Unit 4 MedTech + Art

MedTech + Art

This week’s topic focused on the relationship between medicine, technology and art. It was interesting to read about various artists who use the body as a medium of showcasing their artistic prowess. Previously, I had no idea how art and medicine related to each other but professor Vesna’s lecture on how artists such as Orlan undergo medical procedure in order to display their work in art was an eye opener. 

Orlan

http://sumnonrabidus.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/i-need-no-really-i-need-a-tattoo/

 Medicine plays an important role in the society. Its connection with art is hard to find but artists such as orlan who use their own body to and plastic surgery procedures to make carnal art are a great example of how medicine contributes to art. Technology in the field of medicine has evolved over time with new machines such as the MRI being developed to aid in patient treatment and care. Casini is of the view that such inventions as the MRI shows how art contributes to medicine since it has made it possible for people to have a glance of the internal organs without dissecting the body. In addition to this, it was interesting to learn about the contribution of artists such Da Vinci in medicine. To make more realistic images, artists such as Da Vinci used the human anatomy to find out how various body systems worked. Scientists borrowed from these findings to develop new medical technologies.

Da Vinci Portrait of the Human Anatomy

http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/leonardo-da-vinci/anatomical-studies

 I also read about the works of Emily Watson and Zoran Todorovic whose artworks are influenced by the human anatomy. This week’s topic was very interesting and I was amazed at how art can have a wide scope and influence medicine and at the same time how medicine can inspire artists.

Todorovic Work

http://isthisbioart.com/tag/body/

  

Works Cited

Casini, Silvia. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations between Science and Arts. Configurations, 19.1 (2011):73-99.

Culturebase. Zoran Todorovic. 2007. Web, 25 Oct, 2013. http://www.culturebase.net/artist.php?188

Jeffries, Stuart. Orlan’s Art of Sex and Surgery. 2009.  Web. 26 October 2013. <http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009/jul/01/orlan-performance-artist-carnal-art>

Vesna, Victoria. Medicine and Art: Part 2. YouTube, n.d. Web. 26 October 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded>.

Watson, Emily. Resume and Bio. N.d. Web. 25 October 2013. <http://www.metalemily.com/pages/Resume.html>