Medtech + Art

           Once again, this week’s lectures and resources showed how art influences and aids the progress of science, specifically in the area of medicine. Before modern technology the earliest studies of anatomy relied heavily on art. Many scientists in history have had to develop sophisticated artistic skills in order to accurately depict their research findings before the invention of modern tools such as x-rays and high definition cameras. However, once this technology was developed, this partnership between art and medical advancement became much more codependent as artists began to employ the use of medical devices such as MRIs in order to create their art. This allowed artists to examine and develop a new technique of depicting a person and redefine the concept of a “portrait”. 

Previously a person’s likeness was consistently represented by an illustration or photograph of their face or body but this new technology allowed artists to reevaluate what defined us as humans and what aspects of our anatomy were capable of representing who we are as a whole. For many artists, the brain was a point of interest and MRIs and new brain mapping technology gave these artists the opportunity to showcase this new perspective.

This idea grabbed my attention because I am a neuroscience major and my specific interest within that field is the connection between biological structure and cognitive function. This is a particular intersection of neuroscience and psychology that relies heavily on brain mapping technology. Although I am extremely interested in this type of technology and the research it supports, I had never considered it an art form. However, after exploring different artists who have built their work around this concept, I have developed a new appreciation for how our anatomy can be such an important tool in the artistic depiction humankind. 

Sources

Bellis, Mary. “How Magnets and Radio Waves Changed Medicine Forever.” ThoughtCo,      www.thoughtco.com/magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri-1992133.

Casini, Silvia. “The Aesthetics of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): from the Scientific Laboratory to an Artwork.” Contemporary Aesthetics, Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library, 1 Jan. 1970, quod.lib.umich.edu/c/ca/7523862.0008.022/--aesthetics-of-magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri?rgn=main;view.

"Leonardo Da Vinci's Groundbreaking Anatomical Sketches." BBC Culture. 28 Aug. 2013. Web.

TCP. “MRI Art Exhibit Captures The Beauty Of The Human Brain.” Creators, 20 Jan. 2014, creators.vice.com/en_uk/article/pgqy3g/mri-art-exhibit-captures-the-beauty-of-the-human-brain.

“The History of Anatomy.” Premierexhibitions.com, Bodies: The Exhibition, www.premierexhibitions.com/exhibitions/4/48/bodies-exhibition/history-anatomy.