While walking past the preparatory theater at the Veterinary Anatomical Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, I noticed the head preparatory working on a specimen I couldn’t immediately identify. Its curious shapes, four knobs on the skull and unusually long vertebrae, suggested something unusual. When the preparatory confirmed it, I realized it was a giraffe.

 

Giraffes, like humans, have seven cervical vertebrae. The difference is in their length, which creates their long necks. Fascinated, I picked up one vertebra that stood out. “That’s the Axis,” the preparatory said, without looking up.

 

The Axis is the second cervical vertebra (C2), connected to the Atlas (C1) and the skull. Holding it in my hands, I could examine it from every angle. Each view revealed something new. Its intricate shape and the way form follows function left me in awe.

 

In contrast, a photograph offers only a single perspective. To understand an object fully, multiple angles are often needed. This raises questions that guide this series:

 

This work invites viewers to reflect on perception, knowledge, and the act of seeing.