Sunday, April 26, 2015

Week 4 - Medicine and Art

With the progression of the quarter I have become more and more interested in the connection between topics covered. This week, for example, I find extremely fascinating because I never would have anticipated there being a link between medicine and art. The structure of the human body is explored in each of the two fields, medicine and art, and explore the boundaries to which we can can consider human anatomy an artistic approach. The interest began during the time of the renaissance when Vesalii expressed deep fascination in human anatomy. A prime example of an art form in the world of science is an MRI. Exploration of the human body has reached new levels as we can now view humans like we never have before. The artistic idea behind an MRI is that what is being seen can be interpreted and human discretion may be applied. 



Although art seems like it would be more dangerous than medicine, they hold equal risk and danger. As stated in lecture, humans are riding a fine line of human exploration in regard to scientific and artistic practice. Orlan is a prime example of a girl who went through a number of procedures to try and make herself look beautiful. A more recent example would be that of Bruce Jenner expressing himself as a transgender. 



Another intersection between medicine and art is ultrasound. Ultrasound is an incredible scientific practice and also an amazing form of art. Witnessing the beauty of an organism that has yet to see the world is incredible scientifically and artistically. Modern technology allowing medicinal practices to perform artistic acts such as these is a remarkable phenomenon. 



Sources:
1) Casini, Silvia. “Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations Between Science and Arts.” (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

2) Orlan – Carnal Art (2001) Documentary. Dir. Stéphan Oriach. Perf. Orlan. N.d. Film. YouTube. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. 

3)Vesna, Victoria. “Http://www.youtube.com/v/Ep0M2bOM9Tk.” Lecture. Medicine pt1 . Youtube, 26 Apr. 2015. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep0M2bOM9Tk>.

4) Vesna, Victoria. “Http://www.youtube.com/v/psjnQarHOqQ.” Lecture. Medicine pt2 . Youtube, 26 Apr. 2015. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psjnQarHOqQ>.

5) Wong, Virgil. “Art Exhibited in Galleries and Museums around the World.” Art. N.p., 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://virgilwong.com/art/>.





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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousApril 27, 2015 at 7:01 PM

    Hi Ford,

    I think you bring some very great insight into the discussion of this past week's lessons. I too have found myself becoming more and more interested in the topic of this class as we move forward through the quarter and the curriculum of the class. I also explained in my blog that I never realized there was a relation between medicine and art, but can now see the truth that there is an influence between art and medicine. I think your use of Bruce Jenner as one of your examples is very interesting. I think it requires a great deal of "artisticness" to be able to be such a precise plastic surgeon to help someone transgender have a sex-change surgery. Also, I never thought of ultrasound as an art form but you are right, it is almost like a piece of art to see what the child looks like in its mother's womb.

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