I think it’s normal that through knowledge comes further curiosity which can translate well through art. I believe this week’s topic on Medicine technology and art is a perfect example of that. Through the exploration of the body in search for cures and just basic knowledge about the human body, artists were able to take another view on this and express in great detail the piece of art of the body. There are even schools that support this like John Hopkins. Through John Hopkins school website they promote medical art as “The quality and accuracy of our work comes from being a part of the world renowned resources of The Johns Hopkins University, The Johns Hopkins Hospital and affiliated institutions. As an academic department of the School of Medicine, our faculty of Certified Medical Illustrators (CMI) work with content experts in a wide range of medical specialties to create dynamic and educational illustrations.” (John Hopkins)

example of medical art at John Hopkins

What first comes to mind is the fact that diagrams that we see at the doctor’s office is art! One aspect that most caught my attention was that as well as the technology of it all. I have a small tumor in my stomach and the use of these various arts have helped TREMENDOUSLY in the understanding of my own body; first starting with the ultrasounds, moving on to CT scans and MRIs and all the way to endoscopies and bio-endoscopies. I believe my favorite though is the small sculpture of the stomach and intestines in which they showed me exactly where the tumor was and what would happen if surgery went wrong.

Of course there are other medical technologies that may not be seen as art but has a lot to do with art. Prosthetic anything is very much art because someone took the time to make it look as humanly possible (i.e. legs, arms, facial features, etc). According to blogeverdeen.edu, “Many people with artificial limbs realize that it takes a lot for the addition to come close to looking like the body part that it serves as in terms of looking like real flesh, making some come to the conclusion that a custom limb that was artistically made out of metal to look nice and serve its function as well.” Overall, there is not strict line as to what is art and what is medicine because they will always overlap.

Sources

"The Progression of Prosthetics." Seeds and Circuits. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://blogs.evergreen.edu/seedsandcircuits/the-progression-of-prosthesis/>.

"Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)." - Flexible Scope. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://www.videostroboscopy.com/flexible_scope.html>.

"7 Medical Advances to Watch in 2014." Smithsonian. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/7-medical-advances-to-watch-in-2014-180948286/?no-ist>.

"OUR Services." Art as Applied to Medicine. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/medart/OurServices.htm#GraphicDesign>.

 "History." History. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://prosthetic-limbs.yolasite.com/history.php>.