The exhibition “Steine” by Ilana Halperin, which has been on display at the Berliner Medizinhistorisches Museum der Charité since January, has been extended until September 23, 2012. Drawing inspiration from the connections between the body’s physical geology and that of the Earth we inhabit, Halperin investigates the intersection between body stones and geology—new landmass formed inside and outside the body.

Inspired by the collection of stones at the Berliner Medizinhistorisches Museum der Charité – initially created by the 18th century anatomists, or ‘body mineralogists’, JG Walter and FA Walter – and continuing through to new acquisitions of stones formed within the recent past, Halperin has made a series of new works: etchings, woodcuts, a film and innovative sculptures formed in the geothermal pools of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Together with sculptures created in the petrifying springs of Fontaines Pétrifiantes de Saint-Nectaire in France, the artist’s work lies at the very heart of a geology produced by both the body and the Earth. The exhibition shows geological objects from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and the HunterianMuseum, Glasgow, the oldest known object on Earth, the Allende meteorite, and the largest known bladder stone in the world. The Schering Stiftung has funded the exhibition as a fascinating project at the interface of contemporary art, medicine and geology.

Additionally supported by Creative Scotland, British Council and Blue Lagoon, Iceland. Curators: Sara Barnes (Independent Curator, Berlin), Andrew Patrizio (Professor of Scottish Visual Culture, University of Edinburgh)