Thursday, February 15, 2018

Artificial leg

I went to PNCA for the opening reception for Bespoke Bodies, an exhibition about prosthetics. Their history, how they work, and the current state of the art.  Including a 3d printer, happily sputtering out a kid's plastic hand (cheaply and quickly, for a piece that will be tossed in a few months when the child outgrows it).  There were arms and legs designed for athletes, a wrist with interchangeable hand parts, designed by a kid for himself, and range of art pieces - decorative covers to go with one's outfit, or prosthetics that stood out and made a statement.  There were even a set of front legs designed for a dog, and a top bill of a beak for a toucan.  And a working thumb.  Not a replacement for a missing thumb, but designed to be attached to an intact hand to work as a third thumb.

The exhibit was too crowded for me to find a place to stand and sketch.  Mostly.  I found that, after an hour, the crowd at the entrance had thinned out enough for me to sketch one of the historical legs.

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