Exhibition Proposal

This literature review will analyse themes concerning my exhibition, which transcends the boundaries of art and science. Key themes that relate to my initial research question, is the connection of humans towards nature and how this can translate into innovative medical research. The theme of transdisciplinarity also pervades my research, through integrating multiples perspectives into brain tumour treatments, from botanists, neuroscientists, plastic surgeons, and my own personal experiences. These transdisciplinary collaborations, illustrate toward a wider theme of transdisciplinarity within medicine, and the benefits of looking at illness through a holistic lens, that draws in wider perspectives.

A particular review article that examines the role of transdisciplinarity within healthcare, presents key points into the benefits of this approach (Ciesielski et al. 2017). The paper outlines how a unidisciplinary approach can be limiting when treating and researching diseases (Ciesielski et al. 2017). Through focusing on one discipline to treat a complex condition or cancer such as Glioblastoma, creates a limited view of the illness and thus a limited view of treatment. 

Through encouraging transdisicplinarity, it allows for open-minded conversations and less rigid methods of research investigations (Ciesielski et al. 2017). Researchers into this paper, also suggests that it can foster information exchange, that will ultimately develop and frame questions, in order to inform appropriate hypotheses (Ciesielski et al. 2017). 

Another paper further attests to trandisciplinarity, concerning the field of biomedical engineering. Through collaborating with other professionals, it can aid in further medical training without the further costs of employing a medical trainer (Health Management, 2018). 

Researchers from the previous paper, further support this statement by Health Management, by creating training environments, that stimulate these connections between disciplines (Ciesielski et al. 2017). 

Despite these promising arguments, there becomes issue when trying to force transdisciplinary practice to occur. In order for innovation to develop, there must be a natural progression, in which medical practitioners are open to knowledge exchange and a unity of knowledge (Ciesielski et al. 2017). 

There is also issue in the structure of scientific research. When conducting experimental research into a certain illness, there are many stages to consider that may interfere with the natural progression of transdisciplinary research: such as funding proposals, training strategies and the inaccessibility of language (Ciesielski et al. 2017). Along with physical barriers, there are also ethical barriers to consider in collaboration; such as, authorship of the study, misinterpretation of data and the discussion of can one own an idea? (University of Alabama at Birmingham. 2015)

All these barriers, further question the possibility of implementing transdisciplinary practice into medicine. 

Through the work of my exhibition, it begins to challenge unidisciplinarity and how medical research is structured, which prevents knowledge exchange between disciplines; and thus, limiting the possibilities of treatment from perspectives such as botany. 

Within contemporary art, there is more awareness of transdisciplinarity as an approach for creative research and experimentation. Many artists use their practice, to focus on scientific concepts, issues or questions in a multifaceted way that address these complexities, in an accessible format.

One exhibition titled: ‘Potential Worlds 2: Eco-Fictions’, highlights key themes within my project, involving the connection of humans to nature and how nature can enhance and treat humans (Migros Musuem. 2021). The exhibition creates this speculation into the future of our world and how nature and technology can influence humanity based on our destruction of it (Migros Musuem. 2021).

Artist Mary Maggic bases her research into hydroponics (growth of plants from water and light) (Maggic. 2013). Within our current climate, deforestation is a large issue addressed in this work entitled “Plants of the Future” [figure 1]. Through growing plants from water and light, Maggic is unchaining the reliance on earth as a source for growth, and resulting back to the most basic needs for a plant (Maggic. 2013). I would argue, her sculpture appears to resemble an EEG machine, used to scan brain waves. This presents fascinating imagery into merging technology with plants.