Trousseau (1869) says:
The worst man of science is he who is never an artist, and the worst artist is he who is never a man of science. In early times, medicine was an art, which took its place at the side of poetry and painting; today they try to make a science of it, placing it beside mathematics, astronomy, and physics.
Posted on 11. Sep, 2012 by Admin in Art Therapy, Health and Nutrition
As what are unarguably the two topics that ultimately drive all human beings, thinking about health and life through art is fascinating as the arts are what us as civilized people tend to prioritize after the basics of being healthy and carrying on living.
Throughout the ages artists have dealt with issues such as disease and death through illness as well as through natural disasters and also by more sinister occurrences. Regardless of an individual’s personal views on dying and what happens afterwards, it is still the topic that preoccupies us as a race most and drives everything we do.
read more …..http://medicalarttherapy.com/health-and-life-through-art/
Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany. henningzeidler@aol.com
The famous artists Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) and Alexej von Jawlensky (1864-1941) had rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Both represent an outstanding example of successful coping with RA in former times when treatment was very limited, and these individuals took advantage of creativedisease management. The most popular French impressionist painter Renoir used his creativity to develop his own exercises and assistive equipments for painting despite his disability. Thus, Renoir exemplifies an artistic life altered by RA over more than 25 years that he dedicated entirely to his art and the depiction of beauty and happiness testified by his own words: “The pain passes, but the beauty remains.” Jawlensky, a Russian from origin, was one of the most important expressionist painter active in Germany and the first painter in the 20th century who created extensive series of paintings especially of human faces. From Jawlensky, we learned that his rapidly progressing, late-onset RA induced depression, disability, financial pressure, and social retreat. But the resulting artistic sublimation contributed to the change in his paintings, which we owe the more than 1000 series of the very unique, small-format “Meditations.”For those interested in art, new insight will be opened into the life and work of the artists and increase the appreciation for their contribution to modern art.
Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA. klugman@uthscsa.edu
The Art Rounds program uses visual thinking strategies (VTS) to teach visual observation skills to medical and nursing students at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. This study’s goal was to evaluate whether students’ exposure to VTS would improve their physical observation skills, increase tolerance for ambiguity, and increase interest in learning communication skills.
In January 2010, 32 students attended three, 90-minute sessions at which they observed and commented on three pieces of art in small groups led by museum educators. Pre and posttest evaluations included Geller and colleagues’ version of Budner’s Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale, the Communication Skills Attitudes Scale, and free responses to art and patient images. Statistical analyses compared pre and post time looking at images, number of words used to describe images, and number of observations made according to gender and discipline.
Students significantly increased the amount of time they spent looking at art and patient images (P = .007), the number of words they used to describe art (P = .002) and patient images (P = .019), and the number of observations made of art (P = .000) and patient images (P = .001). Females increased the time spent observing significantly more than did males (P = .011). Students significantly increased their tolerance for ambiguity (P = .033) and positive views toward health care professional communication skills (P = .001).
The authors speculate that these improved skills may help in patient care and interprofessional team interactions.
Rush University Medical Center , USA.
Background: Clinical observation is fundamental in practicing medicine, but these skills are rarely taught. Currently no evidence-based exercises/courses exist for medical student training in observation skills. Aim: The goal was to develop and teach a visual arts-based exercise for medical students, and to evaluate its usefulness in enhancing observation skills in clinical diagnosis. Methods: A pre- and posttest and evaluation survey were developed for a three-hour exercise presented to medical students just before starting clerkships. Students were provided with questions to guide discussion of both representational and non-representational works of art. Results: Quantitative analysis revealed that the mean number of observations between pre- and posttests was not significantly different (n = 70: 8.63 vs. 9.13, p = 0.22). Qualitative analysis of written responses identified four themes: (1) use of subjective terminology, (2) scope of interpretations, (3) speculative thinking, and (4) use of visual analogies. Evaluative comments indicated that students felt the exercise enhanced both mindfulness and skills. Conclusion: Using visual art images with guided questions can train medical students in observation skills. This exercise can be replicated without specially trained personnel or art museum partnerships.
Following their exhibition at Red Gate Gallery earlier this year, the ‘2 Mad Docs’ are returning for a second exhibition of paintings and photographs. The ‘2 Mad Docs’ are Nora Rahman who is a GP in London and Vaikunthan Rajaratnam who is a surgeon in Birmingham. This exhibition explores the link between the practice of doctors and artists; the powers of observation and interpretation
Though not artists by trade and training they have in this collection of works compiled their impression of the Art of Medicine. It includes works of paintings and digital photographs on the human aspects and beauty of medicine and surgery. It explores the inner soul of these doctors who spend much of their waking hours caring for their patients and with little time and opportunity for creativity.
Nora had some formal training in art in her younger days and continues to explore her creative side with drawings, paintings and recently with pottery, glass fusion and Raku. In spite of her busy schedule as a full time doctor working in the city and bringing up 2 children, Nora has found the time to express herself in some new exciting work. Recently she has experimented with finger painting and has produced some surprises and finds this avenue extremely therapeutic for her hectic life style. Her recent works include the emotional aspect of medicine as seen by a doctor in her practice.
Raj, a hand surgeon by training working in Birmingham is passionate about the beauty of the hand. Having had more than 2 decades of experience in educating and training surgeons worldwide, he has used photography as his medium for teaching surgery. Recently with digital photography he has explored the fascinating world of hand surgery as seen through a lens. This collection of his digital work shows the beauty of the hand in the young and old and in the diseased state. It gives an insider’s view of surgery of the hand and the hand in all its glorious functions.
As part of the private viewing night Nora & Raj will invite visitors to join in a happening of live collective finger and hand painting – participants are able to re-discover the fun, interaction and creativity of past playschool memories. The collective finger/hand paintings will with permission of the participants be exhibited in Nora & Raj’s next project.
drnorarahman.com 