Swallowed Coin, Military Hospital 1918

This peculiar image, "Swallowed Coin, Military Hospital," presents us with a striking interplay of form and function. Produced as a diagnostic tool, its aesthetic impact is undeniable. The composition is dominated by the stark contrast between the skeletal structure and the opaque disc lodged in the throat. Lines of the rib cage create a cage-like form, disrupted by the foreign object, which takes center stage. The materiality of the X-ray reveals layers of density. Light penetrates soft tissue, while bone and metal absorb it, creating a ghostly effect. There's a tension between the scientific purpose and the visual experience. The coin’s intrusion speaks to broader themes of disruption and the body. This radiographic image challenges our notions of inside and outside, public and private, and ultimately, the relationship between representation and reality.