Topcon Medical Systems, Inc.
Dynamic images of the inside of the eye on display at The Aldrich Contemporary Art
Museum from January 31 to June 6
Paramus, NJ, March 11, 2010 – Topcon Medical Systems and New York artist Jo Yarrington are
elevating ophthalmic technology into an art form at the Ocular Visions Exhibition now underway at
The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut. The exhibit, which runs until
June 6, uses Topcon’s state-of-the-art TRC -NW8 non-mydriatic retinal camera to create
breathtaking images of the interior of the human eye.
Visitors to the museum will walk into a huge
image of the human eye as they enter the
exhibit. To achieve this effect, Jo used floorto-
ceiling installation of red transparencies
that are magnifications of the inside of her
own eye. The display is activated by the
changing natural light that enters through the
museum’s windows.
Jo has also utilized the museum’s only
permanent fixture, the camera obscura or
‘dark room’ to encourage visitors to further
explore how the human eye detects light and
translates it. A tiny hole emits light into the
darkened room, allowing visitors to see an
inverted image of the outside world projected
onto a screen in front of them, a metaphor
for how the human eye sees light and
interprets it.
Visitors will also get the opportunity to have the inside of their eyes photographed – in conjunction
with the Museum Store's Aldrich Editions Program – by the very same Topcon TRC-NW8 camera
used by Jo to create the images for her exhibition. The TRC- NW8 is an easy-to-use non-mydriatic
retinal camera which eyecare physicians utilize for color fundus diagnostic imaging of ocular
conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and macular degeneration.
According to the Artist, Jo Yarrington, “Interestingly, my involvement with Topcon’s TRC-NW8
camera commenced when I underwent a retinal scan at my doctor’s clinic. I was fascinated by the
ensuing photograph from the scan which revealed a lovely orange globe, that prompted the artist
within me to visualize the eye as an interior world within my body. I am impressed with Topcon’s
willingness to engage in an ongoing interdisciplinary, interactive discussion: their scientific research and my artistic practice. I believe that it is through this kind of interaction that new ideas for
visionary explorations unfold.”
“The collaboration with Jo Yarrington is truly symbolic of Topcon’s vision to enrich diagnostic
capabilities for the practitioner, and translate it into improved eyesight for the patient. In our
endeavor to stride ahead in the field of ophthalmic technology, we are on the path of transforming
our goal into a reality and elevating it to an art form, in the process,” said Katrin Teigeler, Vice
President – Marketing at Topcon Medical Systems.
For more information about Ocular Visions at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum please visit:
www.aldrichart.org
About Topcon Medical Systems, Inc.
Based in Paramus, NJ, Topcon Medical Systems (TMS) is a leader and technical innovator in the
field of ophthalmic instrumentation. For over 37 years, TMS has offered the most complete and
technically advanced line of ophthalmic equipment in the US marketplace. This equipment
comprises the largest selection of precision ophthalmic and optical instruments from one
manufacturer, providing a complete range of products for general and specialized applications.
TMS manages ophthalmic dealer sales, corporate sales, and the Advanced Technology Products
Division. TMS is a division of Topcon America Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Topcon
Corporation of Tokyo, Japan.
About the Artist Jo Yarrington
Jo Yarrington’s drawing, photographs, and architecturally-based installations have been shown in
exhibitions at the Museum of Glass, WA; Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco;
DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, MA; Artists Space, NY; and William Benton Museum of
Art, CT. International exhibitions have included Galeria Sala Uno, Rome; Centro de las Artes de
Guanajuato, Salamanca, Mexico; Christuskirche, Cologne; and Glasgow School of Art, Scotland.
She is a recipient of fellowships from the Pollock Krasner Foundation, the MacDowell Colony,
SIMS/ Iceland, the American Scandinavian Foundation, the Brandywine Institute, the Pennsylvania
Council for the Arts and the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism. In 2001, she
represented the United States at the Sharjah Biennial, United Arab Emirates. Yarrington is a
Professor of Studio Art in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at Fairfield University in
Fairfield, CT. She lives and works in New York City and Norwalk, CT.