Output details

Incisions Gown I

The artifact ‘Incision Gown’ arose from art led sci-art collaboration (Fleming: Principal Investigator). ‘Incision Gown’ operated in several domains and particularly successful fostered public engagement. It was first shown as a runway performance in the peer-reviewed ‘Seamless-Computational Couture ‘, Boston Science Museum (2008) where ‘designers from around the globe. …pushed the boundaries of wearable technology.

In public contexts, including demonstrations at Antennae: New Developments in Surgery’, Science Museum, London and at the Life Centre, Newcastle, the gown evoked complex, and sometimes moving, narratives from members of the public. These were rigorously collected by the researchers’ ethnographic field techniques (used by permission) to recognise the individual response in the midst of generic observations.

Essentially an embroidered silk organza ‘Johnny gown’ with unexpected multiple and complex three way zips and tailored buttonholes, the gown used the resultant frission between materials and context, accuracy and evocation to create engagement. Sited in reflective embodiment, it utilized art and design methods to explore how surgical incisions are understood and communicated in professional and public contexts.

How professionals interact when one person wears it was also examined and field notes are now used to enhance learning of professional behavior. The process of using an aesthetically conceived garment as a vehicle to negotiate cultural narratives around the body for clinical contexts was the subject of performance/presentation the garment in peer reviewed medical and medical education conferences including AMEE and PCAAC humanities.

The textiles innovation was recognized by its inclusion in the Industrial Fabric Association Conference (2008) (curator: Marie O’Mahony}. It was subsequently selected (runway and static) at ‘Wearable Expressions’ LA. Incisions Gown attracted considerable press. This project preceded the Welcome Trust grant that led to outputs 3 and 4 and it was sometimes included in the same venues.