ART + MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

Art is often used as a forum by which humans attempt to further understand their experiences, both emotionally and physically. The literal collision between art and medical technology can be observed through collections of posed plasticized bodies. The method of plastination, created by Gunther Van Hagen, gives us the ability to view the human body on a multitude of different levels, including muscles organs and nervous system. I was fortunate enough to have gotten the chance to see a Body World expedition in high school and it was an incredibly beautiful experience. it is artistically and scientifically remarkable to be able to see an aspect of live normally gone unseen and unappreciated. An understanding for the human body has become the foundation for many artistic styles and representations. The emphasis on accurate human portrayals are prominent in the renaissance and realism artistic periods.

The dissection of the human body has been a consistent aspect of societies since the beginning of  mankind, it is only when anatomy integrates with technological advances and art that truly life changing discoveries are made. For example, Kevin Warwick, believed that the future of health care lay in the hands of electronics, not chemical treatments. Within the last few years electronic implants have been developed to treat chronic headaches, with the potential to eventually replace Advil and drugs like it completely . These discoveries also include prosthetic limbs, hearing aids and communication devices much like the one Stephen Hawking developed. I recently saw an inspiring video of people hearing for the first time due to recent progress in hearing aid technology, including ear fittings, wireless connectivity and advances in computer chip circuity. When art and medical technology combined, the possibilities for health care and artistic understanding become endless.

References

"Deaf People Reactions When They Hear For The First Time." YouTube. Tech Ticking, Feb. 2015. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

Lindsey, Heather. "The Latest in Hearing Aid Technology - ENTtoday." ENTtoday. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

MacRae, Micheal. "Top 5 Medical Technology Innovations." ASME. The American Society of Mechanical Engineering, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

"The Plastination Process." Body Worlds. Institute for Plastination, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

Swartz, Jon. "How a Groundbreaking Device Is Helping Stephen Hawking Communicate." USA Today. Gannett, 02 Dec. 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.