Artist’s Inspiration: Cheryl Hutchens
I’m inspired by technologies for imaging the inside of the human body. I wonder if the more we understand about how our bodies work, will it change the way we see ourselves? I know my view of my own body has changed a great deal since starting my research.
Micrograph images
Picture: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / BARCROFT MEDIA
London-based science author Brandon Broll recently published a collection of images in a book called Microcosmos. Brandon is discovering the world through microscopic images taken with scanning electron microscope (SEM) from 20 times to over 20 million times magnification.
View more images from Brandon Broll’s Microcosmos
View Wellcome Image Awards winners on NewScientist website
The Heart
I’m interested in how the heart is involved in consciousness. It is essential to the process of supplying blood to the brain which is the organ that plays the major role in producing conscious awareness, but culturally we have a history of thinking of the heart as the seat of feelings and emotion. ABC Radio National produced a show for The Body Sphere series called The Heart is an Organ of Fire. It explores a real life experience of heart attack and the cultural history of the heart with medical historian Dr Fay Bound Alberti. Listen to the audio recording.
Since the advent of the heart transplant new theories have formed about cellular memory and whether some of a person’s personality is formed by nerves in the heart.
I saw an event called Heartbreak science at the Science Exchange back in 2010 that explored ideas about this. It was in conjunction with a documentary series called Secrets of the human body on SBS.
When looking into the connection between textiles and illness I came across Canadian textile artist Beryl Tsang. She makes hand knitted breast prosthetics called Tit-Bits and sells a variety of them via her website. I think they are a wonderful way of dealing with a horrible illness. Not only do they provide comfort and a little comical relief, I think there is something even more comforting about a product that is lovingly made by caring hands.
View Cheryl’s art at our latest art exhibition Domestic + Science from Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm
