At the intersection of art and science, a colorful mural delves into the complexities of pharmacy.
A 100-foot design that covers the walls in the new College of Pharmacy building at the University of Michigan is intended to convey the history and breakthroughs of pharmacy in a way that is more inviting than a scientific paper or medical journal. That’s the hope of Detroit-based artist and U-M Stamps School of Art and Design alum Ellen Rutt.
The assignment to celebrate the connections that define the profession itself—research, practice, discovery and education—was a challenge.
“I am sort of being a magnifying glass for things that they’ve already done, quite literally with a magnifying glass,” Rutt said.
For Vicki Ellingrod, dean of the College of Pharmacy, the mural was intended to deepen the message of patient care first, and to create an approachable space.
“Buildings bring people together, and we know public art can, too. Art creates dialogue, and we wanted to provide that opportunity for people to engage with the pharmacy profession on campus,” Ellingrod said. “The InterActions mural invites the general public to understand that our science advances human health through research, education and practice.”
The mixed media piece, composed of warm earth tones drawn from the covers of past issues of InterActions—the college’s past publication—contains images taken from the school archives on small canvases spread throughout the mural. These canvases are designed to be replaced as new discoveries or milestones are achieved in the future.
The mural depicts many pieces of the college’s story, including a Gila monster named Pebbles that received care at the school last year, medicinal plants, and images of celebratory milestones and key researchers.
“There are a lot of things that can only be experienced through our senses,” Rutt said. “You can describe the texture of bark, but it’s not the same as seeing the ripples in the bark or the texture of a Gila monster. I think art can bring that dimension to things that, when there’s only words, you just don’t get.”
To prepare for the artwork, Rutt consulted faculty and staff at the college and supplemented those findings with research at the Bentley Historical Library. The mural’s title pays tribute to the college’s former publication, honoring a long tradition of sharing knowledge, celebrating achievements and building community.
“What I heard time and time again was that patient care is always at the forefront, and that they see pharmacy as this real intersection between the sciences and medicine. It always seemed to come down to how science meets the body. So I wanted to reflect those things that have remained true, while representing them in a contemporary way,” Rutt said.
The new building opens this fall, but changes over time are welcomed.
“If there are students that want it to be different, I hope they feel the autonomy to make changes or to add their own something to it. I want to really accept that change is inevitable and detach from me being the sole mind behind it,” Rutt said. “I really love the idea of preserving art in its original form, but I also really think that adapting is necessary, and that not all art needs to last forever.”
InterActions was donor-funded through the college’s Interior Experience and Preservation Fund, supporting enhancements to the college’s facilities including its growing art collection. The project was completed in collaboration with the University’s President’s Advisory Committee on Public Art (PAConPA), whose mission is to enrich the university’s campuses through works of art, and the Arts Initiative’s Creators on Campus program, which provides support and guidance engaging artists with the university.
Source: https://news.umich.edu/capturing-the-past-present-and-future-in-new-college-of-pharmacy-mural/