Vancouver Art Gallery – Mechanics of Man and Visceral Bodies

I went to the Vancouver Art Gallery today to see the Leonardo Da Vinci: Mechanics of Man exhibit (excerpts from his notebooks with his anatomical studies). It was interesting to see his mirrored writing and hundreds of sketches of the human form – muscles, bones, organs, and tendons. Da Vinci dissected over 30 human bodies in his career, going further than anyone had in anatomical research. “I have been hindered neither by avarice nor negligence, but simply want of time.”
The adjoining exhibit Visceral Bodies was even more interesting; a contemporary take on the human anatomy which combines the physical factors with the ever-changing cultural views on anatomy and the evolving artificial human form. The shift from male-dominated abstract body exploration to the more female-driven corporeal representation in the late 70s was a result of the feminist movement. Wangechi Mutu represents different plagues of the female anatomy with mixed media collages while Valie Export records an image of her own voice box as she speaks of the voice as performance of act and body.
All in all, the more I see of art the more of it I love.

~ by lauramars21 on February 9, 2010.