Linda Vitamvas ~ Wisconsin

2nd Stage
By Linda Vitamvas
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Linda Vitamvas, 2006. Series of 3, each unique.

10 x 5 x 2" open. Housed in 11 x 8.25 x 2.25" handmade case. Altered obstetrics text: Principles and Practice of Obstetrics by Joseph B. DeLee, A.M., M.D. and J.P. Greenhill, B.S., M.D., published by the W. B. Saunders Company of Philadelphia.

Altered book: cut pages form a uterine-like cavity that leads to an image of a fetus.

Linda Wevery Vitamvas: "Old medical and nursing texts are my fascination. Not only are the illustrations interesting in their dated and hand drawn form, they tell a unique story related to the perception of human anatomy and physiology. The psychological and sociologic make-up of the time is revealed, lending an added layer of interest to my investigation. 2nd Stage depicts my continued struggle to define myself as an artist while still acknowledging my past as a nurse. Dissecting the book becomes a symbolic and therapeutic act. The brutal gesture of cutting into a book is referential to the primordial forces of birth. Slowly and methodically turning the page resembles the anticipatory nature of the biological process. The integration of science and intuition, of facts and empirical knowledge, remain the basis for my work."
$500