The Science of Art
Artists mix medical images with creative sensibilities for a new, contemporary exhibit.

 By Scott Hatfield

 A California hospital's radiology staff teamed with local artists to create The Art of Imaging, a unique installation that explores medical imaging through contemporary art. The exhibit opens this month, and we have an exclusive first look to share with our viewers.

The creations that mix science and art are based on a number of advanced radiology modalities produced by equipment in place at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Calif. The technology-that includes 3- and 4-D ultrasound, mammography, interventional, digital radiology, CT, MRI and conventional X-rays-has inspired artists to create art pieces that tell stories of personal triumphs and tragedies.

"The artist, you see, is no different from the clinician, focusing on the person and developing in their mind a picture of their medical condition," explains Joseph Gagliardo, Mission Hospital's Imaging Services and Innovative Technologies executive director.

The staff technologists worked hand-in-hand with the artists in the creation of the pieces. Staff searched through data bases to pull images and removed all patient information for the creative endeavor.

"My staff became intrigued by the artists, the way they viewed the same diseases we see everyday," Gagliardo says. "We all were learning from one another."

The Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA) located in Santa Ana, Calif. worked with Mission Hospital and gathered 22 artists for the project.

"Originally I produced one piece that dealt with all the injuries that I had as a child," says Jeffrey Crussell, one of the artists featured in the exhibition. "I was always accident prone."

His piece titled Some of the Things that Happened to Me shows original X-rays plus a number of images from medical books depicting where his injuries were found on his body.

"All the X-rays are from Mission Hospital and all the other objects; wood and paint are found or recycled items," Crussell says. "I always hope to get a little smile or laugh from the viewer of my work."

The exhibit officially opens on Feb. 5 and Mission Hospital's radiology department plans to attend.

"The viewing of the final product at the exhibit by my staff will provide the staff with the understanding that their hard work developed a work of art," Gagliardo says. "They will see that medical imagery is art."

The artists involved in the project are: Jeff Alu, Stephen Anderson, Suki Berg, Richard Bohn, Jeffrey Crussell, Leslie Davis, Julie Easton, Rebecca Erbstoesser, Kebe Fox, Pamela Grau Twena, Nancy Harlan, Rik Lawrence, Rob Mintz, David B. Ordaz, Dali Polivka, Xtina Ponce, Danica Ristow, Linda Southwell, Sergio Dirzo Salgado, Darlyn Susan Yee.

The Art of Imaging is open to the public from Feb. 5 to 28 at the OCCA located at 117 North Sycamore in Santa Ana, Calif. A portion of sales from the exhibit will go to Mission Hospital. There will be a final closing party on the last night of the exhibit, Feb. 28, as well as an Artist Talk from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. the same night. Both are open to the public.

OCCA is open Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m.

For more information visit: http://occca.org/.