Melbourne University Cultural Treasures - Part 1, Zoology

In conjunction with the Melbourne Open House program, various collections at Melbourne University were open to the public as part of their Cultural Treasures Festival. I made a bee line for the Zoology collection, checked out the BioMed library, and finished in the Pathology and Anatomy Collection (no photographs allowed out of respect for the humans who donated their bodies to science, and thus these collections).

I took photos of specimens which helped me identify some in my own collection, as well as the most weird and cute - yes even a dead thing can be cute.






Mammalian foetuses are bitter sweet and peaceful. Photographing on a mobile phone through two layers of glass presents a challenge, in the case of pickled specimens so I couldn't capture all of my favourites.

A solid meal

Seen last week in the city, corner of Latrobe and Elizabeth Streets. This is the first time I've seen a sculpture as street art. This must have taken a while to produce, and the person who made is is obviously experienced at casting things in concrete. I admire that level of commitment, especially to something that will either be removed by the council or souvenired by a fellow admirer - I did think about it in hindsight. The skull among the sesame seeds is a nice touch. The discarded Maccas box just happened to be nearby.

Young at heart

On the tram into the city one cold morning. I have my headphones on but I'm guessing an elderly chap behind me is being amusing from the  faces on the passengers around me. I take off my headphones as I approach my stop. Another passenger departs and the old guy moves across to sit on the now free seat next to his wife. The young chap chatting with him comments
"Too cold for you?"
"This? No! It doesn't bother me - I'm a young man!"

Look it up, b****.

On the 59 tram, city bound we leave the decorative Royal Children's Hospital stop. Young woman to her male friend:
"...  for the children! People are all 'Have a heart', whatever. I'm such a bitch. Do you think everyone is surprised that I'm a bitch?"
"Nah I don't think so. If you looked up Wikipedia, the definition of bitch, it would say Sarah."

Purple Sea Urchin tests, South NSW coast

One of the things I love doing is finding specimens and sighting wild creatures, then hopping online to learn about them. The shell of a sea urchin is called a test. When alive/fleshed they have an internal bony structure surrounding the mouth called a lantern or Aristotle's lantern.



These two are the biggest sea urchin tests I have ever found. They were also subject to the most intensive cleaning I have ever deigned to give a beach combing find. Of course when it's as special as these two it's worth it. Neither was found fully spined and both were still occupied but definitely dead. Their remaining spines were a deep purple and based on their size, and location are most likely Purple Sea Urchins.

I did a bit of research online into preserving them with spines (one was half covered) but that would have required pure alcohol.* I have only found isopropyl alcohol in 125ml bottles at Bunnings for almost $8. It would have taken at least two bottles to cover one of these urchins. Had either been fully spined I would have considered it worth it. This process would also have preserved the animal inside as well.

Instead I gutted them, removing the lantern and scraping out of the soft innards. After much rinsing out to remove remaining crud I soaked them in a weak bleach solution to help loosen the spines. I put one aside to dry out completely.  With the other I spent a couple of hours picking off any remaining external tissue and tried microwaving it to soften that up. It is quite gristley and near impossible to remove! This shrinks down into a shellac like substance when dried out, so I just let it dry out like my first one.




Photographed with a $2 coin (∅ 20.5mm) to give you an idea of size. As you can see the peristome (mouth) aperture is large. So big I could almost pop my digital camera's lens into it.


The periproct as viewed through the peristome . Yup that's the prettiest periproct I have ever seen - and the only one I have photographed I hasten to add.

A pickled sea urchin doesn't know its peristome from it's periproct!

*edit 01/08/2012
Gah! My initial research threw me a red herring with the 70% isopropyl because I assumed what was good for preserving starfish would have been good for sea urchins as well. Right after tracking down some 40% isopropyl in a 500ml bottle @ $4.50 I hop online...Further in depth research has uncovered that it is ethanol or pure grain alcohol that is best for preserving specimens in general. Quality articles on the subject confirm this. This is what the linked to site in this post about preserving sea urchins refers to. Common as muck methylated spirits (95% ethanol) diluted with distilled water to 70-80% purity would have done the job. Professionals use an industrial methylated spirits (99.9%) but you need a licence to get it.

