A Deep Connection

"A Picture of Health" is a well-known phrase that conjures up a wide range of imagery and interpretations across communities and scientific disciplines. Artwork on this theme created by five artist-scientist groups, the culmination of a collaborative project between MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London, reflects current research topics vital to human health.

Maintaining “A Picture of Health” depends on humans living in harmony with the life support systems that sustain us - the air we breathe, water we drink, food we eat, weather we experience, as well as our supporting economics, culture and medicine. Individuals are an integral part of these complex systems, and so are the trees. The artwork by Phil Barton, seen here in progress, explores the relationship between the health of a human and that of urban trees. His practice as an artist is based on a career working on environmental regeneration, addressing climate breakdown and humanity’s attack on nature in the Anthropocene. Phil’s interest is in the interconnections, power relationships and mutual dependency of natural life support systems with Homo sapiens.

"A Picture of Health" artwork can be seen at the Science Museum Lates in London this week

Written by Sophie Arthur and Lucy Brown

Sophie Arthur and Lucy Brown

Writers - former MRC LMS Science Communications Officer (SA) and Engagement Project Manager (LB)

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• Image of work created by Phil Barton photographed by Jody Kingzett
• MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, and Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London UK
• Image copyright held by the photographer