North Columbus News

Acclaimed paleoartist John Gurche recently delivered the Paul H. and Erika Bourguignon Lecture in Art and Anthropology at The Ohio State University. Gurche, an artist-in-residence at the Paleontological Research Institution in Ithaca, New York, is known for reconstructing faces of extinct species, a task that involves a combination of science and visual arts.

Gurche's work has been displayed in prestigious institutions such as the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. During his lecture, he shared insights into a project completed in collaboration with National Geographic, where he recreated the face of a Denisovan, a species of early humans discovered in Siberia in 2008.

Discussing his approach, Gurche employs comparative anatomy, drawing from human and primate data to hypothesize bone structures and facial features. He stated, “With exceptional drawing, painting and sculpting skills, John reconstructs extinct species,” as quoted by Barbara Piperata, a professor of anthropology at Ohio State.

Despite using artistic skills, Gurche aims to let science lead, reserving creativity for elements like facial expressions. "I try to use art as little as possible because I want the science to take me as far as I can," he mentioned. In his Denisovan project, Gurche's artistic touch gave the subject a wary expression to reflect the challenges faced nearly 150,000 years ago.

The annual lecture honors Erika Bourguignon's four-decade tenure at Ohio State and the contributions of her husband, artist Paul-Henri Bourguignon. It highlights art and anthropology intersections, continuing a tradition spanning over two decades.

Gurche concluded by showcasing how art aids scientific understanding when data are limited. He explained, “[Using science,] I can tell you something about the major form of the mouth,” but noted that artistic intuition is necessary for details like lip shape.

Before he left the stage, Gurche posed a reflective question, considering the limitations of fossil evidence in fully confirming reconstructions: “Is this the face of a Denisovan? We still don’t know.”