Atlas of Queer Anatomy aims to challenge the medical patriarchy and heteronormativity of anatomical education by constructing an ambiguous, uncertain, fluctuating anatomical system. There are three parts to this project. The first part is the new textbook Atlas of Queer Anatomy, which is an ironic reflection on the classic anatomical textbook “Atlas of Human Anatomy” drawn by Frank H. Netter (1906-1991), a white male scholar. Atlas of Human Anatomy was first published in 1957 and has been widely used in medical education until now. Although it is a classic textbook, it shows the lack of inclusivity in anatomical visualization. Hence, the new Atlas of Queer Anatomy is a collection of anatomical drawings which emphasize sexual diversity to criticize the limitation of Atlas of Human Anatomy. 

In the second part of this project, the team transformed the drawings of Chapters into a series of 3D sculptures and installations in the exhibition. The 3D interpretations of queer anatomy are critiques of the rigidity of existing exhibitions of human anatomy. The last part of this project consists of multiple participatory performances called “Queer Anatomy Lesson”. These activities were arranged during the project development by collaborating with diverse organizations and institutions, such as Amsterdam UMC, Medical Education Fringe Festival, ISSTDR, etc. In these events, the participants learned the concept of queer anatomy and drew their interpretations of anatomical imagination.  

In the Atlas of Queer Anatomy, Chapter 1 explores the symbiosis between humans and microorganisms in STIs. Chapter 2 envisions the anatomical interpretation of intersex while Chapter 3 explores the topic of transgender anatomy, including the visualization of gender-affirming surgery. Chapter 4: visualizes the relationship between body odor, microbes and the human body and Chapter 5 visualizes the organic-inorganic relationship between masturbation and sex toys. 

Book
Text: Henry de Vries, Kuang-Yi Ku
Illustration: Kuang-Yi Ku, Tzu-Yen Chen, Wen-Yu Tsai
Design: Tzu-Yen Chen
Edited by: Henry de Vries, Kuang-Yi Ku
Science consultant: Roelof-Jan Oostra, Naomi van Hout
Publisher: Limestone Books
Printer: Drukkerij Walters Maastricht bv 

Exhibition
Graphic and book design: Tzu-yen Chen
Video making: Tzu-yen Chen
3D model fabrication: Te-Yen Hsu, Wen-Yu Tsai
Textile fabrication: Shin Hua Yang
Spatial design: Hsing-Wen Lin/ MCMarchi 

With support from: BAD Award (Bio Art & Design Award); MU Hybrid Art House; Dutch Design Foundation; BioArt Laboratories; Next Nature Network; St. Joost School of Art & Design/Master Institute of Visual Cultures; Creative Industries Fund NL, the Netherlands; National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan 

Kuang-Yi Ku (TW) lives and works both in Taiwan and the Netherlands. He is an assistant professor at the Institute of Applied Arts in NYCU, Taiwan, and a PhD researcher at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. He is a former dentist, bio-artist, and speculative designer. His works often deal with the human body, sexuality, interspecies interaction, and medical technology, aiming to investigate the relationships among technology, individuals, and the environment. Kuang-Yi Ku won the Bio Art & Design Award, the Core77 Speculative Design Award, the Gijs Bakker Award, and the Taipei Digital Art Award.