Extra Credit Event 2 - UCLA Biomedical Library

For my second Extra Credit Event, I stayed on the campus of UCLA and visited the Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library.  A couple of images greeted me as I entered the library that reminded me of Unit 4 which dealt with Medicine + Technology + Art.  An image taken from the first illustrated book on medicine, Fasiculus medicinae, hangs on the wall right outside of the library entrance.  Fasiculus medicinae was a collection of six independent medieval medical treatises which differed from each other.  The collection was first printed in 1941 and originally existed in two handwritten manuscripts.  The transfer of medical knowledge has always been an important tool in the prevention of diseases.  By using art to highlight effective medical techniques, doctors could visually transfer their techniques to ensure that other doctors properly understood their methods.

Another not so surprising theme present at the Biomedical library was the merger of Biotechnology + Art.  A picture, The ferns of Great Britain and Ireland, was made of impressions from actual ferns.  This illustration might not seem like a big deal to the casual observer, but ferns have long been used for medicinal purposes.  They have helped to cure mental, stomach, respiratory and throat disorders.  Scientists and doctors have continually looked to the nature as an answer to some of the world's health issues.

When I went to the library, I was thinking that the majority of my blog would deal with the merger of medicine, technology, and art.  One theme that was evident throughout my visit was the merger of "Two cultures".  Since it was Finals week, there were students sprawled out on couches and passed out in corners all over the library.  I was hoping to take a snap shot of a couple of students for my blog, but no one seemed interested in taking a break from their study session.  As the students prepared for Finals, I noticed a wide variety of students that included professional students, graduate students, and undergraduate students.  The campus of UCLA truly is a merger of various cultures and it was cool to see so many people from various backgrounds using a similar resource (the UCLA Biomedical Library) to help assist them in achieving their goals. 


SOURCE:

Goldman, Paula de Ketham, Joannes. "Fasiculus medicinae". History & Special Collections, Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, UCLA. Venice: 1500.

"Fasiculus medicinae".  Web. 13 Dec. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciculus_Medicinae>.

Srivastava, Kamini, "Importance of Ferns in Human Medicine".  Issue 15 November 2007.  Web. 13 December 2013. <http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1029&context=ebl>.


PROOF:

Extra Credit Event 1 - "Joyce Cutler-Shaw Exhibition"

 

I attended the Exhibition opening by Joyce Cutler-Shaw at the CNSI Art Sci Gallery.  Her Exhibition was titled: What Comes to Mind: Memory Traces | Engrams from the Anatomy Lesson.  Her most recent project was full of different themes.  One theme dealt with the exploration of the human life cycle from birth through death.  Another theme in her project was the brain, particularly the complex phenomena of memory.  Joyce Cutler-Shaw wrote about the details of her childhood memories.  Joyce remembered growing up in New York, and visiting Central Park every Sunday.  On a label next to one of her paintings she wrote, "We would start at the same entrance to Central Park.  She [her mom] would buy me a garden corsage.  They were 25 cents".  Detailed memories such as these remind me of our Unit 7 topic, Neuroscience + Art.  There is a vast amount of research dealing with the brain's ability to process information and store it over long periods of time.  Research has shown that separate parts of the brain are responsible for processing and storing information.
 

Another theme of Joyce Cutler-Shaw's project is the body's primary structure and skeleton.  Scientists have long been fascinated with the functionality of the human body.  The ability to better understand the human body was revolutionized by the discovery of a form of electromagnetic radiation known as X-radiation.  Wilhem Conrad Rontgen took an image of his wife's hand which showed the skeletal structure of her hand.  This ground breaking technology was the start of new technologies that would help scientists and doctors properly evaluate their patients.

A common feature seen throughout the Exhibition was an image superimposed on Joyce's face.  It was obvious that Joyce wanted to allow the art to show that the images were a part of her memory.  What I found interesting was that with close inspection, you could see that Joyce's faces showed signs of aging.  In a very subtle way, this shows a small part of the human life cycle from birth through death seen through Joyce's own eyes.



SOURCES:

Cutler-Shaw, Joyce.  "What Comes to Mind: Memory Traces | Engrams from the Anatomy Lesson". 5 Dec. 2013. 

Warwick, Andrew. “X-rays as Evidence in German Orthopedic Surgery, 1895-1900”. The History of Science Society, 2005. Web. 26 Oct. 2013. <www.dahsm.medschool.ucsf.edu/history>.

Vesna, Victoria. “Lecture Part 2. Human Body & Medical Technologies part 2.” Cole UC online. YouTube, 9 April 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2013. < https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/63226/wiki/unit-4-view?module_item_id=970434>.

Vesna, Victoria. “Lecture Part 1. Neuroscience + Art part 1.” Cole UC online. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/63226/wiki/unit-7-view?module_item_id=970446>. 



PROOF:

We spoke at the event on UCLA's campus.