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Commemorating the 500th anniversary of Andreas Vesalius Zakynthos, 4-8 Sept 2014 Andreas Vesalius 1514 – 1564 In September 2014, under the auspices of The Municipality of Zakynthos and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Athens, the Ionian Island Zakynthos will host a number of events commemorating the 500th anniversary of the birth of Andreas Vesalius in Brussels. The Flemish physician, later universally referred to as the father of modern human anatomy, died on Zakynthos, Greece, in 1564 which will be exactly 450 years ago in 2014. His legacy as an anatomist and European humanist has already survived almost half a millennium of natural, political and economic obstacles. He is the living proof that the arts and sciences can and will help us surmount current and future hurdles. In September 2014 we plan an ambitious international conference on Art and Science with Vesalius in a main role. There will be an exhibition of contemporary medical art that is juxtaposed with a display of historical artifacts and medical illustrations. There will also be a concert of sixteenth century music organized by the Belgian Embassy, and it is amusing to reflect that Vesalius, the physician of emperors must have known or perhaps even heard these very tunes. We also plan to make a collection of Vesalius Memorabilia which will be posted on our facebook page under the title of ”The Vesaliana Collection” if you feel you have anything of interest or anything related to his work, please send your contribution or a photo of this to: Andreas Vesalius, Sekeri 3, 106 71 Athens, Greece. There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. “Vesalius in Zante (1564)” by Edith Wharton in 1902. Sponsors Association Européenne des illustrateurs Médicaux et Scientifiques (AEIMS) Biological and Medical Art in Belgium (BIOMAB) Dr. and Mrs Stephen N. Joffe, USA Paulsen Media BV St George’s University Medical School, Grenada, West indies The Vesalius Trust, USA H.E. Marc Van den Reeck, Ambassador of Belgium, Athens Theo Dirix, Consul, Embassy of Belgium, Athens The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Belgium The Municipality of Zakynthos, Greece For further details on any of these sponsorship opportunities or to discuss how your company can participate please email [email protected] Organized by: Pascale Pollier (President BIOMAB, AEIMS, artem-medicalis, artist) Dr. Ann Van de Velde (Treasurer BIOMAB, UA) Emeritus Prof Mark Gardiner (University College London) Theo Dirix, Coordinator (Consul, Embassy of Belgium in Athens) Eleanor Crook, Pascale Pollier, Robert Devcic (GV-Art), Fabrica Vitae exhibition Curators Jerassimos Coidan (musician), Theo Dirix, Concert tour Under the auspices of: Life and work of Andreas Vesalius Art of Science and of Anatomy: 16th-21st century Vesalius Continuum Zakynthos, 4-8 Sept 2014 www.vesalius2014.be

GDA2013 Vesalius Continuum Announcement 2014

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Commemorating the 500th anniversary of Andreas Vesalius, Zakynthos, 4-8 Sept 2014 www.vesalius2014.be Andreas Vesalius 1514 – 1564 In September 2014, under the auspices of The Municipality of Zakynthos and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Athens, the Ionian Island will host a number of events commemorating the 500th anniversary of the birth of Andreas Vesalius in Brussels. The Flemish physician, later universally referred to as the father of modern human anatomy, died on Zakynthos, Greece, in 1564 which will be exactly 450 years ago in 2014. His legacy as an anatomist and European humanist has already survived almost half a millennium of natural, political and economic obstacles. He is the living proof that the arts and sciences can and will help us surmount current and future hurdles. In September 2014 we plan an ambitious international conference on Art and Science with Vesalius in a main role. There will be an exhibition of contemporary medical art that is juxtaposed with a display of historical artifacts and medical illustrations. There will also be a concert of sixteenth century music organized by the Belgian Embassy, and it is amusing to reflect that Vesalius, the physician of emperors must have known or perhaps even heard these very tunes. We also plan to make a collection of Vesalius Memorabilia which will be posted on our facebook page under the title of ” The Vesaliana Collection” if you feel you have anything of interest or anything related to his work, please send your contribution or a photo of this to: Andreas Vesalius, Sekeri 3, 106 71 Athens, Greece. There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. “Vesalius in Zante (1564)” by Edith Wharton in1902.

