Scientists Grow Living Replica Of Van Gogh's Ear

Friends, Romans, lovers of odd scientific art exhibitions, lend us your ears. Or don’t. It's up to you, really.

One man to donate an ear in the name of science, or more specifically his DNA in the bid to help recreate the severed ear of Vincent van Gogh, is the great great-grandson of the Dutch artist’s brother.

Grown using the cells of Lieuwe van Gogh at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, the living ear particles were then shaped into ear form by artist Diemut Strebe using a 3D printer.

And it's just gone on display in the Centre for Art and Media in Karlsruhe, Germany, giving onlookers a chance to see what the master painter’s earlobe might have looked like after slicing it off during a psychotic breakdown in 1888.

As both Lieuwe and Vincent share 1/16th of the same genes, including the Y-chromosome passed down the male lineage, it doubles as both an eerily fascinating snapshot of the past and a seriously cool looking work of modern art.

Visitors are also invited to ‘speak’ into the ear through a microphone at the exhibit which is running until July 6. You could start by asking him where the original is.