Non-Frivolous Thoughts: Lennart Nilsson's Baby Pics
For Book 2 I'm researching that golden oldie of SF, the artifical uterus. I'm looking at pictures of fetus in utero (Jaysus, you'd think I'd be done with that by now, you know?); and of course you can't get away from in utero photography without running into Lennart Nilsson's groundbreaking photographic explorations, done in the 1960s. I'm sure you've seen them, celestially-lit embryos and feti looking as pink and winsome as is possible for something inside one's body to look--they've been incorporated into all kinds of state-mandated informed consent materials and co-opted by many many many pro-life and anti-choice folks for their materials.
So anyway, out of curiosity, I looked up Lennart Nilsson in Wikipedia--I wanted to see whether or not I'd get info on just how he did those photos--and guess what!!
All those pictures of luminscent babies?
Dead embryos and fetuses, terminated under legal Swedish abortion procedures. The photo of the baby with its thumb in its mouth? Staged.
This is a fascinating link, not just for that information, but for the look at scientific, ethical history surrounding the fetus.
Interview with Lennart Nilsson where he mentions this. I get the feeling he's been confronted about this a number of times, as he uses a "but I've done work with live ones too!" strategy.
Piece on the visual and language strategies emplyed by both pro-choice and pro-life folks.
So anyway, out of curiosity, I looked up Lennart Nilsson in Wikipedia--I wanted to see whether or not I'd get info on just how he did those photos--and guess what!!
All those pictures of luminscent babies?
Dead embryos and fetuses, terminated under legal Swedish abortion procedures. The photo of the baby with its thumb in its mouth? Staged.
This is a fascinating link, not just for that information, but for the look at scientific, ethical history surrounding the fetus.
Interview with Lennart Nilsson where he mentions this. I get the feeling he's been confronted about this a number of times, as he uses a "but I've done work with live ones too!" strategy.
Piece on the visual and language strategies emplyed by both pro-choice and pro-life folks.