Colin Galbraith DESMA 9 Week 4
Art and technology have a symbiotic relationship. This is especially evident in medical technology, where science and engineering have enabled our understanding of the body.
Amsen, Eva. “Leonardo Da Vinci's Scientific Studies, 500 Years Later.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 Dec. 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/evaamsen/2019/05/02/leonardo-da-vincis-scientific-studies-500-years-later/?sh=642bbbf97f46.
One of the most significant technological advancements in medical imaging is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). MRIs are a non-invasive technique that uses powerful magnets and gradient coils to detect changes in the direction of the rotational axis of the protons in the water of living tissues (MRI). MRIs are used to image the soft tissue of the body. In her article, “MRI Configurations between Science and the Arts,” Silvia Casini argues that MRIs are both a mirror and a portrait, reflecting both the scientific perspective of imaging and the artistic perspective of creating a picture (Casini 76). However, this seems a little macabre to me since they are often used to diagnose knee and shoulder injuries (MRI).
Another article highlighting the intersection of engineering and art is "The Architecture of Life" by Don Ingber (Ingber). Ingber is renowned for expounding the theory of tensegrity, mechanical stability created by the assembly of different types of building materials distributing a load. Tensegrity explains Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic domes (Ingber), the insides of cells and the musculoskeletal system (Chen and Ingber). Ingber argues that there is a remarkable similarity in the design principles of all living things, which suggests the existence of a universal architecture of life-giving insight into natural beauty.
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| Tensegrity |
Another relevant example of the intersection of medical tech and art is the show "Grey's Anatomy." The show is based on the book "Gray's Anatomy," first published in 1858 and considered a seminal work in medical illustration. The book features detailed illustrations of the human body, which are still used by medical students today (Lecture 1). The series takes this tradition of medical illustration and uses it to create a compelling drama that explores the personal and professional lives of doctors and nurses.
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| Greys Anatomy. |
A final example of the intersection of science and art is the medical (anatomical) drawings of Leonardo da Vinci. In the late 1400s, he dissected approximately 30 corpses to create incredibly accurate and visually striking drawings (Clayton). As we continue to push the boundaries of medical science and art, what medicine of the future will be?
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| DaVinci's Drawings. |
References:
Chen, Christopher S., and Donald E. Ingber. “Tensegrity and Mechanoregulation: From Skeleton to Cytoskeleton.” Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, vol. 7, no. 1, 1999, pp. 81–94. https://doi.org/10.1053/joca.1998.0164.
Clayton, Martin, and Ron Philo. Leonardo Da Vinci: Anatomist. Royal Collection Publications, 2012.
Gray, Henry, et al. Anatomy, Descriptive and Surgical / Gray's Anatomy. Gramercy Books, 1977.
Lin, Sharon. “Building Your Own Tensegrity Structure.” Hackaday, 30 Nov. 2019, https://hackaday.com/2019/11/29/building-your-own-tensegrity-structure/.
“Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).” National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri#:~:text=projects%20in%20MRI%3F-,What%20is%20MRI%3F,%2C%20diagnosis%2C%20and%20treatment%20monitoring.
“Watch Grey's Anatomy TV Show.” ABC, https://abc.com/shows/greys-anatomy.
Vesna, V. (n.d.). Human bodies and Medical Technologies. Lecture 1. UCLA Desma 9 Week 4 2023
Hi Colin! Like yourself, I wrote about the MRI, and I liked how your made a connection between the MRI's use as a medical device, and as a device that produces images, as art does. I also thought that your personal note of the MRI machine being slightly macabre was interesting, as I had not thought of it in that way before. To me, learning that da Vinci dissected about 30 bodies sounded macabre. I hope they were already dead. I also appreciated that one of your examples was a TV show, as I think it's fun to explore the ways in which different forms of media are considered to be art. TV shows and movies can certainly be very artistic, as they are highly reliant on visual and audible stimuli.
ReplyDeleteHi Colin, I really enjoyed reading your post this week! Your post was very thoughtful and I loved how you connected it to the show Gray Anatomy. It is inspiring to see how far technology has come since the original version of that name sake was created in the 1800s. I have also noticed that Leonardo DeVinci has played an essential role in the connection of art and various other topics that we have covered this quarter for far. Great work!
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