Week 4: MedTech + Art
Abi Altick
April 28, 2019
This week’s topic of art relating to medical technology
has been particularly interesting to me, as I have grown up surrounded by
medicine because we have a few doctors in my family. However, I did
not exactly inherit my relatives “love for science,” so learning about how art relates
to medicine was extremely intriguing to learn about this week.
As a competitive athlete, I have
definitely had my fair share of injuries throughout my time as a tennis player.
In addition to needing X-Rays due to fracturing my wrist twice, I also
experienced a strange pain in my foot about two years ago. The pain was
constant, but I was still able to play on it normally. I opted for an X-Ray
after the pain never subsided after a few weeks. I ultimately ended up getting
an MRI, where the doctors found that I had a grade 4 stress fracture in the second metatarsal of my foot. As Silvia Casini points out, the advancements in medical technology is pretty impressive as MRIs are “unsurpassed in showing anatomical detail and in the
capacity to reveal minute changes that occur over time.” Essentially, due to the incredible technology connected
to medicine, nowadays MRIs can pretty much show every detail when it comes to
bones and ligaments.
Additionally, one of the most captivating topics this week was the artist
Orlan. Orlan uses plastic surgery in order to change her look to find her
version of beauty (Orlan). When watching the video of Orlan, another example that
came to my mind was Jocelyn Wildenstein. Wildenstein is a famous socialite who is
known for her extreme use of plastic surgery. She showcases just how it easy it
is to become obsessed with critiquing one’s image in order to be "beautiful." However,
it is quite unfortunate to see this extreme case as I believe most agree that
she was far more naturally beautiful prior to all of the surgeries.
All in all, this week’s topic of art and medical technology was perhaps my favorite so far. This is because I was able to relate it to many real-life circumstances in my own life and others as well.
Works Cited
Win, Brian. “Jocelyn Wildenstein Before & After Surgery Pictures.” Plastic Surgery Diary, Plastic Surgery Diary, 24 May 2017, plasticsurgerydiary.com/jocelyn-wildenstein-before-after-pictures/.
Leavitt, Jennifer. “Anatomy As Artwork .” Medscape Log In, 2017, www.medscape.com/slideshow/anatomy-as-artwork-6008709.
Works Cited
Aspen Physio. “Metatarsal Stress
Fracture.” Aspen Phsyiotherapy Services, 2017. Web. 28 April 2019 https://aspenphysio.co.uk/metatarsal-stress-fracture/
Casini, Silvia. “Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI) as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations Between Science and Arts.”
(n.d.): n. pag. Web. 28 Apr. 2019.
Win, Brian. “Jocelyn Wildenstein Before & After Surgery Pictures.” Plastic Surgery Diary, Plastic Surgery Diary, 24 May 2017, plasticsurgerydiary.com/jocelyn-wildenstein-before-after-pictures/.
MutleeIsTheAntiGod. “Orlan - Carnal Art (2001)
Documentary.” YouTube, YouTube, 13 Mar. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=no_66MGu0Oo.
Leavitt, Jennifer. “Anatomy As Artwork .” Medscape Log In, 2017, www.medscape.com/slideshow/anatomy-as-artwork-6008709.
