Body donation to science, an exhibition in Bologna

"Cuore" - Francesca Gulino
"Il primo paziente. La donazione del corpo alla scienza in graphic novel,” is the title of the exhibition that can be visited free of charge from 9 April to 14 June at the 'Luigi Cattaneo' Anatomical Wax Collection (Via Irnerio, 48 - Bologna).

The inauguration event, which took place on 5 April, was also an opportunity to present the graphic novel 'The first patient’ (Tunué editore), edited by Stefano Ratti, Veronica Moretti, Otto Gabos, Caterina Coluccio, Sara Colaone and Onofrio Catacchio, on which the exhibition is based. This is the first illustrated and comic book on the subject, a synthesis between medicine, sociology, drawing and narrative that aims to give a plural and synergistic voice to an act of great generosity for medical training and scientific research.

'The First Patient’ interdisciplinary project for medical training and research was illustrated by Prof. Stefano Ratti. The cartoonist and illustrator Sara Colaone (ABABO) then spoke on “How comics and the donation of the body to Science meet,” and the artists Vittoria Adorno, Giuseppe Balestra and Federico Gaddi spoke on “The Artists' Perspective.”

The itinerary of the exhibition at the 'Luigi Cattaneo' Anatomical Wax Collection presents anecdotes, reflections and professional and scientific testimonies from the world of donors and their families, and at the same time tells the stories that make up the illustrated book, restoring the delicacy and importance of the gesture of donating a body to science. All this was made possible thanks to the students of the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna who contributed to the project and illustrated the panels presented in the exhibition.

Organised by the University Museum System, the Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences and the Department of Sociology and Economic Law of the University of Bologna, the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna, the Del Monte Foundation of Bologna and Ravenna and in collaboration with Tunué Edizioni, the exhibition is part of the ABABO BOOM! programme, promoted by the Academy of Fine Arts as part of BOOM! Crescere nei libri (BOOM! Growing up with books).