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Page 1: GDA2013 Vesalius Continuum Announcement 2014

Commemorating the 500th anniversary of Andreas VesaliusZakynthos, 4-8 Sept 2014Andreas Vesalius 1514 – 1564

In September 2014, under the auspices of The Municipality of Zakynthos and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Athens, the Ionian Island Zakynthos will host a number of events commemorating the 500th anniversary of the birth of Andreas Vesalius in Brussels. The Flemish physician, later universally referred to as the father of modern human anatomy, died on Zakynthos, Greece, in 1564 which will be exactly 450 years ago in 2014.

His legacy as an anatomist and European humanist has already survived almost half a millennium of natural, political and economic obstacles. He is the living proof that the arts and sciences can and will help us surmount current and future hurdles. In September 2014 we plan an ambitious international conference on Art and Science with Vesalius in a main role. There will be an exhibition of contemporary medical art that is juxtaposed with a display of historical artifacts and medical illustrations. There will also be a concert of sixteenth century music organized by the Belgian Embassy, and it is amusing to reflect that Vesalius, the physician of emperors must have known or perhaps even heard these very tunes.

We also plan to make a collection of Vesalius Memorabilia which will be posted on our facebook page under the title of ”The Vesaliana Collection” if you feel you have anything of interest or anything related to his work, please send your contribution or a photo of this to: Andreas Vesalius, Sekeri 3, 106 71 Athens, Greece.

There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. “Vesalius in Zante (1564)” by Edith Wharton in 1902.

SponsorsAssociation Européenne des illustrateurs Médicaux et Scientifiques (AEIMS)

Biological and Medical Art in Belgium (BIOMAB)

Dr. and Mrs Stephen N. Joffe, USA

Paulsen Media BV

St George’s University Medical School, Grenada, West indies

The Vesalius Trust, USA

H.E. Marc Van den Reeck, Ambassador of Belgium, Athens

Theo Dirix, Consul, Embassy of Belgium, Athens

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Belgium

The Municipality of Zakynthos, Greece

For further details on any of these sponsorship opportunities or to discuss how your company can participate please email [email protected]

Organized by:

Pascale Pollier (President BIOMAB, AEIMS, artem-medicalis, artist)

Dr. Ann Van de Velde (Treasurer BIOMAB, UA)

Emeritus Prof Mark Gardiner (University College London)

Theo Dirix, Coordinator (Consul, Embassy of Belgium in Athens)

Eleanor Crook, Pascale Pollier, Robert Devcic (GV-Art), Fabrica Vitae exhibition Curators

Jerassimos Coidan (musician), Theo Dirix, Concert tour

Under the auspices of:

Stylianos Bozikis, Mayor, The Municipality of Zakynthos

H.E. Mr Marc Van den Reeck, Ambassador, The Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Athens

Design by: Design DevisionWeb Development by: Even the Neck

Life and work of Andreas Vesalius Art of Science and of Anatomy: 16th-21st century

Vesalius Continuum Zakynthos, 4-8 Sept 2014www.vesalius2014.be

Page 2: GDA2013 Vesalius Continuum Announcement 2014

The “Fabrica Vitae” exhibition in Zakynthos

www.fabricavitae.com

curated by Pascale Pollier, Eleanor Crook and Robert Devcic from GV-Art gallery, London, The exhibition will be showcasing contemporary medical artists including: Stelarc, Jan Fabre, Dino Valls, Nina Sellars, Martin uit den Bogaard, Lucy Lyons, Eleanor Crook, Rachael Allen, Pascale Pollier and many more of the most renowned medical artists of our time.

A selection of works will be chosen from relevant professional bodies: AEIMS, MAA, Vesalius Trust (USA), BIOMAB (Belgium) and Art Researches Science (ARS).

The exhibition, in collaboration with Robert Devcic and GV Art Gallery, London, will premiere in Zakynthos and then will travel to England and on to Antwerp and also it is hoped to Riga, Berlin, Moscow and cities in the USA.

