{"product_id":"samantha-dennis-anatomy-lessons-ii-toad","title":"Samantha Dennis – 'Anatomy Lessons II' (Toad), 2024","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe works in the \u003cem\u003eAnatomy Lessons\u003c\/em\u003e series portray the dissected corpses of unfamiliar or undesirable animals, a rat, a toad, and a pigeon. They are rendered in materials which embody “preciousness”; porcelain is sculpted for the bodies with abdomens open to reveal a bronze-lined cavity filled with jewellery for organs, alluring heirloom item such as charms, lockets, and rings. The conceptual approach developed from an interest in the transformative power of “specimen logic”, museological methods of decontextualisation and display which affect the way an animal is looked at and thought about, and how this might be combined with the semiotics of jewellery. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eAnatomy Lessons\u003c\/em\u003e, the animal bodies are rendered true to form, clearly legible as their species, however the internal organs are not so strictly representative.  By anthropomorphising the organs, the relationship between body, action, and intention becomes more accessible. \u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003eIn the toad, the intestines are represented by a faux-pearl necklace (found and altered) and the charms are separate and large in size, with a hook to hang as “enhancers” (a pendant-like costume jewellery element which attaches to string of pearls). The lungs, heart, and kidneys of the toad open as lockets-like vessels, with visible hinges and clasps acting as a point of temptation to explore. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen exhibited, the \u003ci\u003eAnatomy Lesson \u003c\/i\u003epieces are displayed on a tray with a set of medical-like tools at the ready, implying the immanent or interrupted “dissection”. This set up conjures the push and pull of seduction and disgust that can be encountered in the dissected animal, evoking feelings of morbid curiosity. The trays and “tools” will be supplied with the objects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExhibition history: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnatomy Lesson I\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was shown in the exhibition \u003ci\u003eStrange Nature\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e at the Queen Victoria Museum \u0026amp; Art Gallery in Launceston Tasmania, curated by Dr Ashley Brid, from late 2023 to early 2024.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnatomy Lesson I\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003ci\u003eAnatomy Lesson II \u003c\/i\u003ewere shown together in the exhibition \u003ci\u003eThe Poetic Specimen\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e at the Queen Victoria Museum \u0026amp; Art Gallery in Launceston Tasmania – this exhibition was a component of my PhD examination, and though it was open to the public it was not part of the official exhibition program of the museum. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnatomy Lesson I\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAnatomy Lesson II \u003c\/i\u003e\u0026amp; \u003ci\u003eAnatomy Lesson III \u003c\/i\u003ewere shown as a triptych in the \u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ngv.vic.gov.au\/exhibition\/rigg-design-prize\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eRigg Design Prize Exhibition\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e at the NGV from September 2025 to February 2026. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e—\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"ewa-rteLine\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"ewa-rteLine\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ewa-rteLine\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSamantha Dennis is a visual artist working in lutruwita (Tasmania). Sam is fascinated by the ways society has sought to explain and order the phenomena of life. Her work navigates themes from natural history and the material qualities of fine crafts, such as goldsmithing and ceramics, to reflect on the relationship between people and nature, with a particular interest in how we conceive animals that are often considered unrelatable, undesirable, unfamiliar.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ewa-rteLine\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e—\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterials:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Porcelain, bronze, epoxy, with found and altered faux pearl necklace, handmade lockets in sterling silver with 18ct gold plated accents. Displayed on an aluminium tray with found “dissection” implements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eapprox.  26 x 29 x 3cm Display Dimensions (on tray): 60 x 40 x 6cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Samantha Dennis","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47633802592474,"sku":"J-SAD033","price":6000.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0033\/5002\/files\/01_AnatomyLessonsII_2024_SamanthaDennis_photobyMelaniedeRuyter.jpg?v=1776305709","url":"https:\/\/shop.craft.org.au\/products\/samantha-dennis-anatomy-lessons-ii-toad","provider":"SHOP@Craft","version":"1.0","type":"link"}