HYDE PARK — Patients entering the Center for Care and Discovery on Monday will see the tissue about to go under the surgeon’s knife rendered as a plush blanket.
The hospital at 5700 S. Maryland Ave. on the University of Chicago campus hung 16 quilts portraying the microscopic landscape of the human body for the “Art Under the Microscope: Bioartography Quilts” exhibit opening Monday.
“The vivid imagery of each piece in ‘Art Under the Microscope’ depicts the intricate beauty of our existence and the delicate framework in which our colleagues in medical science operate to strengthen and improve human life,” said Kathy DeVries, vice president for marketing and communications at the hospital and also a fiber artist.
Each quilt portrays a different interpretation of microscopic photographs taken by University of Michigan researchers. During their study, researchers chemically stained the tissues to expose each cell's function, creating a vibrant tableau that the quilters have rendered in fabric swatches.
Using suede, satin, beads and embroidery, quilters from the Washington, D.C.-based Fiber Artists @ Loose Ends recreate the tiny blood vessels in the human eye and skin captured in the laboratory.
The quilts are the first art installation since the hospital opened on Feb. 23 and will remain on view through the end of August.