The new monument and facial reconstruction

History can be deadly ironic: he, who in the beginning of his career went out looking for bones, to study the human body, had his own skeleton lost on a beautiful Ionian island. (Theo Dirix, Vesalius brochure, 03/2012 )

There is an existing monument at Laganas Beach on Zakynthos. Belgium erected this monument in 1965. The inscription reads: “To the memory of Andreas Bezal, the great Belgian anatomist, who died on Zakynthos, 1564. The association of graduates of the highest faculties of the University of Belgium.”

We have put forward proposals for a new monument, of an écorché or flayed man (based on one of the écorché’s in Vesalius’ De Humani Corporis Fabrica) who is holding a head which is a half portrait and half facial reconstruction of Vesalius himself. If we are unsuccessful in finding the skull we will work from known images of Vesalius and perform an ‘inside out’ facial reconstruction…or should we say ‘outside in’.

Pascale Pollier plans to make this work in collaboration with facial reconstruction expert Richard Neave, who is the founder of the Manchester method of Facial Reconstruction ( www.rn-ds-partnership.com). The resulting sculpture will be cast in a lasting material and will be a fitting tribute to the great anatomist. This monument will be placed ,on a plinth, made by sculptor Chantal Pollier, in Zakynthos (the exact position has yet to be confirmed) and hopefully further casts will be placed at other sites in other locations important to the memory of Vesalius. To fund this monument they have made several bronze casts of the original half reconstruction/ half portrait head of Vesalius and these bronzes will be given to sponsors who donate 5000 euro or more towards the new monument. For information on how to contribute and obtain a bronze cast of this portrait send a mail to: [email protected].

The music concert

concerts of 16th century music

As a part of “Things From Belgium”, which is a cultural project from the Embassy of Belgium in Athens, and with the support of the Municipality of Zakynthos, The Embassy will organize and finance the creation of a musical event.

Greek clavecinist Jerassimos Coidan, who studied in Belgium, will bring, with his ensemble, Renaissance music that Vesalius would probably have heard at the court of Charles V and Philip II. The Embassy of Belgium will then tour other Ionian islands with the musical ensemble.

Film Fabrica Vitae

A collaboration with Andere Wereld Filmshttp://anderewereldfilms.com

a documentary film about Science, Art and Philosophy at the cutting edge.

”Genius lives on, all else is mortal.” Vesalius

The film will glorify the wonder of corporal anatomy as we know it and will ponder upon the revolutionary technological physical enhancements which have transformed and will further change the future of the hitherto “organic carbon man”.

The speakers in this documentary share an intense passion to understand the physical body and in their research often push against the boundaries of our knowledge and social acceptance. They experiment with the crossover between art and science to create innovative ideas and deserve to be heralded, like Vesalius, as brave and great pioneers.

Confronting Mortality, 2007 Pascale Pollier

work in progress by Richard Neave and Pascale Pollier

Vesalius Continuum Zakynthos, 4-8 Sept 2014www.vesalius2014.be

Page 3: GDA2013 Vesalius Continuum Announcement 2014

The Quest for the Grave In 2009 Pascale Pollier completed a course on facial reconstruction in Maastricht. It was then that the idea developed to make a facial reconstruction of Andreas Vesalius. Not knowing where he was buried, but assuming it was in Brussels, Ann van de Velde and Pascale went on a quest to find the grave of the great anatomist.

This quest took them to the Ionian island of Zakynthos where the death of Vesalius has been an unsolved mystery for the last four and a half centuries. The cause and manner of his death and the exact location of his burial site have not been ascertained and existing testimonies are considered doubtful. Many questions remain unanswered. Was he shipwrecked in Laganas? Did he die from starvation, scurvy or the plague? Was he buried in Pantokratoras at the site of the lost Franciscan Monastery or perhaps in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie?

We decided to find out for ourselves. We sailed to Zakynthos and we entered upon our quest.

In 1952 pharmacist Nikolaos Barbianis (1898-1980) scanned through the manuscripts of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Zakynthos, searching for evidence of the place where Vesalius was buried. Nikolaos Barbianis,‘The saviour of the ruins’ as he is known, placed a stone at the place where once the Franciscan monastery existed, at the site Kalogerata, better known as ‘Franciscan Church’ Laganas Pantokratoras. The inscription read as follows “Here at the place where the Franciscan monastery of Theodores “Kalogerata”, 1471, was located, the great anatomist Andreas Bezal died, cast away at the remote coast in 1564.”

