Blanca Haddad's 'My First Anatomy Lesson': Art as Ethical Self-Exposure

On August 9, 2026, Blanca Haddad, a Venezuelan artist, released an essay titled "My First Anatomy Lesson" on Artishock Revista. In her piece, she emphasizes that recognizing political ailments necessitates an awareness of personal symptoms. Haddad advocates for the use of the first person as an ethical imperative, suggesting that art should reflect suffering. She draws inspiration from Rembrandt's "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp," redirecting attention to Aris Kindt's physical form while invoking Hannah Arendt’s insights on self-examination. Identifying herself as a scapegoat, she critiques modern artists for their self-censorship. The essay, divided into three sections—"The Body," "The Scalpel," and "The Fever"—argues that culture requires self-revelation for healing, connecting this idea to Venezuela and figures like Armando Reverón, Francis Bacon, and Antonin Artaud.