Finding couples to work with is at the heart of the project. This section describes how we built these relationships, starting with initial public descriptions of the project, and following through to some images and opinions of the couples we are currently working with.
Use the following links to navigate to areas within this section:
Couples interested in being involved in the project wrote emails and letters. These were initally responses to online blogs or news diaries about the project. These online articles appeared before we anticipated, and spread rapidly. Along with the first emails to arrive, responses posted by readers of these news items give a snapshot of how the project was initially recieved.
Here is the initial blog entry where the project was mentioned. Within 2 weeks there were over 3000 references to the project online. Searching Google for Biojewelry (which was the original spelling for the project) still returns about 1000 hits, and much discussion about the project at this nascent stage. It was fascinating to see this activity, and a little frustrating because at this point we had only initial documentation and planning to show. Renaming the project was a gramatical decision, but it also gave it a fresh identity and a clean online slate – as you can see from the screen-grab below there was a point when "Biojewellery" returned not one Google result!
A clean slate
Following this online activity was a series of print articles in various newspapers and magazines. Most interest was generated by features in New Scientist and Bizarre magazine, which described the project in very different ways. The former emphasised the engineering processes and the role of the project as creating a public discussion, the later focused on the extremity of the project, and its appeal to a subculture.
We have currently recieved 162 of these introductory emails, and they continue to arrive – though at a much slower rate than when the articles were published.
A selection of extracts from these emails are included below.
Biojewellery as wedding rings
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As luck would have it, I am having a rather large bone fragment (about 10mm round) removed from my right ankle. Can it be used for biojewelry?
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Many aspects of the Biojewelry Project interest me. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, the idea of using our own own flesh and blood, so to speak, rather than metals and gems, to connect my partner and I fascinates me. I can not imagine anything more intimate, anything more symbolic of our bond, as two individuals, to each other. Our rings would be literally made of each other, and we would carry each other's DNA, each other's flesh with us
Furthermore, both of us are fascinated by medical procedures, and by the effect they have on spectators. People tend to turn away in disgust at the site of blood, and at the mention of operations. Would they still do that when we tell them about the biopsies? Would they touch the rings, or step away from them in disgust?
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My interest in your project comes largely from my deep interest in exploring attitudes towards bodies. These explorations have always been practical ones & I've wanted to find assumptions, limits, and explore them. Find out why those assumptions and limits are there & are they tacitly chosen, or are they inherited in ignorance. I've had my tongue split, which literally involved sculpting my flesh on a daily basis as the tissue healed. I've had implants inserted under my skin, shapes and beads carved out of Teflon, to change the shape and texture of my body
Your project seems a logical and exciting continuation to the subjects and concepts that enthral me. The limits of body modification have been that they involve that which is within your body, that which is your body. At which point, however, does your body stop being yours? At the point at which you remove parts of it, grow them independently of the rest of your body, and then carve them perhaps? Would the rings you plan on creating still be my body? Would they my bone? Would they be any different to a wig made out of hair that has been cut off my head? These are some of the concepts that we'd like to explore by being part of your project.
A further aspect is of course added & the giving of the bone to another. The taking of one's own life is generally held to be unacceptable. The giving of organs is generally held to be noble. Locks of hair are given as keepsakes. But a living part of you, carved from you, grown, and turned into a piece of jewelry? Where does that fall into the spectrum? How would people react? And most importantly, WHY would they react that way? Are you violating some religious ethic? A deep personal fear of surgery? A reaction to a previously unencountered concept?
The symbolism of the rings and their meaning is enormous. Added to the meaning normally invested in the giving of rings between two loved ones is the fact that these rings are carved from each other's bones. How could giving my other half a precious stone compare to giving her something grown and carved from a piece of me?
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We are very impressed with the concept and we are attracted to the idea that we would always be wearing part of each others body. We would like to put forward the idea that the rings be carved with a dragon and a tiger (our Chinese astrological signs).
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We've both been involved in a number of publications and other media on emerging arts and technology, and we both think that your project is a fascinating use of bioengineering towards the furthering of public debate (as well as being equally fascinating as a design/artistic statement) we'd both be honoured to be part of this.
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My husband & I have been married for almost 4 years, & I would love for us to be able to be with each other all the time, if even just a small part. Let me know what kind of info you need, & if you are still looking for volunteers.
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I ran across this site when I was reading through New Scientist this week. I think the cause is great. I work at a pharmecutial company in the US cloning genetic material to make more effective vaccines and often wish there were better ways to educate the public about current topics in science. I believe tissue engineering could alleviate a lot of pain and suffering in the world. I would like to congratulate you on your efforts.
Also, I realize that this is a long shot because we do live in the US, but my fiancee and I are going to be in England for our honeymoon in May. We also both just had our wisdom teeth come in and there is a good possibility that we should have them taken out. We have not yet decided what we are going to do for wedding rings but we wanted something non-traditional. Your project certainly fits the criteria. Let me know if we can be of service! Good luck with the project!