Parallel to this theory we are investigating another theory that Vesalius could be buried at Santa Maria delle Grazie. The Flemish Giovanni Zuallardo mentioned in 1586 that the Franciscan brothers had a monastery called ‘Annunciata’ where they buried their dead. He claimed this as the burial place of Vesalius. The epitafio was lost in 1571.

Evidence provided by various researchers, (including Belgian researchers Omer Steeno, Maurits Biesbrouck and Theodoor Goddeeris and Greek historian Pavlos Plessas) unquestionably point to the Santa Maria delle Grazie church in the city center of Zakynthos.

The church was completely destroyed by the earthquakes of 1893 and 1953 and any new effort to find the grave must therefore inevitably begin with the identification of the original location of the church.

In the first instance, a historical Geographical Information Systems (a GIS) will be used to digitally register, rectify and analyze contemporary and historical maps, to try and identify the original position of the church, that vanished under the rebuilt, contemporary city.

In a second phase, a geophysical approach may follow, employing non-destructive ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) methods only.

Planning possible excavations is premature at this stage, but depending upon substantial evidence, a small number of test or rescue excavations trenches may be necessary to validate the above results.

Richard Neave and Pascale Pollier have not yet lost hope of creating a facial reconstruction of the skull of Vesalius.

The archeological planning has been set up by the following people and organizations:Prof Jan Driessen CUL & Director of the Belgian School of Athens, EBSA,Dr Apostolos Sarris, Deputy Director of IMS/FORTH on Crete,The Embassy of Belgium in Athens, Coordinated by Theo Dirix, Consul of Belgium in Athens and sponsored by BIOMAB Ltd. and supported by the Municipality of Zakynthos. For further information please visit the BLOG of Pavlos Plessas at http://pampalaia.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Andreas%20Vesalius

“financing of this dream is not yet finalized and if any one of your readers would like to link their name to the quest of the Lost Grave, by sponsoring it please contact email [email protected]

Sailing to Zakynthos

A sailing trip sailing the Ionian Isles will be organized by Dr. Marc de Roeck , Prof. Mark Gardiner, Dr. Ann van de Velde.

School exchanges

The Vesalius 2014 organizing committee is proud to announce that a new “extra” saw the light on Zakynthos this summer.

As already stated, one of the aims of our Vesalius Continuum Symposium is to stimulate the interests of young people in the art of medical illustration and in the medical sciences, particularly anatomy. We indeed hope to attract students in the arts and sciences of anatomy to our commemorations.

It won’t come as a surprise that we have now widened this idea to secondary school pupils. The Principal of a major establishment on Zakynthos and a teacher of classical languages in Leuven, Belgium, separately approached our committee, offering help and enquiring about 2014. Two further schools have just expressed a similar interest, one in Zakynthos and one in Antwerp, Belgium.

Coordinator Theo Dirix just had to “coordinate”. We hope these schools will grow closer, exchange ideas, papers and blogs about Vesalius, and eventually visit each other in 2014.The enthusiasm of both teachers and pupils, for the time being in Belgium and in Greece only, is inspiring. We shall and must find ways to overcome the current economic crisis and realize their and our dreams. All suggestions are more than welcome.

Gravure of Bastiaen Stoopendaal (1637-1693) image credit Prof. Omer Steeno

Santa Maria Della Grazie

Vesalius Continuum Zakynthos, 4-8 Sept 2014www.vesalius2014.be

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The Vesalius Continuum Conference

Download the provisional programme of The Vesalius Continuum Conference

Themes will include:

• The Life, Death and work of Andreas Vesalius

It will provide a forum for scholarly contributions to our knowledge of the life and death of Vesalius from his birth in Brussels in 1514 to his death on Zakynthos in 1564. It will also provide a forum for exposition of current studies concerning the major works of Vesalius especially the Fabrica and Epitome.

