Artistic limbs that change the narrative around prosthetics

Brut America

"It was like being a mutant human in the best possible way."  These creative prosthetics are changing the narrative around disability. This is the Alternative Limb Project.

Transcript

00:00These limbs enable the wearer to claim control over their body and change perceptions of

00:06what it is to be disabled.

00:11I make realistic looking limbs for amputees and also more alternative ones which I create

00:17with other artists and specialists with different skill sets.

00:22What starts off as melting rubber and mixing colours eventually ends in the creation of

00:27something astoundingly lifelike.

00:41I'd want the limbs to reflect people's characteristics, making something super sexy, something humorous,

00:48something thoughtful, maybe something completely absurd.

00:58I've always been interested in blurring the boundaries between what's real and what's not

01:03and ultimately making something realistic looking without the tricks of the camera.

01:08Soon after graduating in special effects, I got a job making realistic prosthetics for amputees.

01:15So I was making fingers, toes, partial feet, partial hands and full arm and leg covers.

01:21Once I got to meet a little girl called Pollyanna who was injured and had her limb amputated.

01:28The idea of just having a realistic limb made to match to blend into society felt a bit

01:35limited in terms of choice and so we kind of spoke about what she could have that would

01:39make her stand out a little bit or engage her.

01:42This is a leg that I had with pictures of my family on.

01:46I could see psychologically that it was quite interesting going down this path.

01:51I've got this space below my amputation that I can play with in sort of like an artistic and creative way.

02:13And I think that's part of what helps me come to terms with having had my amputation.

02:19I thought, OK, well, I've got to find someone who would be willing to kind of show some of these pieces and own it.

02:26And so I found Victoria Modesta.

02:29I'm the pro, I'm the pro, I'm the pro, I'm the pro, I'm the pro, I'm the pro.

02:34Just a couple of years ago, you know, before the Paralympics happened, really, you know, it was a taboo subject.

02:40You know, people were quite scared to see someone wearing a prosthetic.

02:44I remember her saying it was like being a mutant human in the best possible way.

02:49From that, the Alternative Limb Project was born.

02:57This is one of my favourite pieces that was created for Kelly Knox and it's called Materialise.

03:04And the idea was that it was made up of all different earthly materials and non-earthly materials as well.

03:10There's the technology side, medical side and then the art side.

03:15There's fashion that comes into it and also ultimately there's a person with their own story.

03:20Losing your limb and also being born with a limb difference can be incredibly challenging.

03:27You've got other people's perceptions to deal with apart from your own.

03:31The Alternative Limb Project is a way of breaking down those boundaries and turning the whole conversation on its head.

03:40.

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