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We're writing to express our interest in your project, and in volunteering ourselves (and our cells!) for the process. We have been considering volunteering for the project since hearing about it in February, and have decided that we are interested because we would like a unique reminder of each other for various personal reasons, and we also hope that the project may aid in medical advances.
We are very committed people, and are incredibly eager to take part in this project. We hope you will consider us for participation and look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Easy there - I just read the article featured in issue 96 0f Bizarre - Human Jewellery & am emailing to say my girlfriend & I are very interested in participate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I was a biomechanical reserach engineer for nine years in NYC. This is the most interesting use of bioengineering I've ever seen!
I have struggled for years to find a balance between my love of art and my love of science and engineering. I am resigned to keep them separate but am always on the lookout for something that can combine them both. You've certainly done it.
It is hard to try to insert your art into the world of pure science. I would daresay it is frowned upon. I wonder if you have experienced this in your research endeavors?
This is probably the only time in my life I wish my partner and I were having wisdom extractions. I broke my calcaneus three years ago and had loads of bone chips to donate then. What terrible timing on my part!
I'm assuming you need a trabecular bone sample for culturing? Besides a wisdom extraction, the tips of the rib bones might be a less painful site for sampling. Patients undergoing total joint replacements are your ideal candidates. There is loads of excess trabecular bone after surgery.
We would love to participate in your project. If there's a chance that two people who don't need surgery can participate please let us know!
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We have been trying desperately to find unusual wedding rings for a while now and have tried a few different sources such as Alchemy gothic and various goth style shops, to no avail. I saw the article about the biojewlry in Bizzarre magazine and thought " what a Brilliant Idea", not only are the rings personal and unique but they also have a very pleasing and intriguing aestheitc about them, we would be very grateful if you could send us some information about donating our cells as we would very much like to participate in this program, I would also like to know about the biopsy itself, Hopefully this would be performed under a general anesthetic? and also how much the total proceedure would cost.
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My partner and I have read about your project in both the newspaper and Bizarre magazine and were so intrigued by the idea! Initially it struck me as somewhat strange that modern-day science is actually capable of such things, but we talked and thought about it a lot and decided that it was something we'd both be really interested in. Both of us felt that we'd love to be involved in something that is both so scientifically groundbreaking and that we thought would be so meaningful for the both of us. We're not completely sure of our reasons but we did know that we wanted to at least register our interest in becoming volunteers since this is a certainly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and something we'd love to be part of.
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i would like to participate or purchase a wedding ring grown from my bone. i am physically healthy, i have strong bones and nothing medically wrong with me. i am 27 6ft3 and about 95kgs. looking forward to hearing from you.
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Although we have only known each other a short time, we are totally comitted to each other. It took us two months to realise we could not bear to be apart, and so moved in together (one of us moving over 100 miles to do so). We are scarily similar in many ways, from music and film tastes to more strange and darker habits.
We are both of the opinion that our bodies are the most precious thing we could give each other, we have tasted each others blood and agree that there isnt much that could bring us closer together. Until we read this months Biazarre.
We have discussed signing the civil partnership register and having some form of comittmant ceremony and have been looking at rings that , we feel, best suit us and hold greater meaning for us. We feel that these rings would be an ideal way for us to show our love for each other.
We are both very interesting individuals with open minds and a generally different outlook on life compared to most people, we are intelligent and kind and hopefully we would be able to give something back to you in the process if we were chosen. I think that what you are embarking on is an amazing concept and beautiful in an artistic way, i like very much the way you are trying to combine science with art and think that you could do it very successfully, its a beautiful idea and the ultimate way to show your commitment and love for someone.
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We saw an article about your bio jewellrey in this months bizzare magazine and both thought it would be amazing to participate in something like this.
It appealed to us because it would be the better than any diamonds we could ever afford and have a much deeper meaning than any gold could give.We have been thinking about getting engaged but have never found any rings which could show how we feel.That was until we read about your bone rings. So we thought we would send this to say we would love to participate in this pioneering project and be the first of many more to come, we would cheerish them forever and would never be able to thank you enough for giving us both this opportunity. We are both healthy and would expect no payment other than the two rings once you have finished with this facinating scientific trail and we look forward to hearing from you soon so get typin...........
so reply at this adress and we hope we can help you.
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ii) Getting Involved
This section tells you how to become involved in the Biojewellery project. Your application needs to reach us by 12th April 2005.
A couple of things have slowed down our responses to couples who have already expressed an interest. Most importantly we needed to create a consent form for participants to sign. This is a research project with a public exhibition and website. We want to be clear how we intend to use images of participants, and other documentation like interview transcripts.
The consent form can be linked to below, please have a look through it and ask any questions you have about the project. It's important that you have a clear idea idea of what the project is about. There is also a link to an information sheet about the project, and an application form. Please download all of these document and read them carefully.