•The Art of anatomy: 16th-21st century

The relations between art and science from the time of Vesalius to the present will be considered with particular emphasis on the role of the medical artist and the changing nature of anatomical illustration from the Renaissance to the 21st century.

The art of anatomy over the last five centuries will be examined including the evolution of media from woodcuts to wax models and computerized representations such as ‘ The visible body’.

The importance of anatomy in medicine and surgery and art and changing approaches to the teaching and learning of anatomy by medical students and medical artists will be reviewed.

•The Science of anatomy: 16th -21st century

The development of anatomical sciences from the Renaissance to the present will be examined with a particular emphasis on the contribution of Vesalius and his followers and the effect of recent advances in imaging techniques on our knowledge of human anatomy at all scales from the visible to the microscopic and molecular.

Register your attendance to the Vesalius Continuum Conference You can download your registration form on www.vesalius2014.be

Early registration is advised as a place will be reserved upon receipt of your registration fee.

Vesalius Continuum Zakynthos, 4-8 Sept 2014www.vesalius2014.be

Page 5: GDA2013 Vesalius Continuum Announcement 2014

Zakynthos

37 km or 23 miles in length and no more than half that in width, Zakynthos, also known as Zante, is home to around 50000 people. Its 410 km2 comprise of rolling mountains, a fertile plain, olive tree covered hills, beaches of fine sand and spectacular coastal cliffs. Add the Mediterranean climate and the loggerhead turtles nesting at its southern beaches and it is no wonder that it attracts some half a million visitors a year.

The name Zakynthos is extremely old and may even predate the settlement of Greek speaking tribes in the area. According to Greek Mythology the leader of the first settlers of the island gave it his name. Zakynthos, whom you are more likely to come across in English as Zacynthus, was a son of Dardanus, the founder of the Royal House of Troy. In spite of this, in the Homeric poems the Zacynthians were amongst the men of Odysseus, king of neighbouring Ithaca, who sacked Troy. Like Odyssey itself, the island’s history is long, turbulent and full of dramatic details. The Zakynthians founded a colony in Spain and took part in several of the violent perennial squabbles of the Greek city-states until they succumbed to the might of Rome. Depending on which legend you prefer Christianity was first preached on the island either by St Veronica or by Maria Magdalene, both on their way to Rome.

The position of Zakynthos on the sailing route between Italy and the Levant meant that the westerners wrestled it from the Byzantine Empire quite early, in 1185. Italian dynasties ruled it until its devastation by the Ottomans in 1479 and then the Venetians, until the Serenissima herself ceased to exist at the end of the 18th century. It was from the Venetians that Zakynthos earned the appellation Fior di Levante, Flower of the East, which is echoed in Edgar Allan Poe’s sonnet To Zante. Zakynthos’ claim to fame, though, came not from its abundant flowers but as the centre of production and trade of Zante currants, otherwise known as raisins of Corinth, from the middle of the 16th century. On the fault line between the Christian West and the Muslim East the islanders suffered frequent enemy attacks, destructive earthquakes and outbreaks of the plague and smallpox until their 19th century masters, the British, allowed them to join Greece in 1864.

NEWS

Karger publishes a third edition of the Fabrica

Posted on July 9, 2013

Transforming Vesalius: The 16th-Century Scientific Revolution Brought to Life for the 21st Century

The Fabric of the Human Body is an annotated English translation of the 1543 and 1555 editions of Vesalius’ De humani corporis fabrica libri septem including the most important of Vesalius’ newly discovered personal notes for a never published third edition. This translation and its fresh reconstructions of Vesalius’ sublime illustrations make Vesalius’ school of thinking truly accessible in English for the first time. It is framed in an innovative, easy-to-use design.http://www.vesaliusfabrica.com/en/new-fabrica.html

29.05.2013 Professor Omer Steeno Unveils the Vesalius sculpture

Posted on May 29, 2013 During the Lecture we gave about Vesalius in the Jessa hospital Hasselt, Belgium, Professor Omer Steeno unveils the Vesalius Portrait/facial reconstruction made in Ciment Fondu by Richard Neave, Pascale Pollier, with a Plinth in Belgian Bluestone sculpted by Chantal Pollier.

