I got an email recently about an art project by Laura Splan (a very interesting medical/body fine artist) that I thought was worth sharing here. This piece is a scarf knitted from surgical tubing, which is colored with — and I suppose alive to due to — the wearer’s own blood.
Comments
100 responses to “The Blood Scarf”
it’s like a cross between SAATCHI’S controversial “Sensations” exhibit and the “Body Worlds” exhibit.
im soooo fascinated.
it’s like a cross between SAATCHI’S controversial “Sensations” exhibit and the “Body Worlds” exhibit.
im soooo fascinated.
it’s amazing, but it makes me feel woozy just looking at it. whoa.
it’s amazing, but it makes me feel woozy just looking at it. whoa.
Wow! I guess if you can’t donate to the red cross (or what ever, due to fresh mods) you can donate for art. I totally love the concept! I need to set some time aside to go through her page.
Wow! I guess if you can’t donate to the red cross (or what ever, due to fresh mods) you can donate for art. I totally love the concept! I need to set some time aside to go through her page.
Before I started reading, I thought ‘what the hell is this? Some guy with a weird looking scarf?’, ’cause my mom does a lot of crochet and I never saw the material.
Then after I read, I found it a little interesting. Though I’m with the earlier comments, I’m pretty sure that’s not the wearer’s blood.
Before I started reading, I thought ‘what the hell is this? Some guy with a weird looking scarf?’, ’cause my mom does a lot of crochet and I never saw the material.
Then after I read, I found it a little interesting. Though I’m with the earlier comments, I’m pretty sure that’s not the wearer’s blood.
Not a fan of this but the rest of the things on her site are amazing.
Not a fan of this but the rest of the things on her site are amazing.
i totally love this.
and: i would think that it’d only take about a unit, maybe two if you were being generous, of blood [normal volume taken at blood donation, not a big deal for the body to recover from] to fill it, as you’d only have to get a small volume on the inside of the tubes to get the colour effect. Most of the volume of the scarf will be airspace between tubes or the actual thickness of the rubber.
And: while theoretically it’s POSSIBLE to have the blood flowing back into the bloodstream, it pretty much wouldn’t happen at all because it would be a total fucking nightmare to sterilise. Yes, it would lower the blood pressure a bit, but i think it’d be similar to a dialysis patient.
t[hough, i’m only a medstudent, not a doctor – i’mnot saying i’m right, just suggesting a possibility]
i totally love this.
and: i would think that it’d only take about a unit, maybe two if you were being generous, of blood [normal volume taken at blood donation, not a big deal for the body to recover from] to fill it, as you’d only have to get a small volume on the inside of the tubes to get the colour effect. Most of the volume of the scarf will be airspace between tubes or the actual thickness of the rubber.
And: while theoretically it’s POSSIBLE to have the blood flowing back into the bloodstream, it pretty much wouldn’t happen at all because it would be a total fucking nightmare to sterilise. Yes, it would lower the blood pressure a bit, but i think it’d be similar to a dialysis patient.
t[hough, i’m only a medstudent, not a doctor – i’mnot saying i’m right, just suggesting a possibility]
Interesting concept. Can’t imagine weaving all that tubing was easy!
Interesting concept. Can’t imagine weaving all that tubing was easy!
it reminds me of body world’s membrane rabbit/lambs.. cool.
it reminds me of body world’s membrane rabbit/lambs.. cool.
this has to be one of my favorite pieces i’ve seen in a very long time. impressive.
this has to be one of my favorite pieces i’ve seen in a very long time. impressive.
Fake or not, its a fucking awesome idea. I love it!
Fake or not, its a fucking awesome idea. I love it!
There’s nothing i love more than a perfectly creative mind. This guy is amazing
There’s nothing i love more than a perfectly creative mind. This guy is amazing
fucking love it !
fucking love it !
Wow awesome! Would make a great conversation starter if it somehow got snagged and burst.
Wow awesome! Would make a great conversation starter if it somehow got snagged and burst.
Her work reminds me of the artist Orlan….kind of unsetteling, but fascinating.
Her work reminds me of the artist Orlan….kind of unsetteling, but fascinating.
Whoa, that’s incredible.
I’d be terrified of wearing it though, since one little leak could kill you if the blood actually circulates in the scarf.
Whoa, that’s incredible.
I’d be terrified of wearing it though, since one little leak could kill you if the blood actually circulates in the scarf.
Mmmmm
Mmmmm
guys it isnt real. its just for a photograph. its about the concept of the paradox not an actual scarf willed with blood
guys it isnt real. its just for a photograph. its about the concept of the paradox not an actual scarf willed with blood
Cant believe everyone thinks this is real…..how could you fill that scarf with the blood in your body, you would no longer have any in you, which the last time i checked was necessary for us, as humans to live…also cant stop looking at the blurryness in the right hand corner
Cant believe everyone thinks this is real…..how could you fill that scarf with the blood in your body, you would no longer have any in you, which the last time i checked was necessary for us, as humans to live…also cant stop looking at the blurryness in the right hand corner
I love Laura’s work. I’m getting a tattoo based off of her Doilies project later next year!!
I love Laura’s work. I’m getting a tattoo based off of her Doilies project later next year!!
That tubing can be really thin… you can take a out a good ammount of blood before a person gets woozy especially if they have good hemoglobin…
450 millilitres, about a pint is drawn for blood, and the person walks away with a cookie, a sticker, and some ok.
That tubing can be really thin… you can take a out a good ammount of blood before a person gets woozy especially if they have good hemoglobin…
450 millilitres, about a pint is drawn for blood, and the person walks away with a cookie, a sticker, and some ok.
That has got to be one of the most amazing things I have ever seen!
That has got to be one of the most amazing things I have ever seen!
Looks like a big AIDS ribbon.
Looks like a big AIDS ribbon.
Why? How can this possibly contribute to humanity?
Why? How can this possibly contribute to humanity?
Uh…This would sort of work…you couldn’t have blood actually pumping through it. Too much for the heart to handle. You could sure as hell fill it with blood, but depending on the size of the tubing you would definately loose way too much blood.
Uh…This would sort of work…you couldn’t have blood actually pumping through it. Too much for the heart to handle. You could sure as hell fill it with blood, but depending on the size of the tubing you would definately loose way too much blood.
Im studying extreme performance art and we’ve just been looking at this piece. It was in fact the artist blood and no, it does not go back into her body, it drips out behind her. Its supervised by medicals and is no more blood than you would loose when you actually give blood. which millions of people do every year!!
It takes a very creative mind to come up with something as unique as this. excellent work!
Im studying extreme performance art and we’ve just been looking at this piece. It was in fact the artist blood and no, it does not go back into her body, it drips out behind her. Its supervised by medicals and is no more blood than you would loose when you actually give blood. which millions of people do every year!!
It takes a very creative mind to come up with something as unique as this. excellent work!