Una Burke’s Medical Armor

I’m probably the last person to blog about this since it’s made the blogosphere rounds, but I thought I would anyway, just for the record. This is Una Burke‘s “medical armor,” a conceptual collection of artwear inspired by prosthetic devices and medical braces and the process of healing from trauma, titled Re.Treat. The warrior-like body armor is reminiscent of medical corsetry, and also of wearing human flesh as a shield against psychological harm. The means of protection also become a means of entrapment, binding the body tightly. She cites a few of her influences as Hans Bellmer, Alexander McQueen, and Erwin Olaf. On her Website she states the pieces were made from “undyed vegetable-tanned leather which is reminiscent of Caucasian flesh” – I couldn’t help finding that last part a little funny.

Related posts:
“Medical dance” from Compagnie Marie Chouinard

Tags: avant-garde, collars, corsetry, erwin olaf, fetish, hans bellmer, historically inspired, medical braces, medical-themed, sinister arts and crafts, trauma, una burke