As Halloween fast approaches, we were inspired to bring you some of the most bizarre and dark eco products. Hands down, this pin hole skull camera crafted by sculpture artist Wayne Martin Belger is the spookiest we have ever seen. The piece, entitled Third Eye, is part of a small collection of eerie photography equipment made from metal, precious stones, and human remains.
The device works by briefly exposing film inside the skull. And just like other pin hole cameras, there are no lenses, battery powered flashes, or any ability to zoom in on a subject. Belger says he prefers this low-tech photo capturing method, because it’s the most “true representation of a segment of light and time – a pure reflection of what is at that moment.”
From a green design perspective, the camera incorporates re-purposed and natural materials, but the use of a human skull has created a stir about whether or not it is ethical. We’ll refer to the artist’s take on it – in his artist statement, Belger comments that his work is inspired by the gold and silver products used by priests that represent the body and blood of a spirit. He also states that each camera is intended to relate to a specific subject to be photographed; in the above case it is a grave site. As intended, the sepia-toned, blurry photos taken with the camera give on-lookers a chilling feeling, along with an appreciation for the odd and beautifully dark imagery.
Belger told Inhabitat that “the skull was from a med students study kit in 1900. Then for about a hundred years it lived in an attic in England. As far as respect for Human remains, I have respect for all of natures remains and honor them so. I spent a great deal of time in South East Asia, so I do lean toward Eastern views. The skull is the “left overs” of the soul and is a honored part of nature. It should be respected as an animal skull, an insect skull or a leaf. I think when you put humans and their remains above all other forms of nature, the separation allows for the thoughtless elitist easy destruction of nature. Ya get things like animals hunted to extinction, burning rain forest and oil spills… BTW the use of human remains in art is an old, wide sped tradition. Tibetans would carve skulls and do beautiful inlay work. They would also make flutes from human femurs. As far as the west, look at the Catacombs in France or look up Prague’s Sedlec Ossuary aka The Bone Church. Both religious institutions… ”
Via BoingBoing
Recycling at its best…