Week 4: Medicine+Technology+Art

While I have seen medical technology in use, I have only thought of its usage in a medical setting, never really giving thought to the possible intersection between art, medicine, and technology. Human imaging on a molecular level allows for human dissection without the repercussions of actually having to harm the individual. Medical technology as a medium for art has become inspirational for many artists since they are able to see the human body in a way that was once impossible (Vesna). Artists working alongside medical technology piqued my interest in molecular and neuroimaging and how associated art seems to tell a story from the smallest aspects of humans.

Dunn, Greg. Cortical Columns. https://www.livescience.com/49060-brain-artwork-gallery.html.

One piece of artwork in particular, done by Greg Dunn, caught my attention. Cortical Columns shows microscopic imaging of neurons that almost mimics the landscape of a forest, showcasing that there can be little distinction made between what we see and what is within (Lewis). Neuronal imaging has the ability to help physicians learn more about the brain and its functioning, but why limit its capabilities when it can also be used as a form of expressive media and a form of storytelling?

Inside the Hand. https://www.ajronline.org/doi/pdf/10.2214/AJR.11.7934.

From the 20th century on, as 3D imaging became more common within medicine, it led to the popularization of using color negatives within artwork, using it as another way to give art a radiographic feel (Marinković). Medical imaging technology gives us a window into the human self and allows for a new and unique perspective on things we view regularly (Modderman). Artwork from artists such as Nick Veasey puts this into practice. He uses x-ray imaging to view everyday objects through a completely new lens, hoping to "penetrate to the very core of physical matter" (Veasey).

Veasey, Nick. Air Jordan White on Teal & Blue . https://www.nickveasey.com/specials.

I believe that medical technology, as it intersects with art, can at the very least be used to offer a new perspective on things we may have grown accustomed to seeing in a prototypical way.


Citations

Vesna, Victoria. “Human Body & Medical Technology Part 1.”

 

Lewis, Tanya. “Dazzling Images of the Brain Created by Neuroscientist-Artist.” LiveScience, Purch, 10 Dec. 2014, https://www.livescience.com/49060-brain-artwork-gallery.html. 

Marinković, Slobodan, et al. “Radiology and Fine Art.” American Journal of Roentgenology, vol. 199, no. 1, 2012, https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.11.7934. 

Modderman, Jeanne. “Hugh Turvey: Inside the Life of an X-Ray Artist.” Photography, National Geographic, 4 May 2021, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/article/hugh-turvey-inside-the-life-of-an-x-ray-artist. 

Veasey, Nick. “Exposing the Invisible.” Nick Veasey: Exposing the Invisible | TED Talk, https://www.ted.com/talks/nick_veasey_exposing_the_invisible.

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