Inanimate Dissection

2006

altered shoe, wax dissection tray, T-pins, and video projection

H 13” x L 9” x D 3”

Inanimate Dissection applies procedures from a high school biology lesson to a common brown suede shoe. This marks one of Ferguson’s first experiments applying medical procedures to inanimate objects. Each layer was carefully peeled back and pinned in place following the protocol found in a high school biology lesson. The object provides the viewer with an array of “fleshy” colors ranging from deep pink to salmon. Its visceral appearance is enhanced by the treatment of the object’s surface. A slick, glossy coating creeps over the form and collects in the bed of the dissection tray. Video documentation accompanies the artifact when the piece is displayed.