The material history of wax is a history of disappearance--wax melts, liquefies, evaporates, and undergoes innumerable mutations. Wax is tactile, ambiguous, and mesmerizing, confounding viewers and scholars alike. It can approximate flesh with astonishing realism and has been used to create uncanny human simulacra since ancient times--from phallic amulets offered to heal distressing conditions and life-size votive images crammed inside candlelit churches by the faithful, to exquisitely detailed anatomical specimens used for training doctors and Medardo Rosso's "melting" portraits. The critical history of wax, however, is fraught with gaps and controversies. After Giorgio Vasari, the subject of wax sculpture was abandoned by art historians; in the twentieth century it once again sparked intellectual interest, only soon to vanish. The authors of the eight essays in Ephemeral Bodies--including the first English translation of Julius von Schlosser's seminal "History of Portraiture in Wax" (1910-11)--break new ground as they explore wax reproductions of the body or body parts and assess their conceptual ambiguity, material impermanence, and implications for the history of Western art.

-- Gives balanced discussion on the pros and cons of plastic surgery -- Explores the motivational factors involved in the process. -- #1 book for liposuction on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com -- Near or at the top of every plastic surgery category at online bookstores Discusses the most commonly performed plastic surgery procedures of the body. This is the only guide that has 156 unretouched, photographically honest before-and-after black and white photos. Most other books have only a few of each procedure, the reproduction quality is poor, and the lighting and distances tend to be uneven and invariably favorable to the result. The photographs used in BodySculpture are as closely matched as possible.

Covers modelling from casts, live models; measurements; frameworks; scale of proportions; compositions; reliefs, drapery, medals, etc. 107 full-page photographic plates. 27 other photographs. 175 drawings and diagrams.

The complete guide to body sculpting with kettlebells. Unlike traditional dumbbells, the true power of the kettlebell lies in its unique shape. Because the kettlebell's center of mass is extended beyond the hand, more muscle groups are utilized in the swinging and movement of a kettlebell as opposed to the lifting of dumbbells, thus producing a much more effective workout. For this reason, the kettlebell has attracted attention from fitness professionals and is being increasingly adapted for the general public. For the first time ever, Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Men gives readers a comprehensive guide to using this unique fitness tool, complete with workouts for people of all fitness levels. Simple to learn, easy to use and with a ton of benefits, Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Men provides the perfect core or supplement to your existing workout routine. With Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Men, you will learn: • How the kettlebell's shape enables endless variety of movement patterns • Sport-specific exercises to enhance performance • Quick, convenient exercises that can be practiced anytime with minimal equipment Utilizing the unique and proven benefits of kettlebells, Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Men provides instructions, exercises, and routines perfect for gaining strength, packing on muscle, and burning body fat. Kettlebells are a surprisingly simple and incredibly effective tool that works more muscle groups than dumbbells for a full-body workout like you've never seen before. NEW AND EFFECTIVE. Kettlebells are quickly growing in popularity, both among fitness professionals and the general public for overall body sculpting work. NO GYM REQUIRED. With a small investment in the kettlebells equipment, the workouts can be done at home. ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FITNESS LEVELS. Includes detailed exercises for beginners and advanced exercisers. Includes workouts for building muscle mass, toning, and increasing cardio fitness. Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Men takes this amazing potential and turns it into results, with pinpointed exercise routines and disciplined strength building workouts to maximize the benefits of your kettlebell program. What are you waiting for? Get fit NOW!

The first book to celebrate the beautiful and provocative ways artists have represented, scrutinized and utilized the body over centuries. Body of Art is the first book to explore the various ways the human body has been both an inspiration and a medium for artists over hundreds of thousands of years. Unprecedented in its scope, it examines the many different manifestations of the body in art, from Anthony Gormley and Maya Lin sculptures to eight-armed Hindu gods and ancient Greek reliefs, from feminist graphics and Warhol's empty electric chair to the blue-tinted complexion of Singer Sargent's Madame X. It is the most expansive examination of the human body in art, spanning western and non-western, ancient to contemporary, representative to abstract and conceptual. Over 400 artists are featured in chapters that explore identity, beauty, religion, absent body, sex and gender, power, body's limits, abject body and bodies & space. Works range from 11,000 BC hand stencils in Argentine caves to videos and performances by contemporary artists such as Marina Abramovic, Joan Jonas and Bruce Nauman? Its fresh, accessible and dynamic voice brings to life the thrilling diversity of both classical and contemporary art through the prism of the body. More than simply a book of representations, this is an original and thought provoking look at the human body across time, cultures and media.

"With great originality and scholarship, Amelia Jones maps out an extraordinary history of body art over the last three decades and embeds it in the theoretical terrain of postmoderism. The result is a wonderful and permissive space in which the viewer...can wander"...-Moira Roth, Trefethen professor of art history, Mills College.

Essays by Olga M. Viso, Guy Brett, Julia P. Herzberg, Chrissie Iles and Laura Roulet.