The Imaginary Herbarium of Dr James Miranda Barry

Tuesday, 7 October 2014

The Imaginary Herbarium of Dr James Miranda Barry

I sink my teeth into my doubts and chew over until they fly away like kind birds

Inks, pastels and graphite on paper, 2014

Source: D.J. Cunningham, 1850 - 1909

Your nocturnal voice illuminates my labyrinths

Inks and pastels on paper, 2014

Source: Florence Fenwick Miller, 1854 – 1936

I still keep the shy heart of my childhood among the plants of my garden

Inks, pastels and graphite on paper, 2014

Source: Giulio Cesare Casseri, 1552 - 1616

Tonight I have sown breasts. Their fragrant flowers help me to forgive and forget

Inks, pastels and graphite on paper, 2014

Source: Sir Astley Paston Cooper, 1768-1841

Don’t be judgemental baby. There is so much more poetry and fun and dignity

Inks, pastels and graphite on paper, 2014

Source: Nicolas Henri Jacob, 1781-1871

During the day my tongue speaks words of care.

At night my tongue fondles my lovers.

Inks, pastels and graphite on paper, 2014

Source: Giovanni Battista Morgagni, 1682 -1771

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A RE-INTERPRETATION OF TRADITIONAL ANATOMICAL AND BOTANICAL DRAWINGS TO CELEBRATE THE POETRY OF THE BODY - WITH A GRAFFITI SWING

For my images I use historical anatomical plates. I paint them with ink, pastels and graphite to compose my Imaginary Herbaria.

It is a joy to unearth some forgotten masterpieces of imagination and precision and take them outside the rooms of private collectors and international auction houses.

The Imaginary Herbarium of Dr James Miranda Barry

Margaret Ann Balkley was born in 1795 and in order to be admitted to university and practice medicine, took on the name of James Miranda Barry (at that time women were not permitted to enter university). She was a great pioneering reformer who fought for better sanitation and medical care for soldiers and their families. She was the first British surgeon to perform a successful Caesarium section in 1826. In 1865, after a brilliant career as General Inspector of Army Hospitals, she died in London. The Imaginary Herbarium is a fictional journal that tells the story of Dr Barry playing with her books of anatomy and writing about her elusive and secluded private life.

Matrilineal - The Imaginary Herbarium of a Mother: The Merry Placentae of London

Placentae turned into trees

Bless me with smiles

It is the story of a secret sea garden where children and animals are waiting to be born and talk to each other about expectations, fears, dreams on their future life.

Born a Third Time - The Imaginary Herbarium of Alexina B

Imaginary journal of the 18th century French hermaphrodite Herculine Barbin, aka Alexina B. (Her memoirs published by Michel Foucault) I imagined her writing about the anatomists' inflexible rules on gender.