The Hidden, the Manipulated and the Revealed Project

Environmental Arts has been working in partnership with Elaine Rushin (Norwich School of Art and Design), Joe King (The Royal College of Art) and the BBC Voices on a project titled 'The Hidden, the Manipulated and the Revealed - medical diagnostic images, animation and interpretation' The starting point of the project is how we respond to the microscopic world.

The project looks at how we use diagnostic images. These images have been sourced from the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital working in consultation with both the Hospital Ethics Committee and Communications Team. The images have been used to create a series of short animated films and interactive moving image pieces. BBC Voices has been interviewing members of the community regarding there experiences of medical imaging, quotes from these interviews will be displayed alongside the films.

In the longer term we aim for these films to be screened within the hospital environment and other venues as a way in which to inform our patients, staff and visitors of the types of imaging and to assist with alleviating patients' fears.

As part of this collaboration and research project a dialogue between medical clinicians and those working within the arts will be established. This has and will continue to generate an exploration of the interface between art and science through the interrogation and interpretation of medical diagnostic images.

The images, which are open to varying perceptions, may be interpreted diagnostically or on an aesthetic level - this is part of the fascination. The abstract quality of the images, that may be divorced from content, allows for greater possibilities in fresh representation and display.

It is the aim of this project that stronger links and further development will be facilitated and that through this process a longer-term collaboration will result leading to more ambitious work.