At Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center, a gallery showcasing the work of Korean artist Sub Soo Lim also highlights the relationship between art and science.

Located on Northwestern’s downtown Chicago campus, NUPOC has showcased artwork on a rotating basis throughout the year since 2016. In September, the installation of five ink brush paintings by Lim, an 80-year-old master of traditional Korean painting, became the 21st addition to the series. The center will feature Lim’s work through the end of October before presenting the work of photographer Pia Cruzalegui.

Yeongchi Wu, a former research professor in NUPOC, and R.J. Garrick, the project director of the NUPOC Resource Unit for Education and Information Services, collaborated to create the art displays at NUPOC. The initiative started in 2016 with Wu’s artwork, but expanded to highlight artists working in other media or styles.

As the display nears its third anniversary, Garrick said she intends for it to continue for years to come. She said she’s currently finalizing the 2020 exhibition schedule.

“We welcome all kinds of art,” Garrick said. “We’ve been delighted with the uniqueness and diversity of the art we’ve exhibited. Some artists are hesitant because they don’t have any medical-related content, but that’s not what this gallery is about. It’s about how art and science come together here.”

Lim’s daughter Rina Yoon said Lim adopts the traditional Korean brush painting technique, using Sumi ink for black lines and gouache for colors. Yoon added that her mother started painting later in life than most artists and didn’t begin her training until she was in her late 30s.

According to Yoon, Lim trained under a master painter for 10 years before attending college to refine her craft. Lim transitioned to teaching art, Yoon said, so she could help train the next generation of artists.

Three years ago, Lim moved to the U.S. where she continues to teach art. After over 40 years practicing her craft, her daughter said she still holds the same love for Korean brush painting that she had at the beginning of her career.

“Practicing art becomes a part of who you are and how you see the world,” Yoon said. “It’s something she can never really do enough of, because it keeps revealing more possibilities.”

Graduate student Gina Colosimo, who is working toward a master in prosthetics and orthotics at NUPOC, said the gallery gives students like her an opportunity to observe other media and reflect on their own work.

Colosimo said she enjoys working with her hands and incorporating her art background into her current academic pursuit. For Colosimo, the gallery space serves as a reminder of the program’s appreciation of how design connects to the creation of prosthetics.

“The exhibit was one of the first things I noticed when I walked into NUPOC,” Colosimo said. “It was the first time I went into any sort of studio or suite and felt that I was going to be able to merge my art and design background with the new medical content I’m learning.”

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