Intersecting Minds

Infarct III

by Steve Scaglione

A blue-toned artwork resembling a brain MRI of a large infarct with white text overlaid on it. The text reads: "MAMA," "TIP-TOP," "FIFTY-FIFTY," "THANKS," "HUCKLEBERRY," and "BASEBALL PLAYER", which are words to test for dysarthria from the NIH Stroke Scale. The title "Infarct III" is written at the bottom, along with the artist's signature.

Artist Statement

Infarct III seeks to delve deep into the often overlooked and invisible world of neurological injury and recovery. By juxtaposing a brain MRI depicting a large ischemic stroke with text from the NIH Stroke Scale used to assess dysarthria—a speech disorder often seen after the brain’s language centers are impacted from a stroke—the piece serves as a poignant exploration of how unseen medical phenomena manifest in tangible ways. The piece was made using a process called cyanotype, which develops an image uses a photosensitive ‘ink’ – an ode to the developing of radiologic films or the blooming of an infarct over time on MRI.

The overlaid words—”MAMA,” “BASEBALL PLAYER,” and others—may initially seem jarring and disjointed when viewed out of context. However, when placed within the framework of a stroke and its subsequent impact on speech, these words highlight the struggle to reclaim language and communication. They become symbolic markers of a deeply personal battle, which the artist observed firsthand as a medical student when noticing that some patients realized the severity of their condition only after becoming embarrassed that they could not pronounce these simple words.

Through this juxtaposition, Infarct III “senses the unseen” by encouraging viewers to confront the hidden layers of human experience—both physiological and psychological—that shape our interaction with the world. It invites us to consider the power of language as a tool to heal, recognizing that the journey of recovering from illness, fraught with daily challenges and small victories, often remains hidden from the view of medical professionals.

Artist Bio

Steven Scaglione is an artist and pediatrics resident living and working in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Printmaking is his most utilized medium to tell visual stories, with his recent work focusing on the demands of physician training and practice that surprise those outside the field. His other creative interests include poetry, photography, and cyanotype printing. He is a proud inductee to the Gold Humanism Honor Society and deeply enjoys the storytelling that is inherent to humanistic patient care. His previous work has been featured in The Intima Journal, Vanderbilt Medicine Magazine, and the 2024 Health Humanities Consortium Conference. Click here to visit the artist’s website.

Artist Contact Information:  steven.scaglione@nationwidechildrens.org