20.10.2012: ” Friends of Vesalius” meeting in Louvain

Posted on October 20, 2012

Hosted by Theo Dirix, Consul and Pascale Pollier, Ann Van de Velde and Francis Van Glabbeek of BIOMAB

Key members of the organizing committee of Vesalius 2014 on Zakynthos met in a restaurant on the premises of the Collegium Trilingue, Collegium trium linguarum, Collegium Buslidianum, Collège des Trois Langues in French or in Dutch: De Dry Tonghen, today the name of the restaurant.

Vesalius Continuum Zakynthos, 4-8 Sept 2014www.vesalius2014.be

Page 6: GDA2013 Vesalius Continuum Announcement 2014

T H E A R T O F V E S A L I U S – A n t w e r p e nRobrecht Van Hee1, Francis Van Glabbeek1,3, Ann Van de Velde1,3, Bruno De Loght1, Linda Schools1, Pascale De Groote2, Hans Dowit2, Kevin Voets2, Geert Van Eeckhout2, Pascale Pollier-Green3, Alain Verschoren1; 1. Universiteit Antwerpen (UA), 2. Artesis Hogeschool Antwerpen, 3. Biological and Medical Art in Belgium (BIOMAB)

Het project THE ART OF VESALIUS wordt georganiseerd ter gelegenheid van de 500ste verjaardag in 2014 van de geboorte van Andreas Vesalius. Deze Vlaming wordt wereldwijd aanzien als de belangrijkste anatoom aller tijden.

De viering van zijn 500ste geboorteverjaardag wordt aangegrepen om in meerdere wereldsteden, doch vooral in eigen land, wetenschappelijk onderzoek te stimuleren en evenementen op het getouw te zetten. Hierbij zullen Leuven, Parijs, Padua, Zakynthos en andere steden zich niet onbetuigd laten. Het streven naar samenwerking tussen wetenschappers en kunstenaars in het kader van internationaal interdisciplinair onderzoek is hierbij een tendens die zich wereldwijd en dus ook in Antwerpen meer en meer aftekent. Door studenten wordt het delen van kennis, kunde en enthousiasme met mensen van buiten de eigen discipline als enorm stimulerend ervaren voor hun opleiding en wetenschappelijk onderzoek.

De Universiteit Antwerpen, de Artesis Hogeschool Antwerpen en ‘Biological and Medical Art in Belgium’ willen met het project THE ART OF VESALIUS een belangrijke bijdrage leveren aan de Vesaliusherdenking. Daar zijn meerdere redenen voor: •Antwerpen is een bruisende kunststad, waar wetenschap en kunst al eeuwen lang hand in hand zijn gegaan. Antwerpen is daardoor bijzonder goed geplaatst om tijdens het herdenkingsjaar van Vesalius het voortouw te nemen met betrekking tot de artistieke aspecten van de Vesaliusherdenking. •De Antwerpse musea en de organisatoren beschikken over een rijk patrimonium aan boeken en voorwerpen zowel m.b.t. Vesalius, als m.b.t. de gezondheidszorg en de kunsten van de 16de eeuw tot nu. •De hedendaagse kunstmanifestaties in de Scheldestad komen onder meer tot uiting door de activiteiten van het Koninklijk Conservatorium en de Kunstafdeling van de Artesis Hogeschool, doch eveneens door de inbreng van de alom befaamde Antwerpse kunstenaar Jan Fabre. Deze veelzijdige kunstenaar, vereerd met een eredoctoraat aan de Antwerpse Universiteit in 2009, combineert steeds beeldhouwkunst, opera, theater en film. Hij gaat daarbij graag in dialoog met wetenschappers, in zijn zoektocht naar inspiratie, en combineert hun bevindingen met zijn eigen artistieke inzichten.

