A Complete Circle: Steampunk Art Imitates Advanced Medical Discovery, Imitates Vintage Science Fiction
Bruce Rosenbaum commissioned to design “X-Ray Voyager” that represents the professional achievements of an inventive Massachusetts radiologist
Creative problem solving and Janusian thinking are themes that encapsulate many of Bruce Rosenbaum and ModVic’s projects. They are the foundation that make Steampunk art so compelling, giving us a different lens through which we can view the world.
Bruce was naturally inspired by the work of Dr. Eugene Tikh, an interventionalist radiologist in Newton, MA who has developed a unique tool in the fight against cancer causing tumors.
Using tiny microbeads that can be injected into the body, Dr. Tikh has developed a technique that allows healthcare professionals to identify the precise location of a mass of tumor cells.
The microbeads then travel to the exact center of a tumor where they detonate, like a “smart bomb”, and destroy only the cancerous cells, while leaving healthy tissue cells around the tumor “safe” and intact.
While this sounds like the stuff of science fiction, this technique is now being used by medical professionals and institutions to save lives.
“Focusing my professional efforts in a cutting-edge field of medicine is exciting, but can also feel overwhelming at times,” Tikh said of his advanced radiology work. “I’ve been keen to build out a “sanctuary” within my home where I can relax, recharge, and draw inspiration for what new challenges lie ahead.”
Having become a fan of Bruce Rosenbaum’s work over the years, Tikh reached out to ModVic to commission a sculpture that would represent his discovery in a creative way and serve to motivate and inspire him in new directions.
“When I spoke with Eugene and learned more about his work I became very interested in this project,” said Rosenbaum. “The field of medicine and the technology and equipment it utilizes are all topics I am personally drawn to.”
Bruce said that he was immediately inspired to think of the 1966 Sci Fi classic film “Fantastic Voyage” in which a scientific crew and a submarine-like ship are miniaturized and then injected into the human body on a mission to locate and “kill” the disease that is ailing a medical patient.
Hubbs Movie Reviews: phub.blogspot.com
Tikh said he also was drawn to this story growing up and had been fascinated with the concept of exploring “inner space” – a term he recalls as being quite popular with him and his classmates.
Rosenbaum ran with the idea and began assembling a model ship of the Steampunk X-Ray Voyager – an exploratory vessel that shrinks to microscopic size and travels inside the human body, locating and eradicating dangerous tumors.
Using antique x-ray tubes, historic medical apparatus, plasma lighting, and other salvaged items, as well as a Victorian-era staircase newel post as a pedestal, Rosenbaum designed an inspirational sculpture for Tikh’s new den / “man cave”.
