Human Sexuality and Indeterminate Interspecies Borders

This chapter focuses on five types of STIs as the main subjects. For each STI, the human organs involved in its transmission and the microorganisms considered pathogens are depicted using a biological illustration technique called “stippling & line drawing.” Each STI includes around five images, in which the anatomical structures of various body parts, such as the genitals, mouth, tongue, hands, etc. You can also see the structure of microorganisms as observed under a microscope.

Unlike traditional anatomical illustrations where each organ and system is separated and displayed, the organs involved in the same transmission pathway are interwoven in these images. These organs come from different individuals engaged in sexual activity. Moreover, microorganisms otherwise invisible to the naked eye, are magnified and illustrated in these images, showcasing how they coexist with humans and migrate between different individuals

Thus, these images show interspecies and multi-individual interactions. Human organs and microorganisms are depicted on the same scale, adding a layer of imagination to what is typically considered scientific imagery. These drawings are both scientific and unscientific, ambiguous, chaotic, yet rational. This instability disturbs the rigid anatomical system, creating porosity in the formerly clear boundaries of the body through microbial migration.

Intersex and Binary Genital Anatomy

In medical education, the anatomical knowledge of intersex reproductive systems is often placed in pathology textbooks, where medical students learn about it as a condition. However, in “Atlas of Queer Anatomy,” the intersex reproductive system was brought into the anatomy textbooks, aiming to reverse the pathological view of the intersex body, challenge the definition of a “normal” and “healthy” body, and enhance the diversity and inclusivity of anatomical visualizations.

The external genitalia of intersex individuals vary greatly due to complex genetic and hormonal factors, and their appearance is diverse, not singular. In this chapter, the multiple illustrations of intersex external genitalia are presented to break away from the traditional binary male/female genital representations. Additionally, skin tone diversity is incorporated to reduce the current white-centered interpretation in anatomical education.

Gender-affirming Surgery

This chapter presents a series of images visualizing various gender-affirming surgical procedures. In medical education, there is a lack of images related to gender-affirming surgeries, so the primary purpose of this chapter is to create more educational material for medical educators. Most depictions of surgical procedures are placed in clinical medicine textbooks, not in basic medical education. As a basic medical science, anatomy typically adheres to the concept of the “original body” in its textbooks. By placing the images of gender-affirming surgeries in this “Atlas of Queer Anatomy”, we assert that even a post-surgical body is still an “original body.” Including this chapter in an anatomy textbook also serves as a challenge to the heteronormativity and patriarchal systems embedded in traditional anatomical education.

Body Odor

This chapter focuses on body odors, with illustrations centered on the smells of the feet, armpits, and genitals. There are multiple layers including human bodies involved in fetishistic activities related to the body odor; microorganisms associated with the production of these smells; the anatomy of the olfactory nervous system; and the molecular structure of the compounds responsible for these smells. These layers were superimposed using different drawing techniques and image synthesis, creating a series of interspecies, multi- individual illustrations. These images straddle the line between science and non-science, organic and inorganic,combining erotic imagery with professional anatomical illustrations to challenge and provoke the patriarchal structures of traditional anatomy.

Masturbation

The images in this chapter are divided into two parts. The first part focuses on sex toys used in masturbation. The sex toys are classified and illustrated based on the time they were supposedly invented, as well as their function and design. The second part is a series of “stippling & line drawings,” where illustrations depict the body and the sex toys involved in masturbation. Various genitalia, bodies, and sex toys are collaged into hybrid forms, aiming to blur the boundary between the organic body and inorganic artifacts (sex toys). Through the process of merging the human body with these artifacts, we also come to better understand ourselves through the pleasure generated by masturbation. By including these artifacts in anatomical illustrations, this chapter extends the boundaries of the body and loosens its definition.

NYCU20-10-2022
MU Hybrid Art House27-11-2022
SOA01-12-2022
Amsterdam UMC04-04-2023
Maastricht11-05-2023
Maastricht24-05-2023

\\ Pre-Order & Book Launch Events Coming Soon! //

* Expected release Date: mid-May(2025).
*Book launch event planned for mid-June(2025).

// Coming Soon //

This project is kindly supported by

BAD Award (Bio Art & Design Award)
MU Hybrid Art House
Dutch Design Foundation
BioArt Laboratories
Next Nature Network
St. Joost School of Art & Design/Master Institute of Visual Cultures.
Creative Industries Fund NL, the Netherlands
National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan