Thaumatopsic Art:

Oxalis-Anh’s paintings are the result of a lifelong interest in medicine, specifically in pathological histology. It would be safe to assume that her creative process began at an electron / virtual microscopic level. Aspects of disease process such as morphological changes and clinical significance are the basic thematic recurrence in most of these compositions. Colors and forms used in her compositions induce a psychedelic experience and create a sense of movement, disease progression, and man's primal emotions such as pain, sadness, anger, and fear. Every organ is visually depicted as a character whose name closely resembles the condition within the disease. The character interacts with surrounding adverse affects and symptoms. These images are double coded - on the one hand signifying general, universal entities that are easily recognized by all observers and on the other hand, carrying a more intimate and esoteric meaning, which viewers can arrive at only by some effort.

Moreover, similar to the general characteristics of the19th-century symphonic works, most of these paintings follow the standard structure of contrasting movements using techniques of colors, paint strokes, canvas textures, and painting media.

As you take a virtual tour and feast your eyes on these anomalous paintings, try to examine them closely to see if they possess sufficient indicators or descriptions of the biologic features of the disease to arrive at a diagnosis. Note that most of the images in this gallery do not depict every aspect of the pathological condition under which they are cataloged. The main purpose in creating these paintings is to inspire and to educate the general viewers about the artist's creative process.

Medic Art Corner:

Art is the primal human emotions without assistance of explanatory comments in the nature of any writing media. The creative process for  Oxalis- Anh's work usually begins at an electron / virtual microscopic level. but now the digital pathology age galloping full speed ahead, with virtual microscopy at its core, it is an immensely exciting time for artists and pathologists to exploit this remarkable technology and to integrate medicine with art.

The four aspects of disease process that form the core of pathology are its etiology, pathogenesis, morphological changes, and clinical significance.  These aspects of disease process are the basic thematic recurrence in most of the below paintings.  Colors and forms used in these compositions induce a psychedelic experience, as well as create a sense of movement, disease progression, and expressman's primal emotions such as pain, sadness, anger, fear, and hopelessness.

In addition, similar to the general characteristics of a symphonic work which consists of the first, second, and third movement, most of these compositions follow this outline using techniques in the form of colors, paint strokes, canvas textures, and different painting media such as oil pastel, water color, and charcoal.

These art images are double coded - on one hand signifying general, universal entities that are easily recognized by all observers, while on the other hand, carrying a more intimate and esoteric meaning, which viewers can only arrive at by some effort.

You are invited to take a virtual tour into the world of patho-art and examine some of the paintings closely and see if they have provided you with sufficient indicators/description of the clinical course and the biologic features of the disease to arrive at a diagnosis. The main purpose of these paintings; however, are merely used to inspire and to educate viewers about survival and the creative process.

Click on each disease/ clinical syndrome to see the paintings

Should you have any questions about these paintings or any others on this website please contact Painterspalettes@sdsy.org

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