Medicine Unboxed

An artist trained in special effects prosthetics, Sophie de Oliveira Barata recognizes the creative, self-expressive possibilities that artificial limbs hold. After nearly a decade of working for medical prosthetic providers, Sophie founded the Alternative Limb Project in 2011. Her studio offers a bespoke service to amputees that either allows their prostheses to blend in with their bodies, or stand out as unique pieces of art that reflects the wearer’s imagination, personality, and interests. Some of Sophie’s out-of-the-box creations include a leg with an embedded stereo, another with removable muscles, and a third that houses mini-drawers.