More stories

  • in

    Science-Inspired Ink by Michele Volpi Blurs the Line Between Tattoo and Textbook

    
    Art
    Science

    #anatomy
    #black and white
    #insects
    #nature
    #surreal
    #tattoos

    July 29, 2020
    Vanessa Ruiz

    All images © Michele Volpi, shared with permission
    One might learn something from staring at the tattoos of Italian artist Michele Volpi (previously). The composition, detailed dot work, and precise lines of his tattoos transcend both ink-infused skin and science textbooks. The Bologna-based tattoo artist relishes in scientific books—from Frank Netter’s painterly medical illustrations to the exquisitely rendered biological specimens and marine life of Ernst Haeckel. He often visits bookshops during his travels to discover and acquire these new sources of inspiration.
    Volpi’s customers seek him out to tattoo an array of botany, astronomy, physiology, and chemistry-based compositions. Sometimes customers let him choose the branch of science, in which case he renders his favorite subject—anatomy. Even then, Volpi combines subject matter like in his tattoo comparing the shape of a human pelvis to that of a butterfly or another that features a human skull being stretched absurdly through a wormhole.
    The artist tells Colossal that his “dream is to make a scientific book with all of my conceptual scientific illustrations that I love.” View Volpi’s body of work and booking information on Instagram. For those not ready for the permanence of a tattoo, there are prints of his pen-and-ink, anatomical illustrations available in his shop.

    #anatomy
    #black and white
    #insects
    #nature
    #surreal
    #tattoos

    Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, apply for our annual grant, and get exclusive access to interviews, partner discounts, and event tickets.

     
    Share this story
      More

  • in

    Bisected Bronze Figures by Artist Anders Krisár Rejoin Through Clasped Hands

     “Untitled” (2014–15), bronze (polished patina), 114 x 48.5 x 63.5 centimeters Being with oneself takes on a literal meaning in the works of Anders Krisár. The Stockholm-based sculptor and photographer focuses on the human body, creating analog casts from live models using silicone and plaster. A self-taught artist, Krisár uses his own meticulous techniques […] More

  • in

    Vibrant Skeletal Interpretations of Celebrities and Fashion Icons Define Bradley Theodore’s Paintings

     “Anna and Karl” (2017). All images © Bradley Theodore Energetic brushstrokes, chromatic colors, and the skeletons of pop culture icons make up the prolific work of Miami-based artist Bradley Theodore. His bold use of color is inspired by his roots in Turks and Caicos and the fashionable subjects he’s met in New York and […] More

  • in

    Anatomical Forms Emerge From Zippers, Quilted Fabric, and Felt by Élodie Antoine

     “Zip thorax” (2014), zippers. All images © Élodie Antoine, shared with permission  Belgian artist Élodie Antoine understands the behavior of fibers, controlling them in ways to produce textile designs that are organic, fungal, and oftentimes anatomical in nature. Her anatomies emerge from taut lycra, dense felt structures, and an impressive number of zippers. The […] More