This new preference for the enhancement -- instead of imitation -- of natural material also pertains to the human body. Dentists who, in the 1960s, did not think twice about pulling a patient's teeth and replacing them with a set of dentures (cheap and low-maintenance), now make every effort to save the original ivories. They have an extensive collection of tools and plastic materials at their disposal to perfect our pearly whites, until they resemble the (retouched) teeth of fashion models in magazine pictures. In a similar vein, our physical appearance can be optimized by plastic surgery, anabolic steroids, and perhaps, in the near future, by genetic therapy. "Natural silicone breasts" is no longer an oxymoron, but an indication of a reality in which female bodies are reshaped by cultural norms with the help of advanced technology. The preference for a manipulable body perfectly fits a material, technological culture in which imitation has been replaced by modification. Just like the tulip, the body has become a mixture of organic matter and artifice.
Buckman further probes the intertwinement of transience and growth in her large-scale photographs of floral arrangements. Flowers have symbolized femininity throughout art history, conveying bounty, verdancy, and life. In her photos, Buckman poses bouquets, wrapped in black plastic bags and in varying states of decay, against a black background. The result is sepulchral, the black plastic encasing each arrangement like a body bag. The lushness of the flowers is not entirely lost in these images, but one can sense life waning in each. The photographs operate as memento mori: a visual reminder of life and death, and the fleeting nature of beauty.