Teethgraphy | 齿形学

2024
Handmade aritst book
Kraft file folder, digital print, binding
148 x 210 x 0.8 cm


In the summer of 2024, I made a dentist's appointment for my neglected teeth. As I lay under the burning light, I heard the dentist refer to my teeth by several mysterious serial numbers to signal the assistant. The dentist skillfully and mechanically explained to me the lesions and undesirable aspects of my teeth, and what corrections could be made to bring them to the most aesthetically pleasing standard. For years I traced with my tongue the geography of the surfaces of my teeth, and their texture was engraved on my strongest muscles. The anxiety of extracting, drilling, and filling this microscopic geology has made my body aware of feeling the disintegration and materialization of this organ. Sophisticated techniques and fascinating medical interpretations constructed their new forms, and miniature landscapes were inaugurated. I plotted my 28 teeth as contour maps, interlaced with standard dental model maps overlays. I intentionally made the teeth serialized files, forcing myself to notice how they differed from the “standard of health”. The 29th tooth is a supernumerary tooth that has left the oral soil. As a running error in the growth program, it does not belong to any of the tooth numbering systems.