Shaping Humanity

What did earlier humans really look like? What was life like for them, millions of years ago? How do we know? In this book, internationally-renowned paleo-artist John Gurche describes the extraordinary process by which he creates forensically accurate and hauntingly realistic representations of our ancient human ancestors. Inspired by a lifelong fascination with all things pre-historic and gifted with a unique artistic vision, Gurche has studied fossil remains, comparative ape and human anatomy, and forensic reconstruction for over three decades. His artworks appear in world class museums and publications ranging from "National Geographic" to the journal "Science", and he is widely known for his contributions to Steven Speilberg's "Jurassic Park" and a number of acclaimed television specials. For the Smithsonian Institution's groundbreaking David H. Koch "Hall of Human Origins", opened in 2010, Gurche created fifteen sculptures representing six million years of human history. In "Shaping Humanity" he relates how he used sculpture to depict human evolution in the new hall. He reveals the debates and brainstorming that surrounds these often controversial depictions, and along the way he enriches our awareness of the various paths of human evolution and humanity's stunning uniqueness in the history of life on Earth.