Reading, Reading, Reading

I came into this IP process ready to explore the idea of layering (concepts and materials, specifically). I’ve made a lot of work about the body (my body) but have focused mostly on its physical capabilities. I would like to make this image-ability of the physical body more complex. Introducing the connection between internal bodily systems and exterior physical expression should add a new element to my study. The idea of illustrating an unseen process or thing on the most natural, visible and malleable canvas I can think of (skin) has really got me thinking. I am no medical student and the idea of learning about anatomical processes felt incredibly daunting. How should I go about choosing a system to illustrate and explore if I don’t know the first thing about…anything? I decided to start reading and researching in order to find my way.

This whole reading kick I’ve been on started with this article I read in my Global Perspectives to Gender, Health and Reproduction class called “Medical Metaphors: Menstruation & Menopause” by Emily Martin. Within the historical context of menstruation and menopause, Martin describes how the systems inside female body were learned and understood. The historical solution to interpreting bodily processes was turning them in to metaphors, usually based on cultural constructs. For example, at the time of the industrial revolution, the body became a model of the “progressive” society. The imagery used to describe the biochemistry of human anatomy was that of a factory. I decided after completing this reading that I wanted to know more about the history of metaphorically representing the inter-workings of the body. I spent the beginning of this week reading Susan Sontag’s Illness as Metaphor, which added interesting facets to my understanding of the historical practice of giving bodily processes specific meanings and significance. In her essay, Sontag explores the popular metaphors created around different illnesses, she also uncovers historical ideas about illness and disease: they were thought to be unnatural processes. So now my exploration is a bit more complex: historically, society has determined some bodily processes to be “natural” and others “unnatural” and symbols and special meaning have been assigned to both.

I’ve been listing the socially constructed metaphors presented in both pieces in my studio. A lot of the meanings derived from the processes under consideration in these two documents were contrived based on the outward expression and appearance of the body. For example, cancer, an illness Sontag explores at great length, was considered, historically to affect people who did not show any outward emotion or expression. In her article, Martin also introduces the historical idea of the body as a bank. While it was widely accepted that the body’s processes operated to keep the body balanced, women were considered “spenders” because of the process of menstruation.

At this point in my conceptual exploration, I feel like the best way to think about the relationship between hidden systems and the physical body is to create my own metaphor. Today in studio, Michael suggested that I start idea mapping for different internal systems and organs in order to specify what relationship I am going to visually explore. I have also started to research artists who have explored anatomy in their work including Kiki Smith. I was especially drawn to her 1992 piece “Sueño" and 1993 "Veins and Arteries" where she illustrates internal systems outside of the human body.