Daarenboven is in de afgelopen jaren tussen de organisatoren van het project een synergie ontstaan, die op diverse manieren tot uiting komt in het project: •Prof. Dr. F. Van Glabbeek, voert in samenwerking met de Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen reeds meerdere jaren anatomische dissecties uit, gecentreerd rond de relatie en de confrontatie tussen anatomie en kunst. Deze praktische lessen en dissecties worden georganiseerd door en in de universiteit, in samenwerking met de vzw BIOMAB. •Prof. Dr. R. Van Hee, doet reeds enkele tientallen jaren onderzoek naar de invloed van de anatoom Andreas Vesalius op het medisch denken en de ontwikkeling van de geneeskunde door de eeuwen heen. Daarenboven presenteerde hij Vesalius als één van de tien finalisten in het toentertijd ophefmakende TV-programma ‘De Grootste Belg’ in 2004. Hij beheert een belangrijk medisch-historisch patrimonium in het Antwerpse Museum voor de Geschiedenis van de Gezondheidszorg. •BIOMAB vzw onderhoudt reeds geruime tijd een intens samenwerkingsverband met de ambassade van het Koninkrijk België in Athene en de autoriteiten van de Griekse stad Zakynthos. Deze samenwerking geeft aanleiding tot het opzetten in 2014 van een aantal evenementen in Antwerpen en op het Ionische eiland Zakynthos, waaronder een internationaal symposium en een tentoonstelling over Kunst en Wetenschap gewijd aan Andreas Vesalius, overleden op Zakynthos in 1564. De tentoongestelde werken, uitgevoerde muziek en wetenschappelijke voordrachten zullen hierbij zowel voor het Antwerpse als Griekse publiek gebracht worden. Publicaties zullen in het Nederlands, Engels en Grieks zijn. Deelgebied 1: De ontwikkeling van de anatomische iconografieAndreas Vesalius speelt een uiterst prominente rol in de ontwikkeling van de anatomische zienswijze en afbeelding: daar waar vóór hem het menselijke lichaam en haar onderdelen slechts op een zeer rudimentaire wijze werden beschreven en afgebeeld, werd door de inbreng van Vesalius en zijn artistieke medewerker Jan Stevens van Calcar een totaal nieuwe en Renaissancistische vormgeving gebruikt in de beeltenis van het skelet, de spieren of de verschillende andere organen van het menselijk lichaam. Deze elementen liggen aan de basis van de grote interesse, die hedendaagse kunstenaars nog steeds betonen ten aanzien van de beeldvorming van het menselijk lichaam en haar onderdelen.

Deelgebied 2: De kunstzinnige afbeelding van het menselijk lichaam Het afbeelden van het naakte menselijke lichaam is één van de meest voorkomende thema’s in de productie van beeldende kunstenaars, theatermakers, modemakers en choreografen. De manier waarop kunstenaars naar het lichaam kijken, is in de laatste eeuwen aanzienlijk geëvolueerd, mede mogelijk gemaakt door de nieuwe onderzoekstechnieken. Het project stelt zich tot doel de artistieke confrontatie te onderzoeken en te belichten tussen de Vesaliaanse iconografie en de hedendaagse kunstuitingen met betrekking tot de nieuwe kennis van het menselijk lichaam.

Deelgebied 3: De maatschappelijke relevantie van de ontwikkelingen in de anatomie De Vesaliaanse anatomie ligt ten grondslag aan de ontwikkelingen in het wetenschappelijk denken van de laatste 500 jaar. Vesalius’ dynamische concepten hebben definitief de oude theorieën met betrekking tot de behandeling van ziekten op de helling gezet en hebben de basis gelegd voor de huidige en op experimenteel onderzoek gestoelde geneeskunde. Verder zijn de didactische kwaliteiten van Vesalius bijzonder opvallend. Zijn iconografie en zijn methode van onderricht en praktische begeleiding zijn nog steeds relevant voor de hedendaagse onderwijstechnieken.

Programma

1. Tentoonstellingen ‘The Art of Vesalius’ a. Kunsttentoonstelling. Deze tentoonstelling zal doorgaan in Museum van de Geschiedenis van de Gezondheidszorg, Antwerpen, lopend van 1 april 2014 tot 30 april 2014. De tentoonstelling zal aan de hand van de diverse werken van Vesalius de ruime iconografie van Vesalius met betrekking tot het menselijk lichaam belichten. Daarnaast zal deze tentoonstelling aan de hand van kunstwerken, vervaardigd door hedendaagse kunstenaars, de confronterende relatie laten zien tussen de opvattingen van kunstenaars uit de 16de en 21ste eeuw met betrekking tot het menselijk lichaam en het wetenschappelijk denken. Deze tentoonstelling heeft naast artistieke voornamelijk educatieve doeleinden: zij richt zich aldus op studenten in diverse richtingen, en bijgevolg ook op hun docenten, waaraan een educatief pakket zal worden aangereikt.

