Medicine + Technology + Art

This week professor Vesna’s lectures provided the students with an in-depth analysis of how the human body and technology and art are related. This was the first time I really took time to think about the direct relation medicine had in this field. The Hippocratic Oath from Edelstein also showed the relationship as well when he referred to the medicine as his art or “my art.”

 

(https://goo.gl/images/x5uGiH)

Edelstein wasn’t the only reference which helped me better understand the relationship art and medicine shared. Silvia Casini also spoke about the relationship. She described the relationship by talking about MRI examinations and looked at the images as if they were more than science. In the article Casini say’s, “the main components of an MRI examination are devices capable of enacting a process of identity-construction and mirroring…through MRI’s sound, subjects become aware of the wholeness of their bodies…” (Casini, 2011). I was able to relate to Casini’s description because I have had a few MRI examinations myself. During my exams I fell asleep in the tube because of the rhythmic sounds and still body position. Some people I know are not able to fall asleep in these conditions, but I had no trouble and spent the 1 hour examination asleep.

 

(Video still by Kenneth Wilkes of an MRI exam)

 (Angela Palmer - Youtube - Mummy MRI

MRI's are thought of to be used for only living human bodies, but this is not true. The video above shows that scientists and doctors actually use MRI's to gather new data on bodies that may be over 100+ years old. The video above shows an MRI being used on a mummy.

Sources:

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

Tyson, Peter. "The Hippocratic Oath Today." PBS. Public Broadcasting Service, 27 Mar. 2001. Web. 27 Apr. 2017.

Philips. "The Hypnotic Art of MRI Science – Philips – Medium." Medium. 30 Nov. 2015. Web. 27 Apr. 2017.

Exploratorium: Revealing Bodies: Resonant Imaging. Web. 27 Apr. 2017.

Image of Hippocratic Oath. https://www.google.com/search?q=hippocratic+oath&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS724US726&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj02evOq83TAhVR0WMKHVLnAdsQ_AUICigB&biw=1164&bih=653#imgrc=1mBuyfRP0Z2ceM:

Vesna, Victoria. "UC Online." Uconline.edu. Web.