I am finding that 40% solution rather excellent for cleaing my laptop, mobile phone, remotes and a range of other devices. So it's not a total waste of time.

Goodness, gracious great balls of...

At Broulee Beach, NSW. 6-8 year old girl to her possibly Islander Dad about something she has beach combed.
"Dad, look - it's like a super ball."
"Might be poo."
*pause* *thud of small object*
*man laughing*
Girl,
"Nah it couldn't be a poo because it's too hard."

Victorian Iron Man

If Iron Man's Tony Stark lived in the Victorian period he might have looked something like this:



Original image from Cassell's Family Magazine, 1886, page 576

The light source was powered by a similar sized battery, just to add to that likeness. Accompanying text:

'A very neat portable hand electric lamp has been introduced for use in mines, gunpowder works, and other inflammable places, besides being adapted for use as a railway or carriage reading-lamp ... the box, B which is of varnished teak, and has a flat, flexible leather handle ... The size of the box is 6 by 5 by 4 inches, and the weight of the whole is only 6lbs ... can be put under the seat of the carriage, or in the hat-racks, while the lamp is held in the hand, or fixed to the button-hole of the coat.'

The rest of the text discusses the chemistry behind the batteries suitable for such a device which I won't go into.

Robert Downey Jnr as Mr Stark wired up to a car battery: 

Solo Chainsaw - Vintage Ad. 1969

A start so effortless, even a tamed model in a leopard print bathing suit can use it.

Clipping taken from some newspaper, found under some old vinyl flooring at my old family home in Melbourne.

Virtual fish bowl...

... there's no water, no bowl, and the fish is rubber!

I've tried growing a number of plants in this second-hand shallow, bonsai dish that cost me about a dollar or less: parley seeds, bonsai rosemary, succulents and mint. Hopefully this one will live! I moved it into our bathroom a few weeks ago so my orchid that was there could go in the portable greenhouse over Winter.

Anyhoo, I like how my op shop fish looks like he's swimming in a bowl even though he is in air. He is actually a much brighter orange - almost fluorescent - in real life but it's hard to capture that with a camera.

Phở bia = a fear of Vietnamese soup

Phở bia = a fear of Vietnamese soup

Post-It note caption/inspiration for photo by my housemate. Styling and dramatic Photoshopping by moi. Model is Wallace from Aardman Studios. Wallace wears The Wrong Trousers by Feathers McGraw.

New fangled button

A patented design that became so ubiquitous in its success we now take it for granted.



'UNDER the appropriate name of "The Very Button," Messrs. Green and Cadbury have patented a two-hole linen button, which will be found to be among the most servicable that are made As a rule, buttons are a fruitful source of annoyance to nearly everybody, but we venture to think that "The Very Button" will be considered an exception to the rule. We can recommend its use for all kinds of under-clothing, and we think that no one will ever regret having given it a trial.'

Original image from Cassell's Household Guide, c. late 19th century. Estimated to be before electricity in houses, pre 1881/1882. Gas lighting and manual washing machines are mentioned elsewhere in this double volume.

T-Rex cares not for the Docklands

AARRGGGHHHRRR!!!
 
T-Rex on the attack down at the Docklands. Just look what he did to that ferris wheel. It may never run again...

Teddy's Dream after a Dormitory Feed!

Original image from The Boy's Own Paper, Saturday, February, 1899, No. 1048. - Vol XXI, page 8

The Black Market, The Dormouse and The Meerkat

The Black Market is an alternative culture market featuring crafts, art and bric-a-brac. I will be sharing a stall with my housemate who has knitted goods.

We will be called  
The Dormouse and The Meerkat.

