Forgot to post the research poster I finished a few days ago, here it is. I’ve blanked out Figure 1 in this post (an artwork from Cells: The Smallest of All Portraits exhibition) because – while Jo was fine with me using the photos I took in my university work, I’m not sure that I have clearance to post it up on the internet, particularly while the exhibition is still ongoing. Curious? Go see it yourself (at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, until 3 February 2013)!
Today I went to see a very special exhibition at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, called Cells: The Smallest of All Portraits. Pupils from James Gillespie’s High School and Penicuik High School had created a profound and thought-provoking laboratory installation, exploring the meaning of identity in a post-Dolly the Sheep world. A variety of media were used, from beakers, test tubes, petri dishes and mass spectrometry to traditional printmaking and sketching. Trying to gauge how these kids felt about cloning and cell biology research overall, the impression I got was one of mingled fear and excitement. This was compounded when I listened to a tape of audio samples of the debate they were having – some felt that cloning was fundamentally wrong, others said that it was no more disturbing to them than the idea of having an identical twin.
I thought the pupils did a fantastic job at answering some of the questions I’d been exploring – particularly whether art could be used to encourage rational debate and understanding in the general public. Based on the evidence of this exhibition, I would say that the answer is a resounding yes.
I was also lucky enough to meet Jo Mawdsley, the Schools Education Officer and one of the coordinators of the exhibition. She gave me her email address and told me to get in touch, which I will definitely be doing.
The installation was part of a larger exhibition called Pioneers of Science, featuring portraits of many famous scientists throughout history. I thought I knew what to expect, yet I was fairly stunned when I came up the stairs to find myself face to face with a portrait of Sir David Lane, one of the scientists that discovered the p53 gene (and from Dundee University, no less).
The portrait was painted by Ken Currie, who spent some time getting to know the scientists, even taking casts of their faces for reference. Currie said that the portrait was “unlocked” for him when Professor Lane said, “People see cancer as a darkness – our job is to go in and retrieve people from that darkness.”
Research Poster progress. Still very sketchy (both text and design), but getting there. Needs more pictures and less words I think.
I made a start on the research poster today. The colours are not final at all, but I’m pleased with the fonts and overall layout. Will start writing the text content tonight.
Programme of Study too confusing? Have a gander at the current abstract for the project, written as part of an assignment.
Abstract
Regeneration: Visualising the Life Cycle of Tumour-Suppressing Proteins
Sarah J C Gillespie
In this age of stem-cell research, genetically modified food and in-vitro fertilisation, cell biology researchers are often portrayed in the media as shadowy puppet masters, meddling with genes and changing the course of nature (Ball, 2011). From the broadsheet newspapers to the American presidential debates, it seems that everyone has an opinion on what it means to be alive. Sadly, such opinions are often misinformed and coloured by prejudice. The cell biologists are unable to defend themselves as they find it difficult to communicate complex data in layman’s terms.
This is where art has a role to play. Researchers have begun to look at ways in which art can be used to bypass the jargon words that prevent scientists from communicating with the public. In his PhD thesis, Designs for Life: Art, Science and Collaboration, Dr Paul Liam Harrison (2009) explored printmaking as a means of breaking down interdisciplinary barriers. In Visualise: an exploration of an artist’s approach to 3-D computer visualisation in clinical radiology, Dr John McGhee (2009) investigated the role of computer visualisation as a liaison between doctor and patient.
Recent documentaries have also begun to explore this relationship. The documentary Inside the Human Body (BBC, 2011) used stunning CGI visuals to show the inside of the human body in a way that it had never been visualised before. Secret Universe: The Hidden Life of the Cell (BBC, 2012) went a step further, transforming the world of the cell into a surreal universe, complete with futuristic sound effects and camera moves taken straight from the sci-fi movie canon.
For my Master’s project, I will collaborate with Professor Angus Lamond at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression. We will develop a narrative to visualise an aspect of the Lamond Lab’s research that would otherwise be difficult to explain. The final outcome will be a 1-2 minute long documentary film combining live action and CGI sequences. Specifically, I intend to convey the life cycle of one of the many tumour-suppressing proteins studied in the Lamond Lab. These proteins are created in response to a crisis, such as DNA damage caused by exposure to UV rays. The proteins are allowed to survive for long enough to fix the problem before being destroyed. This area of research has great potential for compelling narrative as there is a clear beginning, middle and end: the protein is created, it solves the crisis, and then it is destroyed. (Lamond, 2012)
One of the most pertinent questions relating to the brief concerns artistic licence: how does one strike a balance between scientific accuracy and the demands of entertainment? Cell organelles, generally, are clear, so colouring them in film is already dispensing with reality (Lamond, 2012). Another important question to ask is: is a narrator necessary to the film? And if so, what style of narration has the greatest appeal? I intend to compile an online questionnaire in order to find out the answers to these questions.
Technically, I hope to develop my skills in Maya Dynamics. I think that approaching the research from a narrative point of view will keep my options open so that on finishing the course, I can choose freely between a career in the animation industry and a career in research.
References
Ball, P., 2011. Unnatural: The Heretical Idea of Making People. London: Random House.
Harrison, P. L., 2009. Designs For Life: Art, Science and Collaboration. Ph. D. University of Dundee.
Inside The Human Body. 2011 [DVD] London: BBC. (Narrated by Michael Mosley. VFX by Jellyfish Pictures).
Lamond, A., Professor of Biochemistry at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, 2012. Artistic licence. [meeting] (Personal communication, 23 October 2012).
McGhee, J., 2009. Visualise: an exploration of an artist’s approach to 3-D computer visualisation in clinical radiology. Ph. D. University of Dundee.
Secret Universe: The Hidden Life of the Cell. 2012 [Documentary] London: BBC. (Narrated by David Tennant. Directed by Mike Davis. VFX by Intelligent Creatures)
Bibliography
Ball, P., 2011. Unnatural: The Heretical Idea of Making People. London: Random House.
Harrison, P. L., 2009. Designs For Life: Art, Science and Collaboration. Ph. D. University of Dundee.
Inside The Human Body. 2011 [DVD] London: BBC. (Narrated by Michael Mosley. VFX by Jellyfish Pictures).
Lamond, A., Professor of Biochemistry at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, 2012. Artistic licence. [meeting] (Personal communication, 23 October 2012).
McGhee, J., 2009. Visualise: an exploration of an artist’s approach to 3-D computer visualisation in clinical radiology. Ph. D. University of Dundee.
McGill, G., 2010. Molecular Movies. [online] Available at: http://www.molecularmovies.org
Monroe, K. R., 2008. Fundamentals of the Stem Cell Debate: The Scientific, Religious, Ethical and Political Issues. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Planet Earth. 2006 [DVD] London: BBC. (Narrated by David Attenborough).
Secret Universe: The Hidden Life of the Cell. 2012 [Documentary] London: BBC. (Narrated by David Tennant. Directed by Mike Davis. VFX by Intelligent Creatures)
Sharpe, J., Lumsden, C. J., and Woolridge, N., 2008. In Silico: 3D animation and simulation of cell biology with Maya and MEL. Burlington, MA: Morgan Kaufmann.
Ware, C., 2004. Information Visualization: Perception for Design. Second Edition. Burlington, MA: Morgan Kaufmann.
Cell Shading 