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Blooms, Efflorescence, and Other Dermatological Embellishments: Cystic Acne, Back
Lauren Kalman, 2009
Metalsmith and mixed-media artist Lauren Kalman explores the nexus of body, adornment, and disease in her remarkable series “Blooms, Efflorescence, and Other Dermatological Embellishments”. Yes, those faux-diseases are actually piercing the skin – but only temporarily: they’re gold acupuncture wires modified into jewelry by the artist. The temporary/permanent nature of the piercings echoes the temporary visibility of the diseases she depicts, like syphilis and herpes, which eventually clear from the skin, but still remain dormant within the body.
Kalman’s work asks us to reconsider how much of our instinctive revulsion for diseased bodies comes from disgust for their appearance, versus a fear of the underlying pathogens. Why is a rash of glistening blood-red stones set in gold almost attractive, when a glistening sore is so grotesque? Why aren’t Kalman’s works, like a lovely pair of gemstone earrings, unambiguously attractive – or do you think they are? And what effect does the choice of subject – a young, white, clear-skinned model – have on the viewer?
“Blooms, Efflorescence, and Other Dermatological Embellishments”: Nevus Comedonicus
Lauren Kalman, 2009
The curator of Anatomy in the Gallery suggests,
Kalman’s photographs document these jeweled lesions and sores–most of which are more prevalent among AIDS patients–in situ on the body of a young, white woman, the stereotypical imaged body of consumer culture and one less often associated with the AIDS virus. . . Although her photographs retain some shock value in their depiction of pierced flesh, they also advertise these perverse piercings as jewelry, transforming them back into objects of desire connected to beauty, status, and wealth through their placement in relation to the romanticized ideal body, thereby dramatizing the corrupt and corrosive nature of consumer culture.
To those important themes, I’d also add a gender theme – that is, women routinely pierce, starve, shave, paint and dye their bodies to be more attractive. (Kalman herself sports a nose piercing). If taken too far, is this obsessive alteration in the name of fashion analogous to a disease? Why do we think artificially altered bodies are more beautiful than natural ones? (I know many of my readers aver that they find natural bodies more attractive: kudos to you. Unfortunately, society as a whole doesn’t seem so enlightened).
“Blooms, Efflorescence, and Other Dermatological Embellishments”: Wart
Lauren Kalman, 2009
In an earlier series, “Hard Wear”, Kalman created less literal embellishments – but ones that nevertheless seem like an intrusion or imposition on the body. Golden crusts on the lips, tongue, and gums might evoke the blistered mouth of a thirsty drought victim, or a carpet of semi-permanent cold sores – or a mouthful of solid gold veneers on a wealthy, blinged-out hip-hop artist. Gross, or gorgeous, or. . . Lady Gaga?
“Hard Wear”: Lip adornment
Lauren Kalman, 2006
Kalman’s work provides incredibly rich space for interpretation and thought about health, beauty, and the culture of bodily modification.
Kalman’s work is showing through May 21 as part of Anatomy in the Gallery, an ongoing series at the International Museum of Surgical Science in Chicago. I can’t recommend this series highly enough for the wonderful medicine and science-inspired artists they find.
March 22, 2010
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