Click here or below on the titles in the price list to see some of what will be on sale from me, The Meerkat.  There will be Black Market Specials on my artworks, dropped from their previous gallery/Wunderkammer prices. Prices start from $30.

The Black Market

Saturday, June 9

11-6

@

Revolt Melbourne Artspace

12 Elizabeth St, Kensington, Melbourne, VIC 3031

Entry is free for the Black Market, with ticket admission for other events as part of Fiend Fest.

Creature Comfort

Illustration by T. Cromwell Lawrence

Illustration by T. Cromwell Lawrence.


The good runners...


... and the beetle that loved them.

Original image from The Boy's Own Paper, Saturday, December, 1898, No. 1040. - Vol XXI, page 3

More Vintage LOLrus

Original image source: The Boy's Own Paper, Saturday, July 29, 1899, No. 1072. - Vol XXI, page 1

According to the text this is an illustration of a 'bladder-nose'. That's 'Mr. Bladder-nose to you, and not to be confused with the elephant seal, who is quite another bucket of fish.

Koalas like trams - and love Australia

These koalas were seen on the 112 tram to the city last Saturday morning, quietly blending in with the onboard decor.

'Dear' Old Aunt Sally

Original image and text from The Boy's Own Paper, Saturday, November 12, 1899, No. 1035. - Vol XXI, page 13

 'The following games will not only cause much amusement to the different players joining therein, but will afford that healthy exercise which is so necessary for the maintenance of health...

... Fig. 1 gives "dear old Aunt Sally," who, no matter how much we may knock her about, still smiles, and keeps it up too, as if in encouragement and invitation to have another shy. Aunt Sally's head should be carved out of a block of wood, and the sculptor's art exhibited need not be of any high order, as the more grotesque the features the better. When the head is carved it must be painted black, in imitation of a neggress* with a sweet smile, bright red lips, and pearly-white teeth**. A hole should be made underneath the head, large enough to insert the end of a broomstick, the other end to sharpened to a point, as seen in the illustration, so that it may be easily pushed into the ground ... A small hole should be drilled in the nose to receive a short clay pipe, a quantity of which may be obtained from the tobacconists' shops for a few pence ... round sticks, as A in fig. 1, about eighteen inches in length, can be made by sawing up broomsticks into the required length.

All is now ready. Stand Sally up, and place a pipe in her nose. Three sticks are to be given to each player, the game being to break the pipe by aiming sticks at it...'

I'm not going to dissect the obvious racism, and violence against women such a game suggests'. Almost one hundred and thirteen years later I think we can all agree this is so many levels of wrong. Additionally, promoting waste and destruction is hardly healthful exercise ... the modern equivalent would be to gather several empty glass bottles together to throw rocks at them, thus 'fostering quickness of sight'. I have put in italic the parts I found especially abhorent and leave it at that. I'll be flippant and say: Good luck finding an intact broom afterwards to clean up all that broken pipe!

*Blogger's dictionary doesn't know what this word is :) Good!
**We know that no one actually looks like this!

King of Cookies, design for Threadless

Please vote for my Threadless shirt artwork for the Sesame Street Design Challenge:

King of Cookies.

To vote for it and any of the other awesome designs by my fellow artists you can either create a Threadless account or use the Threadless Facebook application and use your Facebook log in (don't uncheck the boxes on that or it won't work). Thank you :)

Stupid is as stupid does.

Yesterday afternoon, J and I are out on the road, on our bikes to Aldi for some bicycle bits on special. Coming up to a set of red lights we negotiate past a car in a drive way reversing her way into traffic, her car end sticking out into the road. She would have needed other cars to let her in so it wasn't going to happen just yet. 
As I wave my hand to the driver politely acknowledging our passage through, the driver yells "Stupid bikes!".
I think 'stupid driver'. 
J asks me what she said, I repeat it. 
In true J fashion, without missing a beat he responds "But bikes aren't sentient."