Medicine, Medical Technology, and Art

Artist Sketch of Human Anatomy

This week’s topic particularly excited me because of my interest in medicine. I was very involved in art when I was younger, but as I became more focused on academics, my interests deviated away from art; to me they were mutually exclusive so, this week I was excited to see how they intertwine.

Human Sliced for Visual Human Project

Ingber discusses basic structure of biological molecules and the way they combine as incredibly artistic in his article for Scientific American, but medicine on a grander scale interests me more (Ingber). Early on in medicine’s history, doctors and artists collaborated to create incredibly accurate depictions of the human form. Doctors needed artists to draw detailed diagrams of different systems of the body, and artists needed doctors to validate their artistic representations of the body with science. Art manifested itself in the Visible Human Project, which is composed of digitally represented cross sections of the male and female anatomy (Vesna, Pt1). On the surface, this endeavor seemed purely scientific, but I later considered the creative ability it took to visualize a human made up of thin slices and recognized the overlap of medicine and art.

Orlan Preparing for A Surgical Performance

The way art can most obviously be seen in medicine is plastic surgery. Surgeons literally reconstruct the human form into a more aesthetically pleasing shape. One artist whose work made a powerful impact on me was Orlan, a french artist who used her own body as a medium. Since 1990 she has had 9 cosmetic surgeries, each done as a performance (Vesna, Pt3). Not only does she incorporate science and new medical technology into her art, but she makes grand statements about ridiculous beauty standards that are very relevant to my generation.

Virtual Reality Therapy

Although learning about the history of medicine and art was intriguing, what struck me the most this week was Diane Gromala’s talk on chronic pain.  She began by commenting on our current culture and how our dependence language has disconnected us from our senses. Humans have 100,000 times more inner sensors than external senses and getting more in touch with our inner world can be helpful for those with chronic pain. Her current work with virtual reality and its ability to help patients focus their energy inward has a meditative effect and can relieve many symptoms temporarily (Gromala). This shows the incredible therapeutic power of art on humans not only psychologically, but physiologically as well.

Fripp, Alfred. "Human Anatomy for Art Students." Pintrest. N.p., 1911. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Ffoxyenglishlass%2Fart-human-anatomy-for-art-students%2F>.

Gandey, Allison. "Medscape Log In." Medscape. WebMD, 14 May 2010. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/721680>.

Gromala, Diane. "Curative Powers of Wet, Raw Beauty." YouTube. TEDxAmericanRiviera, 7 Dec. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRdarMz--Pw>.

Ingber, Donald E. "The Architecture of Life." Scientific American Jan. 1997: n. pag. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.

Orlan. "The Reincarnation of Saint-Orlan." Creative Mapping. Creative Mapping, 04 Aug. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.creative-mapping.com/controversial-french-artist-orlan-is-perhaps-most-infamous-for-using-her-own-body-as-a-tool-for-a-series-of-performance-surgeries-known-as-the-reincarnation-of-saint-orlan/>.

Sellers, Emily. "Visible Human Project" Glogster. N.p., 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.glogster.com/emilysellers/visible-human-project/g-6lt4etm95cl8j5agptuuga0>.

Tyson, Peter. "The Hippocratic Oath Today." PBS. PBS, 27 Mar. 2001. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/hippocratic-oath-today.html>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Medicine Pt1." YouTube. YouTube, 21 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep0M2bOM9Tk>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Medicine Pt3." YouTube. YouTube, 22 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIX-9mXd3Y4#t=188>.