The application form should be posted to the address below with a consent form. Without a signed consent form, we will not be able to include you in the project, but we can keep you up to date on how it progresses, and will continue to value your comments and ideas.
Am I eligible for the project?
Working with a broad range of couples is a core aim of Biojewellery. Placing too many constraints on who can take part means the project suffers. With this in mind there are as few restrictions as possible. These restrictions are required to help the project progress, and make sure we use our budget responsibly.
For example, it is unfortunately not practical to work with couples living outside the UK. We have received some fascinating emails from the US, and from couples living in Japan, Norway, Australia, Brazil, France and Spain. The reason for this is that we want to develop a close working relationship with the couple. This is a UK based project, and we have a modest travel budget to meet for interviews and photography.
Here is the complete list of criteria for getting involved further:
- You are part of a couple, both of you want to be involved
- Both of you are 18 or over
- Both of you are UK residents and registered with a dentist
- Both of you have problems with wisdom teeth
You will both need to be able to say yes to all four of these requirements. Please get in touch if you have any questions about eligibility.
What next?
We want to hear more about you. The application form will include some details about your age and address, and also asks you for something more creative. This is the start of a series of activities where you have an opportunity to shape the project, and add something to it.
If you are not eligible for the project in its entirety, but you would still like to tell us more about yourselves, please use this form.
On 12th april a selection of named couples will be submitted to the medical ethics board at Guys Hospital, please ensure you have responded before that date. At this point we will be seeking approval for surgery to remove one or more wisdom teeth, and for the culturing of bone cells which follows the operation. Please remember that this surgery will need to be supported by your dentist, a referral needs to be in place, or being sought.
A selection of names will be put forward, and we hope a selection of 3-5 couples will donate bone for the project. The surgery will take place at Guy's Hospital London, this is likely to be over a 2 day period in late may or early june. This will be the only critical date of the project, the couple need to be available during this period. Firm arrangements for this will be made in april, along with much more detail about the surgery and the process.
There will be an opportunity to come into the lab see the samples of your bone as it is being cultured. We will also be using time lapse photography to film this process, and using microscopic imaging to create still images.
Here is a selection of content recieved from couples whose names have been added to an application for bone tissue engineering at Guys hospital.
Harriet and Matthew
"New news! I went to see my dentist last night and he said I have cysts on my wisdom teeth and should have them out inder IV sedation rather than general or local plus there will be the need to remove 'bits' of bone because my teeth are impacted -this is very good news for the biopsy and it also means I had to have a 'fresh' hopsital referral so I have loads of time... easily a couple of months. So! Which month is best for you guys - April, May, June? July?" Harriet, 4 February 2005 08:59:17 GMT
Trish and Lynsey
I have found my soulmate in Trish. She completes me and I love her with all that I am. She is everything I ever wanted in a partner and so many things I didn’t know I wanted."Lynsey 11 April 2005 15:10:31 BDT
Vicky and Martyn
Ideas for the rings submitted by Vicky
We've ended up with 5 couples whom we intend to work with over the course of the project. Our choices were guided by nothing other than the practical constraints mentioned above.
To start a dialogue we are visiting the couples at their home, so they can ask questions and we can get an idea of what they want to get out of the project. Working in this way is exciting and unpredictable, the projects is pushed in unexpected ways and fresh ideas are presented. We believe this is strong way to work; it keeps the work fresh, lively, and avoids dead ends.
Documenting these meetings is extremely important. We want to present the couples stories in a rich manner, and one way of doing this is to have good portraits. Were working with photographer Michael Venning, his documentary portraiture will form a large part of our final exhibition. His images from our initial visits are shown below, in order of who we saw first.
Michelle and Ashley
These images were taken at home in north east London. Freya and Leon were unsure at first, then we came under fire from their green play-dough. Some shots in the front room dedicated to the children, and the garden where Ashley is building an enormous play area.
Michelle had seen an articlal about Biojewellery in Bizarre magazine, and Ashley is a keen home jeweller with a small studio at his father's home.
Matt and Harriet
Harriet and Matt live in west London, we headed there once Freay and Leon let us go!
Both Matt Harriet has some strong ideas about their rings, there's plenty of detail in this transcript of an interview with Sonja Zjawinski from Wired magazine.
Michaela and Jon
Jon and Michaela were redecorating their home when we visited, we reassured them this would add interest to Michael's photos. Both are keen musicians, and have science and engineering backgrounds. This fascination in science drew them to the project, after Michaela saw an article in New Scientist.
Jon and Michaela met four years ago, and we're helping to design wedding rings for them. They are keen to have simple white silver bands, embedded with a circle of with their bone.
Trish and Lynz
Although Trish and Lynz met fairly recently, they have made a commitment to be together. They were looking for rings to symbolise this when Lyns saw the Bizarre magazine article.
They have a great deal in common, but I can reveal that individually Trish has penchant for Salvador Dali's panting, while Lynz has a secret love of Rolf Harris.
