MedTech + Art

         Medicine, Technology and art are interdependent. Before this lecture, I only knew that medical and technology are related because advanced technology result in better medical treatment, which is why human beings strive their best to improve the technology.

            In the lecture, it is quite interesting that professor stated the relations between medical technology and human bodies, especially about how art focus on anatomical drawings like skeletons. I did not know art can be correlated to medicine in drawings, which seem like completely different field of learning. Moreover, I remembered one of the lectures video mentioned that art is not just about physical body, but also to molecular level. I was surprising that plastic surgery is also part of an art and I always thought that it is a new trend of medical technology, which only becomes a common phenomenon in these few decades. However, I just realized that plastic surgery is already emerged in ancient times for reconstruction work. In my perspective, 

                 

         On the other hand, in the article “Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations between Science and the Arts”, writer indicated insightful view about MRI and art. MRI means magnetic resonance imaging, basically, it is a very advanced medical technique. The function of MRI is to scan image of our brain through radiation and tell us the condition of our brain, which is definitely significant to medical diagnosis. According to the article, the writer also illustrated the relationship between art and MRI,  "how MRI functions as an acoustic mirror capable of doubling the body and enacting the process of recognition and misrecognition that Rascaroli described as a feature of the self-portrait".  Literally, author described how MRI used as a mirror to reflect radiation and create an image. 

           I have learned so much about medicine, art and technology in this lecture, yet, the one which makes me understand the most about the lecture is the article about MRI. The reason why i am so impressive about MRI other than other articles is simply because it is a tremendous contribution to medical improvement and it helps a lot of patients to figure their problem, which other techniques are not able to find out. I think the analogy of mirror as MRI is very unique and brilliant. MRI sufficiently demonstrate the connection between art, medicine and technology, which makes me fully understand the lecture of this week. 

          Generally, improvement of technology give rise to better medical treatment, which is extremely beneficial to human beings. Additionally, art also influence technology as well as medicine. The combination between these three elements brings brand new cultures to us. 

sources
1. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/nov/12/new-technologies-facelift-liposuction/
2. Medicine and art <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3190445/>
3. Medical humanities and art <http://medicine.yale.edu/humanities/>
4. Healing through art<http://blogs.einstein.yu.edu/healing-through-art-combining-a-mirror-with-an-mri/>
5.Claustrophobia and MRI<http://daisymariposa.hubpages.com/hub/MRI-and-Claustrophobia>