Monday, 2 May 2016

Art & Science: Research

Contemporary Art and Medical Regimes: Curating Anatomica 

Looking in to the subject of art and science I have decided to begin by looking at how other contemporary artists have approached such a topic. Curated by Cindy Stelmackowich the exhibition brings together a mixed collection of medical artefacts alongside contemporary art. This curatorial decision by Stelmackowich aimed to start "new conversations about biomedical imagery and artefacts" highlighting "the unmistakable interconnection between Western medicine, the histories of aesthetics, and the cultural representation of human anatomy."  


Lisa Nillson - Thorax
Mulberry Paper, 21.5 x 12.5 x 1.5 inches, 2011

Stelmackowich states 'in most instances, the artist exploits the
physical nature of their materials and places importance on uniquely crafted presentations that simultaneously echo and unhinge the dominant (and somewhat sterile) scientific representation of the human body." The materials and techies used by the various artists in the exhibition range from textiles to paper craft, capturing the intricate and delicate nature of the human body reflecting its inner complexity. 

Looking at the work featured in this article, I have began to become interested in the way that people view and interact with the body. I like how in this exhibition artists such as Lyn Carter and Lisa Nillson have explored the inner parts of the body, Carter with her textile organ constructions and Nillson with her carefully crafted ribbons of paper laid out to represent to MRI-cross sections. I'm interested in the way that their choice of materials has transformed a raw part of the body, of which physical form its physical form people would usually turn away from, into something approachable and interesting, emphasising their complexity through recreation. 

See original article below: 


No comments :

Post a Comment