda Lowe
Friday, June 28, 2013 at 3:00pm
More here

Today, ten lucky people will get to join Miranda Lowe, Collections Manager of the Aquatic Invertebrates Division, for a special backstage tour of The Natural History Museum of London. The tour will showcase the zoological spirit collections in the Darwin Centre, some of Darwin's barnacles and the famed collection of glass marine invertebrate models crafted by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka in the 19th and early 20th century.
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Bat in Glass Dome Workshop: Part of DIY Wunderkammer Series With Wilder Duncan (formerly of Evolution Store, Soho) and Laetitia Barbier, head librarian at The Morbid Anatomy Library
Saturday, June 29, 2013 at 1:00pm (more here)
Sunday, June 30, 2013 at 1:00pm (more here)

In this class, students will learn how to create an osteological preparation of a bat in the fashion of 19th century zoological displays. A bat skeleton, a glass dome, branches, glue, tools, and all necessary materials will be provided for each student.  The classes will focus on teaching ancient methods of specimen preparation that link science with art: students will create compositions involving natural elements and, according to their taste, will compose a traditional Victorian environment or a modern display.
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The Coming of Age of the Danse Macabre on the Verge of the Industrial Age with Alexander L. Bieri Illustrated lecture with Alexander L. Bieri
Tuesday, July 9, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

The lecture not only discusses Schellenberg's danse macabre in detail, but also gives an insight into the current fascination with vanitas and its depictions, especially focusing on the artistic exploitation of the theme and takes into consideration the history of anatomical dissection and preparation.
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"Viva la Muerte: The Mushrooming Cult of Saint Death" Illustrated lecture and book signing with Andrew Chesnut
Wednesday, July 10, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

The worship of Santa Muerte, a psuedo Catholic saint which takes the form of a personified and clothed lady death, is on the rise and increasingly controversial in Mexico and the United States. Literally translating to "Holy Death" or "Saint Death," the worship of Santa Muerte-like Day of the Dead-is a popular form of religious expression rooted in a rich syncretism of the beliefs of the native Latin Americans and the colonizing Spanish Catholics.
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From Blue Beads to Hair Sandwiches: Edward Lovett and London's Folk Medicine: An Illustrated lecture with Ross MacFarlane, Research Engagement Officer in the Wellcome Library
Monday, July 15, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

During his life Edward Lovett (1852-1933) amassed one of the largest collections of objects pertaining to 'folk medicine' in the British Isles.  Lovett particularly focused his attention on objects derived from contemporary, working class Londoners, believing that the amulets, charms and mascots he collected - and which were still being used in 20th century London - were 'survivals' of antiquated, rural practices.
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The Vampires of London: A Cinematic Survey with William Fowler (BFI) and Mark Pilkington (Strange Attractor)
Thursday, July 18, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

This heavily illustrated presentation and film clip selection explores London's Highgate Cemetery as a locus of horror in the 1960s and 1970s cinema, from mondo and exploitation to classic Hammer horror.
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"Here's a Health to the Barley Mow: a Century of Folk Customs and Ancient Rural Games" Screenings of Short Films from the BFI Folk Film Archives with William Fowler
Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

Tonight, the British Film Institute's William Fowler will present a number of rare and beautiful short films from the BFI National Archive and Regional Film Archives showing some of our rich traditions of folk music, dance, customs and sport. Highlights include the alcoholic folk musical Here's a Health to the Barley Mow (1955), Doc Rowe's speedy sword dancing film and the Padstow Mayday celebration Oss Oss Wee Oss (Alan Lomax/Peter Kennedy 1953).
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Of Satyrs, Horses and Camels: Natural History in the Imaginative Mode: illustrated lecture by Daniel Margócsy, Hunter College, New York
Thursday, July 25, 2013 at 7:00pm
More here

From its beginnings, science was (and still is) an imaginative and speculative enterprise, just like the arts. This talk traces the exchange of visual
information between the major artists of the Renaissance and the leading natural historians of the scientific revolution. It shows how painters' and printmakers' fictitious images of unicorns, camels and monkfish came to populate the botanical and zoological encyclopedias of early modern Europe.

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You can find out more about all events here. Image found here

Source:
http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com/2013/04/tonight-masonic-slapstick-with-mike.html

Kathleen Sawyer’s Book Autopsy

Kathleen Sawyer Book Autopsy (6)

Kathleen Sawyer Book Autopsy (7)

Kathleen Sawyer Book Autopsy (3)

Kathleen Sawyer Book Autopsy (1)

Kathleen Sawyer Book Autopsy (2)

Kathleen Sawyer Book Autopsy (4)

Kathleen Sawyer Book Autopsy (5)

Kathleen Sawyer Book Autopsy (9)

Kathleen Sawyer Book Autopsy (10)

Kathleen Sawyer Book Autopsy (8)

Grahamstown, South Africa based printmaker and draftsman Kathleen Sawyer has a keen love of things that involve anatomy, mutation and/or horrible disease often rendering them with only a ballpoint pen. She’s created several small anatomical and scientifically themed books with titles such as “The little book of horrible death” and “Necrophagous.”

