Virus doilies

Reader Rosa recently alerted me to these virus doilies by Laura Splan, a New York-based mixed media artist and phlebotomist.

 
 

Clockwise from top left: HIV, Herpes, Influenza, SARS.

The doilies are computerized machine embroidered lace mounted on black velvet, based on digital images of the viruses.

When I turned thirty my Oma, the giver of unusual gifts, gave me thirteen crocheted doilies. I'm going to have to take a closer look at those; maybe the gift was more complex than I realized.

Splan says in her statement:

My work explores perceptions of beauty and horror, comfort and discomfort. I use anatomical and medical imagery as a point of departure to explore these dualities and our ambivalence towards the human body . . . I often combine scientific images and materials with more domestic or familiar ones. The . . . design of a doily lends a sort of relief in its familiarity and pleasing pattern. This juxtaposition creates a response that fluctuates between seduction and repulsion, comfort and alienation.

Her website features a number of other interesting medical projects. Check out the latch-hooked Prozac, Thorazine, Zoloft pillows. Splan explains, "These soft, oversized anti-psychotics and anti-depressants provide a different kind of comfort than their prescription counterparts."

Or the Blood Scarf, which "depicts a scarf knit out of clear vinyl tubing. An intravenous device emerging out of the user's hand fills the scarf with blood. The implied narrative is a paradoxical one in which the device keeps the user warm with their blood while at the same time draining their blood drip by drip."

 

Makes my own fall plans to knit a vest for Leif seem rather dull.

Comments

[Jody J]

Bwaahaahahaha...love the scarf...in a sordid sort of way!

[dragonfly]

Cool...

[slydi]

the herpes doily is my favourite. also, i could use a scarf like that to keep me warm in this cold, damp weather.

christmas is coming. hint, hint.

[velocibadgergirl]

The doilies are wicked cool and the pills are cute, but the scarf is a bit much. I just keep wondering how you'd explain it if it got snagged at the supermarket!

[melissa]

these are all fantastic. love the doilies especially. science is beautiful!

[lianne Miller]

twisted.

[Lisa G]

Hey Martina...
I'm at work, illegally searching the internet because we were talking about "finding art in the strangest places." I thought of you and your doilie blog and I had to show the other nurses. They quite enjoyed this! I'd love to get some of these to give to our ID Doc.