# Skeletons of Cartoon Characters 'Animatus' Pop Palaeontology by Hyungkoo Lee By Pearl | Published 2008-08-20 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skeletons-of-cartoons-characters-animatus-sculptures-by-hyungkoo-lee References: [telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/2579628/Cartoon-skeletons.html) & [hyungkoolee.net](http://www.hyungkoolee.net/animatus/animatus.html) Animatus is the brilliant work of Korean artist Hyungkoo Lee. He produced a [science style exhibition](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/monsters-by-monsters-now-and-then) of his [skeletons of cartoons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shiyuan-xu), as if they were truly real animal species! His work has been described as “pop palaeontology” a term for when an artist imagines what the 3-D internal structures might look like of 2-D characters. Can you spot Bugs Bunny? Donald Duck and his three nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie? The Road Runner? Wile E Coyote? Even Tom and Jerry? His meticulously created sculptures are made from resin,aluminium sticks, steel wires, springs and oil paint. “Animatus” is currently exhibiting at the [Natural History Museum](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/natural-history-museum-abu-dhab) in Basel, Switzerland. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.1/10 - Popularity: 90% | Activity: 55% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Pop Palaeontology:** The fusion of popular culture and paleontology could lead to the creation of unique museum exhibits and tourism experiences. - **Cartoon Character Realism:** There may be opportunities to create realistic versions of beloved cartoon characters for merchandising or entertainment purposes. - **Skeletal Sculptures:** The creation of anatomically accurate skeletal sculptures of non-human characters could have applications in fields like veterinary medicine and biology education. ### Where This Applies - **Museums and Galleries:** Museums and galleries could incorporate pop palaeontology into their exhibits to attract new visitors and offer a unique experience. - **Entertainment:** Companies in the entertainment industry could create realistic versions of cartoon characters for films, television shows, and theme parks. - **Education:** Skeletal sculptures could be used in educational settings, such as veterinary schools or museums, to provide a hands-on learning experience. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Childlike Characters Art Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/childlike-characters-art-exhibition.md) - [Futuristic Museum Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unnatural-history-museum-of-singapore.md) - [3D-Printed Flip Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stl-sculptures.md) - [Digital Archetype Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/christian-rex-van-minnen-1.md) - [Eroded Cartoon-Themed Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crystalized-squirtle.md) - [Almost-Extinct Animal Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fauna-series.md) - [Whimsical Spirit Art Shows](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anima.md) - [Raunchy Anime-Inspired Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/manuela-soto-sosa.md) - [Anatomical Plush Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/giant-skull-with-hidden-organs.md)