b. Tentoonstelling Grafische Kunst. Deze internationale tentoonstelling omvat ‘Ex Libris’ concepten en kadert in een reeds jaren bestaande internationale wedstrijd- en tentoonstellingsreeks van Grafische Kunsten. De tentoonstelling gaat in 2014 (exacte datum volgt) door in St.Niklaas en wordt georganiseerd door Jan Dockx, voorzitter van het Vlaams Geneeskundigen Verbond en mede-partner van het project.

c. Tentoonstelling rond Joannes Valverde in het Plantin-Moretusmuseum in Antwerpen. Meer informatie over deze tentoonstelling die zal lopen van april tem augustus 2014 volgt op de museumwebsite: www.museumplantinmoretus.be

2. Podiumkunsten a. Dansvoorstelling. (TBC)In het voorjaar 2015 – lesluwe lenteweek (krokusvakantie) - wordt een dansvoorstelling rond de dynamiek van het menselijk lichaam geprogrammeerd door de opleidingen Hedendaagse dans en Muziek/compositie van het Koninklijk Conservatorium Antwerpen.

b. 16de-eeuwse muziek. Dit recital zal in Antwerpen worden verzorgd door de Griekse musicus Jerassimos Coidan. Hij zal na een periode van uitgebreide partituur- en instrumentstudie werken uitvoeren van tijdgenoten van Andreas Vesalius uit het Vlaamse en internationale muziekrepertoire.

c. Theatervoorstelling.(TBC)Door studenten van de opleiding Drama van het Koninklijk Conservatorium Antwerpen, wordt een theatervoorstelling op het getouw gezet, waarbij met een monoloog in woord en beeld de figuur van Jan Van Calcar, de kunstenaar waarmee Andreas Vesalius samenwerkte, zal geincarneerd worden.

d. Het kamerkoor van het Koninklijk Conservatorium Antwerpen (BA1 en BA2) brengt in het najaar van 2014 een concert rond de figuur van Vesalius en zijn tijd.

3. Wetenschapseducatie a. Studentensymposium '500 years Vesalius: Anatomy of a great man' met als thema: ‘Hedendaagse anatomie’.Dit symposium wordt georganiseerd door de Koninklijke Artsenvereniging van Antwerpen en de Antwerpse afdeling van de European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA). Het symposium zal in het voorjaar 2014 doorgaan (tentatieve datum 25 maart 2014) in één van de auditoria van de Universiteit Antwerpen en zal gewijd zijn aan didactische technieken met betrekking tot het hedendaagse anatomie-onderwijs aan de Europese universiteiten.

b. Internationale studiedag voor en met medische kunstenaars.Deze manifestatie wordt georganiseerd door de vzw BIOMAB, in samenwerking met het Departement Anatomie van de Universiteit Antwerpen en met de Artesis hogeschool van Antwerpen. Het evenement gaat door in het kader van de jaarlijkse werkseminaries, waarbij studenten uit diverse Europese landen zich komen scholen in anatomische en medische kunst. De sessies gaan in het najaar 2014 door in de anatomiezaal van de Universiteit Antwerpen.

c. ColloquiumEr wordt in de loop van het Vesaliusjaar één colloquium (tentatieve datum 11 oktober 2014) in Antwerpen gehouden, gecentreerd rond de drie deelaspecten van het project: de anatomische iconografie, de kunstige afbeelding van het menselijk lichaam en de medisch-maatschappelijke relevantie van Vesalius. Voor dit colloquium worden internationale en nationale sprekers uitgenodigd, telkens expert in één van de geciteerde onderwerpen.

4. Samenwerking met 'Vesalius Continuum 2014 ' - Onafhankelijk georganiseerd onder auspiciën van het stadsbestuur van Zakynthos en de Ambassade van België in Athene.