As possibly the first, and certainly the most obvious, canvas upon which human differences can be written and read, skin has been a topic of continuous interest in anthropology and related disciplines from the earliest descriptions of exotic people to postmodern theorizing about the body in contemporary society.
Skin, as a visible way of defining individual identity and cultural difference, is not only a highly elaborated preoccupation in many cultures; it is also the subject of wide ranging and evolving scholarly discourse in the humanities and social sciences.
Although my focus is mainly on the anthropological literature, it is impossible to ignore work in other fields. Today, archaeologists and historians are rewriting the history of the body using evidence from newly discovered ancient bodies, artworks, and texts.
Discussions of contemporary “body work” merge the perspectives of anthropology, sociology, psychology, cultural studies, philosophy, and gender studies… each discipline mapping onto the body its shifting theoretical preoccupations.

Check out this silent film from 1926 that takes us “through the basic physiology of the human skin, combining anatomical education and basic healthcare advice. We see the epidermis and its replacement, the structure of the underlying dermis, nails, sweat glands and hair follicles.”

The ‘Skin’ exhibition was discovered by our editor Adeena Mey.

Watching MESRINE a few months ago in Switzerland, I intuitively thought: This film is indisputably driving from the French cinema, however its core is definitely built with American tools. Pretty bad movie, but entertaining and featuring a great cast of actors. For those who are tired of the French “Nouvelle Vague” legacy, go for the French “Nouvelle Hollywood”! Opening on Friday in New York and Los Angeles.

Directed by Jean-François Richet; written by Abdel Raouf Dafri, based on the novel “L’Instinct de Mort” by Jacques Mesrine; director of photography, Robert Gantz; edited by Bill Pankow; music by Marco Beltrami; production designer, Émile Ghigo; costumes by Virginie Montel; produced by Thomas Langmann; released by Music Box Films.

as a free association to the doppelgänger thing (which is not really what the article is about anyway), I thought I’d bring back the classic Guy de Maupassant short story Le Horla.

Yesterday was held at the New York Swiss Institute, with the blessing of the auspicious Gianni Jetzer, the official presentation of our—nearly—new born baby “Novembre“. It was a very nice night full of friends, performances & bloody mary. I personally want to thank Jeanne-Salomé & Clément for putting it all up, the performers & attendees, and Ting Ting for helpful assistance. An more exhaustive report will be posted in the next few days!

Violence can be disapproved from a moral point of view, but let’s face it, the real, ultimate truth about violence was revealed once for all in Starship Troopers.

Dizzy: My mother always told me that violence doesn’t solve anything.
Jean Rasczak: Really? I wonder what the city founders of Hiroshima would have to say about that. [to Carmen] You.
Carmen: They wouldn’t say anything. Hiroshima was destroyed.
Jean Rasczak: Correct. Violence has resolved more conflicts than anything else. The contrary opinion that violence doesn’t solve anything is merely wishful thinking at its worst.

Couple of nice recent pieces from rising Norwegian artist Erik Tidemann who we profiled earlier this year. Kinder bueno indeed. More at http://www.myspace.com/eriktidemann