DAVID MACAULAY’S "THE WAY WE WORK" ART EXHIBITION OPENS AT
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF HEALTH AND MEDICINE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
April 13, 2009, Washington, D.C. – The National Museum of Health and Medicine/AFIP will host a six-month installation of "David Macaulay Presents: The Way We Work: Getting to Know the Amazing Human Body," a new exhibition based on of the acclaimed author’s most recent book of the same title. The exhibition was organized by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature of Abilene, Texas and opens on April 20, 2009. Admission is free. NMHM is open to the public and is located on the campus at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
"The real beauty of the human body, as it turns out, had little to do with outward appearance. It is displayed in and beneath the skin in a remarkable demonstration of economy and efficiency," said Macaulay in a NCCIL publication about the book. On why he began "The Way We Work": "What began as a simple desire to better understand my own inner workings has become an opportunity to display both my wonder and gratitude."
Over the course of six years, Macaulay delved into the inner workings of the human body, approaching the material with the same vigor to which he previous applied to examinations of architecture and machines. The exhibit takes the visitor on an immersive journey through the human body system-by-system, from the most basic details about cell structure to vivid descriptions of bodily functions. The original artwork will be displayed alongside one-of-a-kind anatomical specimens drawn from the Museum’s collections, so that visitors will be given the opportunity to see in three dimensions that which Macaulay so vividly conveys through his whimsical take on the human body.
"Where else but the nation’s medical museum to display these wonderful works of art?" said Adrianne Noe, Ph.D., Museum director. "Macaulay’s keen eye for detail is evident throughout the exhibition. We hope that the pairing of Macaulay’s sketches with anatomical specimens from our collection will engage the visitor to consider the wonder of the human body."
A series of public programs will be launched to coincide with the temporary exhibition, including a special hands-on program that will be offered on Wednesday mornings (starting in June). Interested parties are encouraged to monitor the Museum’s Events page on their Web site at http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum/events/event_2ed.html, or sign up for the Museum’s free e-newsletter.
The exhibit will close on September 20, 2009.
"The Way We Work: Getting to Know the Amazing Human Body" by David Macaulay (the book) was published in 2008 by Houghton Mifflin, Inc. of New York.
Reservations are not required to visit the Museum. Admission is free and parking is available. Adults seeking to visit the Museum are required to present valid government-issued photo identification to gain entry to Walter Reed, and will be asked to present ID again at the Museum.
For more information, contact Tim Clarke, Jr., the Museum’s Deputy Director for Communications, phone (202) 782-2672, email timothy.clarke@afip.osd.mil.
MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES:
- Media interested in viewing the exhibition must RSVP by calling Tim Clarke, Jr., at 202-782-2672 or by emailing timothy.clarke@afip.osd.mil at least 48 hours in advance. Information needed from media outlets for Museum access include: names of all attending, license plate number, make, model, year and color of the vehicle. Parking is available.
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About David Macaulay:
- David Macaulay’s books have sold more than three million copies in the United States and his work has been translated into a dozen languages. His seminal work, The Way Things Work, was on the New York Times bestseller list for fifty weeks. In 2006, Macaulay was named a Macarthur Fellow, and is a recipient of the Caldecott Medal and the Washington Post–Children’s Book Guild Nonfiction Award. Born on December 2, 1946, Macaulay was eleven when his family moved from England to the United States. An early fascination with simple technology and a love of model making and drawing ultimately led him to study architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design. He received his degree in 1969 after spending his fifth year with RISD’s European Honors Program in Rome.
About the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature:
- The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature collaborates with award-winning artists to produce exhibitions of their artwork that are distinctive, appealing to museum visitors of all ages, and of the highest quality. In addition to this unique artistic partnership, following its debut at the NCCIL gallery each exhibition travels to museums, public libraries, and galleries nationwide. NCCIL is based in Abilene, Texas.
About the National Museum of Health and Medicine:
- The National Museum of Health and Medicine of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, established in 1862, inspires interest in and promotes the understanding of medicine—past, present, and future—with a special emphasis on tri-service American military medicine. As a National Historic Landmark recognized for its ongoing value to the health of the military and to the nation, the Museum identifies, collects, and preserves important and unique resources to support a broad agenda of innovative exhibits, educational programs, and scientific, historical, and medical research. The Museum is an element of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), a tri-service Army, Navy and Air Force agency of the Department of Defense with a threefold mission of consultation, education and research. The Museum is located at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. Visit the Museum Web site at www.nmhm.washingtondc.museum or call (202) 782-2200.
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