The Shape of the Heart
Thursday 12 July
19.00-20.30
We've all been seduced by the shorthand symbolism of the valentine heart. But with our understanding of cardiac anatomy, why does this heart shape still persist? Historian of medicine Catrien Santing, consultant cardiologist Sanjay Prasad and artist Jane Prophet explored with an audience of 60 the heart’s history and enduring appeal.
The importance of determining images of the heart and medieval and early modern ideas about the shape and function of the heart were all touched upon in this enlightening session.
Themes discussed included:
• the influence of philosophy, science, religion and nature on medieval and early modern ideas about the shape and function of the heart
• the persistence of the valentine heart shape in popular culture
• the power of sophisticated medical imaging to reveal ever more about our hearts and the inspiration this provides to artists.
Speakers
Catrien Santing, Historian of Medicine, University of Groningen, Netherlands
Sanjay Prasad, Consultant Cardiologist, Royal Brompton Hospital
Jane Prophet, artist, with work featured in the exhibition 'The Heart'
Facilitator
Toby Murcott, science writer and presenter
Catrien Santing
I studied history and art history at the University of Groningen. In 1992 I defended my PhD on the relation between humanism and medicine around 1500. During my stay in Rome (1998-2002), where I worked for the Royal Dutch Institute, I became interested in the interrelation between medical developments and religion. Currently I am working on my book, 'The Heart of the Matter - Signification and iconic reification of human remains at the Papal court, circa 1450-1600'. Together with Jetze Touber I am also editing a book with articles on 'blood as a symbolic liquid'.
Sanjay Prasad
I am a consultant cardiologist at the Royal Brompton Hospital. I completed my postgraduate training in London, Boston and Geneva. My interests are in the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess patients with heart-failure and cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle). I have worked with MRI since 2001 and am currently looking at risk stratification of patients with heart disease to try to understand why some patients do better than others. In my spare time, I enjoy painting abstract images of the heart.
Jane Prophet
I am a British artist. My projects include 'Conductor', which I made by flooding a power station with 74 tonnes of water and lighting it with 120 electro-luminescent cables. 'Decoy' and 'The Landscape Room' combine images of real and computer-simulated landscapes. My latest work, 'Model Landscapes', uses rapid prototyping technology to make miniature trees from mathematical data and display them using tiny video screens. I recently completed a National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) Dream Time Fellowship and am currently developing my interdisciplinary collaborations, in particular 'Net Work' (hundreds of illuminated buoys) and 'Big Plastic Tree' (automated artwork built by robots).