Book Autopsy” begins with the telltale autopsy suture and opens up to reveal the organs layered on top of each other with each turn of the page. It’s beautiful craftsmanship!

You must view more of her work via TumblrFlickrdeviantArt, and Shadowness! Definitely keeping an eye on her work.

 

 

Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/streetanatomy/OQuC/~3/MMNVYiahj2Y/

FACE OFF: Skull-A-Day vs Street Anatomy Gallery Show – Skull Appreciation Day 2013

FACE OFF Skull-A-Day vs Street Anatomy Skull Appreciation Day 2013 curated by Noah Scalin and Vanessa Ruiz

Skull-A-Day and Street Anatomy have joined forces to bring together the greatest collection of skull art, to celebrate the 3rd Annual Skull Appreciation Day! The resulting exhibition of skull inspired art works co-curated by Noah Scalin and Vanessa Ruiz will be on view at the International Museum of Surgical Science, in Chicago May 31 – August 25, 2013.

 

FACE OFF: Skull-A-Day VS Street Anatomy
May 31 – August 25, 2013
Opening reception: Friday, May 31  5–9 PM
International Museum of Surgical Science
1524 N. Lake Shore Drive  Chicago, IL

Featuring
Mike Egan
Tom French
Emilio Garcia
Ali Gulec
Joshua Harker
Meyoko
Nicholas Obery
Rx Skulls
Dan Springer
Rob Tarbell

In addition to showing their existing work, each artist has been asked to complete a frontal view of a skull in their own style using a template we provided. These skulls will then be split apart (digitally) and combined with other artist’s skulls to create a dynamic and unique collection of skull art prints. Each skull will be comprised of the work of two different artists, one from Skull-A-Day and one from Street Anatomy. At the end of the exhibition the respective skull halves will be brought together allowing us to see each artist’s complete skull piece. To kick it off, Vanessa and Noah have created their own original mash-up for the show poster!

The show opens with a reception at the museum on Friday, May 31, 2013 from 5-9pm. Hope to see you there!

Don’t forget about the Skull Mail Art portion of our show! It’s a chance to get your skull in our exhibition!

 

 

Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/streetanatomy/OQuC/~3/u9u7VU3jKeU/

Italian Ex Votos, 20th Century

I just stumbled upon a phenomenal collection of Italian ex votos--from which the above are drawn--on a Facebook page dedicated to outsider, visionary, and self-taught art.
You can see the full wonderful set of eighty four images--which I highly recommend!--by clicking here. You can visit the page which hosts them by clicking here.
I am unsure where the images were sourced; the text that accompanied the image set was general and follows below:

Italian ex votos

An ex-voto is created when an individual's prayers for a miracle are answered. After praying to a saint for a miraculous healing, an individual would commission a local artist to create a small painting that would be hung in the local church as a public testimony of that individual's faith and gratitude for a miracle. Usually done on canvas or tin, ex-votos generally consist of three basic elements: the illustrative depiction of the event, the narrative, and the depiction of the saint or deity. Variations of this standard form can be seen over time, but the central elements remain the same. Ex-votos are not only symbols of faith and devotion, but also serve to document diseases and their treatments including smallpox and tuberculosis. Emphasis is placed on the dramatic aspects of an illness including exaggerated symptoms evoking sympathy for the sufferer and validating the importance of the divine in the sufferer's recovery. Many depictions take place in the home where doctors and family members tend to the sick. Homes are generally modestly decorated and always include religious icons. Settings also include hospitals and operating rooms where doctors and nurses can be seen using surgical instruments and other medical equipment. Patients are seen in bed or on an operating room table. They appear calm and serene as their faith and devotion enables them to transcend their pain and suffering.

More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex-voto
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/exvotos/italian.html
http://www.mariolinasalvatori.com/?p=10

Source:
http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com/2013/04/italian-ex-votos-20th-century.html

Work of the Holy Spirit (Series: "Spiritual Anatomy" – Part 3), Pastor Kamal Sampara – Video


Work of the Holy Spirit (Series: "Spiritual Anatomy" - Part 3), Pastor Kamal Sampara
Message: "Work of the Holy Spirit" Series: "Spiritual Anatomy" (Part 4 of 5) Seaside Community Baptist Church Pastor Kamal Sampara January 18, 2009.

By: Seaside Community Baptist Church

See original here:
Work of the Holy Spirit (Series: "Spiritual Anatomy" - Part 3), Pastor Kamal Sampara - Video