HARMONIC HELIX | Anna Hostal

“‘Harmonic Helix’ is the first in a series of visual puns intended to explore the relationship between form and function in anatomy. The inner ear is one of my favorite anatomical structures, and the curl of the cochlea has long captivated me. The snail's shell, so similarly shaped, is a favorite listening tool as well. My hope is that this work brings whimsy into anatomy and connects to the childlike wonder of discovering such things as the sound of the ocean in a simple shell.”

Anna Hostal is a first-year medical student at Creighton University School of Medicine in Phoenix, Arizona. Her interests in art and medicine are inextricably intertwined, as it was her fascination with the beautiful forms and patterns of nature that inspired her to pursue science. She particularly enjoys exploring the similarities and differences between human anatomy/pathology and forms in the natural world. She is an aspiring surgeon.