Academy 'Anatomies'

View Enlarged Photo and CaptionWashington has its share of museums on the Mall and gallery districts, but it's also full of great works of art in unexpected places. The National Academy of Sciences pursues lofty goals of research and stewardship, but they also sponsor terrific gallery shows that explore the meeting of art and science. The current group show, "Visionary Anatomies," focuses on fine art -- in traditional forms and advanced digital media -- inspired by medical imagery.

Highlights include work by Brooklyn-based brothers Mike and Doug Starn (neural synapses floating like tree branches); collages pulled from "Gray's Anatomy" by artist Frederick Sommer; paintings from Joy Garnett's "X-Ray series" and images by Katherine Sherwood that tie modern-day angiograms to 7th-century calligraphic emblems. Like any scientific investigation, careful study here reveals more than meets the eye.

The gallery's hours -- Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 -- can be limiting, but if you can catch a break during your workday, it's worth the trip. The show continues through May 20.

-- Maura

By washingtonpost.com |  March 15, 2005; 1:33 PM ET Museums
Previous: Phoenixes Rising | Next: Brushstroke