Increasingly, artists are using various forms of diagnositic imaging to create new art forms. Consider Elizabeth Jameson’s use of magnetic resonance imaging as the basis for solarplate etchings and silk paintings. Or take a look at Dr. Kaihung Fung’s “What lies behind our nose?” computed tomography scan, a winner in the 2007 International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge. Unquestionably, the message may be dire, but the medium is often exquisitely beautiful. A newcomer to the scene is a group of six medical students at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia — which is internationally recognized for its strong support of the arts in medicine through its Humanities in Medicine program.
In December 2008, second-year medical student Kate Kelly was nearing the end of her brain and behaviour (neurology and psychiatry) unit while at the same time completing an introductory stained glass course through the local community art college when inspiration struck. Design in mind and approval from Dean of Medicine Harold Cook in hand, Kelly recruited the help of friends and fellow second-year students Mandy Emms, Chelsey Ricketts, Morgan MacKenzie, Heather Thompson and Sarah Dobrowolski, along with guidance from local stained glass artist and instructor Terry Smith-Lamothe, to construct a medically themed stained glass window for Dalhousie’s medical school.
Windows to the Mind, a 1.8 × 0.6 metre stained glass window completed in May 2009 is composed of 12 stained glass panels, each 18 centimetres square, depicting positron emission tomography scans of the brain in various states of health and disease. It now graces the University Avenue entrance to the Clinical Research Building. It’s all part of the visual arts of medicine.
“Normal, healthy 20-year-old,” by Kate Kelly.
“Pick’s disease,” by Heather Thompson.
“Obsessive-compulsive disorder, hyperfrontality,” by Mandy Emms.
“Migraine with visual field aura, occipitoparietal cortex ischemia,” by Chelsey Ricketts.
“Astrocytoma, benign tumour,” by Heather Thompson.
“Attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder, generalized hyperac-tity,” by Kate Kelly.
“Bipolar disease, depression phase, generalized hypoactivity,” by Morgan MacKenzie.
“Glioma, malignant tumour,” by Morgan MacKenzie.
“Schizophrenia, hypofrontality,” by Sarah Dobrowolski.
“Bipolar disease, hypomania phase, generalized hyperactivity,” by Sarah Dobrowolski.
“Alzheimer disease, temporal lobe degeneration,” by Chelsey Ricketts.
“Stroke, hemispheric ischemia,” by Mandy Emms.
The Windows to the Mind creators, left to right: Morgan MacKenzie, Mandy Emms, Sarah Dobrowolski, Chelsey Ricketts, Heather Thompson, instructor Terry Smith-Lamothe and Kate Kelly.