Animatus is the brilliant work of Korean artist Hyungkoo Lee. He produced a science style exhibition of his skeletons of cartoons, as if they were truly real animal species! His work has been described as “pop palaeontology” a term for when an artist imagines what the 3-D internal structures might look like of 2-D characters.
Can you spot Bugs Bunny? Donald Duck and his three nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie? The Road Runner? Wile E Coyote? Even Tom and Jerry?
His meticulously created sculptures are made from resin,aluminium sticks, steel wires, springs and oil paint. “Animatus” is currently exhibiting at the Natural History Museum in Basel, Switzerland.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Pop Palaeontology
- The fusion of popular culture and paleontology could lead to the creation of unique museum exhibits and tourism experiences.
- Cartoon Character Realism
- There may be opportunities to create realistic versions of beloved cartoon characters for merchandising or entertainment purposes.
- Skeletal Sculptures
- The creation of anatomically accurate skeletal sculptures of non-human characters could have applications in fields like veterinary medicine and biology education.
Where This Applies
- Museums and Galleries
- Museums and galleries could incorporate pop palaeontology into their exhibits to attract new visitors and offer a unique experience.
- Entertainment
- Companies in the entertainment industry could create realistic versions of cartoon characters for films, television shows, and theme parks.
- Education
- Skeletal sculptures could be used in educational settings, such as veterinary schools or museums, to provide a hands-on learning experience.
