Week 4: Medicine and Art

            As with all of the subjects covered so far, medicine has advanced from its original study and use in art. Artists originally studied the human anatomy in order to better represent people in their art. This eventually led to a better understanding of the human body and more advanced ways of treating illnesses. It would appear now that as medicine has advanced further, art is using medical techniques in order to make a statement like with Eduardo Kac and Orlan.

Figure 1: Performance artist Orlan

            Medicine has allowed for the use of one's body as a canvas for art, whether it be through plastic surgery or other forms of surgery and differentiation. Kevin Warwick has turned himself into a canvas through the implantation of a computer chip in his head that allows for him to control nearby appliances and even communicate with his wife (kevinwarwick.org, 2015). This is similar in nature to the addition of a third arm by Stelarc (stelarc.org, 2015). What is truly encouraging about these pieces of performance art is that they have led to advances in medicine and rehabilitation much like the initial study of the human body for art.

Figure 2: Performance artist Stelarc

            Our society puts a remarkable weight on the importance of medicine, as shown by its representation in popular art forms. For example, there are numerous drugs invented in movies that can cure essentially any illness and solve society's problems for us without putting in any of the necessary work. In the movie Lucy from 2014, the main character is injected with a drug that over the course of a couple days turns her into a superior being that bends time and space before consuming itself. Various other examples exist showing drugs giving people seemingly impossible powers or removing them from a harsh reality, like some drugs in today's world (unrealitymag.com, 2014).

Figure 3: Screenshot from Lucy

Works Cited

"Kevin Warwick - Home Page." Kevin Warwick - Home Page. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://www.kevinwarwick.org/>.

"Stelarc // Third Hand." Stelarc // Third Hand. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://stelarc.org/?catID=20265>.

"The Most Memorable Fictional Drugs in Movies and Television." Unreality Mag. 14 Jan. 2010. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://unrealitymag.com/movies/fictional-drugs-in-movies-and-television/>.