The Dual Life of Edita Schubert: Art and Anatomy Intertwined

Edita Schubert, a Croatian artist who passed away in 2009, led a dual life as both a medical illustrator and an avant-garde artist. For over three decades, she worked at the Institute of Anatomy at the University of Zagreb, creating detailed anatomical drawings for surgical textbooks while simultaneously producing innovative artworks that defied categorization. This intersection of art and medicine is the focus of a retrospective exhibition at Muzeum Susch in Switzerland, which seeks to illuminate how her two professions influenced each other.

The Guardian

Schubert's dual vocation was not uncommon among Yugoslav artists, who often lacked access to a commercial art market. However, her unique approach—using surgical tools in her artistic practice—set her apart. Her frustration with traditional painting methods led her to experiment with cutting canvases, a technique she first employed in 1977, creating works that blurred the lines between art and performance.

The Guardian

Art historian Leonida Kovac, a close friend of Schubert, played a significant role in interpreting her work. Kovac noted that Schubert's artistic process was deeply influenced by her experiences in the anatomy lab, stating, “You can’t work for 35 years in the Institute of Anatomy... and not be influenced by what you see there.” This connection between her medical work and artistic expression is a central theme in the retrospective.

The Guardian

Schubert's early works included hyperrealistic still lifes, but she later transitioned to more abstract forms. In the mid-1980s, she created geometric paintings known as trapeziums, which critics initially categorized within the neo-geo movement. However, Kovac discovered that these shapes were stylized representations of human anatomy, specifically the neck's arteries, showcasing how her medical background informed her artistic choices.

The Guardian

The Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s profoundly impacted Schubert's work. She created collages that layered wartime newspaper images with her own artistic interventions, reflecting the psychological aftermath of conflict rather than depicting battles directly. Her sister, Marina, remarked on the challenges Schubert faced during this tumultuous period, noting that her art served as a means to engage with the stark realities of war.

The Guardian

Diagnosed with colon cancer in 1997, Schubert's later works, such as "Biography" and "Horizons," confronted her medicalization and mortality. These installations invited viewers to reflect on her life and memories, resisting reduction to a mere medical case. Schubert's decision to decline further treatment underscored her desire to maintain agency over her identity, even in the face of illness.

The Guardian

The retrospective at Muzeum Susch aims to highlight the interconnectedness of Schubert's artistic and medical practices. Curators emphasize that her work challenges traditional boundaries and invites viewers to reconsider the relationship between art and anatomy.

The Guardian

While some critics have viewed Schubert's two lives as separate, Kovac argues for their deep connection. This divergence in interpretation reflects broader discussions about the role of artists in society and the influence of personal experiences on creative expression.

The Guardian

• “I had to plunge the knife into the canvas, it simply got on my nerves, that taut surface on which I had to talk about something, with my brush, what’s more,” — Edita Schubert

The Guardian

• “Yes, all my art has a character of dissection … dissection like an evening nude.” — Edita Schubert

The Guardian

• “The uncertainty of the period, together with the continuous reports of destruction and loss, placed her in a difficult position between her artistic pursuit and the rapidly changing world around her,” — Marina Schubert

The Guardian

The retrospective at Muzeum Susch not only celebrates Schubert's artistic legacy but also invites a reevaluation of how personal and professional experiences shape creative expression.

The Guardian