EXPLODED SKULL | A Craft on the Brink of Extinction

Описание: In this documentary, we showcase the unveiling of a commissioned Beauchene, or “exploded” , skull at The Bone Museum.
First developed in 19th-century France by anatomist Edmé Beauchene, the Beauchene skull is one of the most intricate forms of anatomical preparation ever created. Each bone is carefully separated, drilled, pinned, and suspended in space to reveal the structure of the human skull in breathtaking detail. Few were ever made. Fewer still survive intact.
Today, this craftsmanship is nearly extinct.

This piece was commissioned by The Bone Museum and created by artist Matt Hall — one of the only preparators in the world still capable of producing a true Beauchene using traditional methods. In an era of plastic replicas and digital models, this work represents something rare: the preservation of anatomical artistry in its original form.

As institutions shift away from hands-on osteology and historic preparation techniques disappear, we are left asking:

What happens when knowledge of craft dies with its last practitioner?
At The Bone Museum, our mission is not only to preserve human remains, but to preserve the skills, histories, and craftsmanship that shaped anatomical education for centuries.

This is more than an unveiling. It’s a record of a vanishing art.
Filmed at The Bone Museum in Brooklyn, New York.

Shot in Brooklyn New York at The Bone Museum
Directed By: Jon Pichaya Ferry
Cinematography By: Eric Anthony Valencia
Assistant Director: Masha Potemkin
Produced By: Jon Pichaya Ferry
Edited By: Eamon Sugarman
Artist and Preparator: Matt Hall
Event Photography: Noble Assani
Studio Photography: Paul Eo