3D Printing

Artist 3D Printed a Living Replica of van Gogh’s Severed Ear Using a Distant Relations Genetic Material

Yes, you read that right, someone just “Jurassic Parked” Vincent van Gogh’s famously self-severed ear. They even attached a microphone to the ear’s display case so you can speak to him, hopefully by singing him this song. Because why not?

3d printing van gogh papacanyouhearme

Diemut Strebe created the replica ear using living cells from van Gogh’s great-great-grandson. Thankfully it was provided willingly and did not need to be extracted from a 17th century amber-trapped mosquito. Lieuwe van Gogh shares 1/16th of the same genetic material as the famously troubled artist, including the Y chromosome that is only passed down to male descendants. And don’t worry, because I’m sure you were, Strebe plans to obtain a sample of mitochondrial DNA from a female relative for future installations of the ear, so no charges of sexism need be levied at her.

jurassic mosquitoe 3d printingThe ear itself is made from actual living tissue and was 3D printed into a shape resembling van Gogh’s left ear. How the artist knew what van Gogh’s left ear looked like wasn’t really apparent, however the reports that he severed his ear to begin with remain ever in question so as with most contemporary art it’s probably best if you don’t think about it too hard.

van gogh ear close 3d printingThe ear is currently being displayed in a German museum and is suspended in a clear display case full of a nourishing liquid that is expected to keep it viable for many years. The artist has also added a microphone to her installation so you can actually speak to the replica of Vincent van Gogh’s severed ear. I don’t know what you would want to say to the replica of Vincent van Gogh’s severed ear, but I’m not sure he would understand it anyway because your voice is converted into scratching sounds meant to simulate nerve impulses. So you would probably just end up annoying him rather than making him feel better about being disembodied.

van gogh ear close 3d printingThere was an attempt to print the ear from van Gogh’s actual genetic material, however the DNA that was extracted from a letter ended up not actually being his, so they settled on some van Gogh adjacent genetic material instead. The van Gogh-ish ear was grown at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston from some samples of Lieuwe’s DNA that Strebe provided.

Strebe says that she plans to bring the ear to New York next year, however no dates or locations have been announced. The installation is called Sugababe, and you can learn more about the artists intent on the museum’s website. And you can see more of her unusual art on her website.

Source: AP