Philosophy Discussion Forums | A Humans-Only Club for Open-Minded Discussion & Debate

[Supine]

I don't know if Nazis did or didn't in fact make lamp shades out of human skin. I've heard people say on a number of occasions, that the Nazis did this.

What I have read - in a book looking at three different regions colonized by Europeans - was that British scientists were working on the island of Tasmania during the 19th Century attempting to find evidence of, and prove, white superiority through the processes of evolution. Apparently, looking at fossil and human skeletal records.

When the last Tasmanian man died a number of whites raided his casket tearing the corpse apart to take souvenirs. One British scientist took skin from the corpse and made a tobacco pouch out of it.

Are lamp shades and tobacco pouches made out of human skin works of art?

If not why?

If yes why?

What about leather seats and upholstery in luxury cars made out of non-human animal skins?

[HANDSON]

As detestable as the thought is, I don't think the use of human skin would disqualify an object from being an artwork. If we call the functional objects you mention sculpture which their three-dimensionality would allow they certainly would qualify.

One could site, as precedence, early Day of the Dead rituals among the Aztecs and Mayans in which human skulls were displayed and Australian Aboriginal funerary rites in which the bones of the deceased were collected, painted and enshrined.

[T-RAY]

The human body is a masterpiece. I have an artist friend who does amazing work using the human body.....google Abattoir Larue to see his work

[Supine]

As detestable as the thought is, I don't think the use of human skin would disqualify an object from being an artwork. If we call the functional objects you mention sculpture which their three-dimensionality would allow they certainly would qualify.

One could site, as precedence, early Day of the Dead rituals among the Aztecs and Mayans in which human skulls were displayed and Australian Aboriginal funerary rites in which the bones of the deceased were collected, painted and enshrined.

In modern day human skeletal remains are used and displayed (and open to the public) as art.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/tapholov/pages/bones.html



My young nephews with my parents toured one of these places when they were visiting Rome.

I do find using human skin for furniture or accessories macabre.

But maybe PETA has pierced my conscience because while I love leather chairs, couches, coats, and luxury automobile interiors... part of me feels guilt and questions myself about using animals this way.



-- Updated December 11th, 2012, 3:43 pm to add the following --

The human body is a masterpiece. I have an artist friend who does amazing work using the human body.....google Abattoir Larue to see his work

That guy is pretty good I must admit. I did an internet search and saw his work here:

http://abattoirlarue.com/

[Blazing Donkey]

Are lamp shades and tobacco pouches made out of human skin works of art?

Though I personally find it unappealing, I would have to say yes for several reasons:

1) "Art" is subjective. That alone trumps anything else. 2) The medium that the art is created in cannot stop it from being art.

It should also be remembered that many religions and spiritual orders as well as tribal communities commonly venerate the bones of their dead and even incorporate them into artifacts and jewelry. Also, museums and scientific institutions all over the world have human bones and organs on display.

What about leather seats and upholstery in luxury cars made out of non-human animal skins?

Yes. This is called design art.

[Alias]

No, those kinds of objects would be, at best, craft; more probably mere novelty items. Like polar bear rugs, gorilla-hand ashtrays, giant sea-turtle shell salad bowls and elephant-leg umbrella stands. Art is a creative rearrangement of materials to make a statement, convey a message or evoke an emotional state. Grotesquery does none of this, unless being grossed-out is an emotion worth evoking. Plus, the artifacts themselves are indifferent quality.

[Granth]

Now I know to donate my body to the home appliance and decor industry.

[Theophane]

The human body is a masterpiece. I have an artist friend who does amazing work using the human body.....google Abattoir Larue to see his work

Ed Gein did some pretty remarkable things with the body-parts of the people he killed. Should we call him an artist? Is art entirely subjective or is possible to label something as "not-art" because we find it too offensive? Personally, I draw the line at the grotesque and the morbid.