A woman stands with a prosthetic arm made of clear material and gold

Model Kelly Knox wearing “Synchronised.” Photos by Omkaar Kotedia, all images © The Alternative Limb Project, shared with permission

For more than a decade, Sophie de Oliveira Barata has been at the helm of The Alternative Limb Project, a Lewes-based studio that makes custom prosthetics for people with amputated or missing appendages. The designs range from uncannily realistic to fantastic, fairytale-like creations that fall at the intersection of art and medicine, a unique meeting point she discusses in a new interview with Colossal.

Some people have an idea that it will just be exactly the same all the time, and your body is a living organism, which is impossible to replicate. In some ways, it’s easier to go for an alternative because you haven’t got to match something that’s just changing all the time.

In this conversation, de Oliveira Barata speaks about the young girl who helped inspire the project, how cultural conceptions of physical disability have evolved, and the imaginative, empowering possibilities of alternative limbs.

Read the interview.

 

A person sits on a chair out of sight so that the image focuses on an anatomical prosthetic leg with blue muscles and a realistic looking partial foot

“Anatomical Leg”

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Interview: Sophie de Oliveira Barata on The Alternative Limb Project and the Nexus of Art and Medicine appeared first on Colossal.

©

Related Posts

Interview: Sophie de Oliveira Barata on The Alternative Limb Project and the Nexus of Art and MedicineInterview: Sophie de Oliveira Barata on The Alternative Limb Project and the Nexus of Art and Medicine
Entract 127 Coworking Offices – Sofia
MoVe Architects designed a sophisticated and flexible space for the...
Read more
Interview: Sophie de Oliveira Barata on The Alternative Limb Project and the Nexus of Art and MedicineInterview: Sophie de Oliveira Barata on The Alternative Limb Project and the Nexus of Art and Medicine
Tips for Wearing Shorts in the Office
With summer coming up soon, now is an excellent time...
Read more
Interview: Sophie de Oliveira Barata on The Alternative Limb Project and the Nexus of Art and MedicineInterview: Sophie de Oliveira Barata on The Alternative Limb Project and the Nexus of Art and Medicine
Size up your mobile lifestyle with this...
When you’re a small family, an RV seems an effective...
Read more
Cuba’s Distinctive Architecture Glows in Vibrant Photos by James KerwinCuba’s Distinctive Architecture Glows in Vibrant Photos by James Kerwin
Cuba’s Distinctive Architecture Glows in Vibrant Photos...
In a recent series titled Time Suspended, James Kerwin explores...
Read more
Cenk Tosun of Turkiye celebratesCenk Tosun of Turkiye celebrates
How to watch Austria vs. Turkey online...
TL;DR: Watch Austria vs. Turkey in Euro 2024 for free...
Read more
Interview: Sophie de Oliveira Barata on The Alternative Limb Project and the Nexus of Art and MedicineInterview: Sophie de Oliveira Barata on The Alternative Limb Project and the Nexus of Art and Medicine
Amazon Music Unlimited: Free 3 or 4-Month...
As part of the run-up to Amazon “Prime Big Deal...
Read more