IG: @metallictiara_art

Lister & Liston

My knowledge of special effects makeup and sculptural ceramics informs my work on semi-realistic cadavers and bodies dissected by histories of medical failures and the birth of great inventions. Using a blend of modern and traditional techniques, I aim to invoke emotional responses from viewers—initial disgust that transforms into empathy as they engage with the figures' stories.

I explore morbid curiosity and clay to reconstruct the histories of past medical procedures into immersive scenes. Clay's properties mimic the human body's qualities with its ability to stretch, crack, and break. Working through the lens of medical history I experiment with materials and techniques that reflect Victorian surgery. We cannot progress into modern times without past inventions and experiences. I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for how far we've progressed by focusing on the nineteenth century. For instance, surgeries once performed on kitchen tables that risked gangrene due to their speed—sometimes completed in 30 seconds—have transformed into non-invasive procedures with lower mortality rates. My work is to highlight fascinating inventions and experiments from this era while emphasizing the importance of learning from history and recognizing our progress.

Bio

As an artist and sculptural ceramist, Jesse Doubiago’s work is a window into the gruesome horrors of medical history. Doubiago mixes special effects makeup skills with medical research to create immersive historical moments that the viewer can experience in the present.