DESMA 9 Week
7 Blog
Abi Altick
May 19, 2019
Week 7:
Neuroscience + Art
In this week’s
material, we learned about the ways that art and neuroscience are connected. At
first glance, it does not seem as if there are any connections between these
two subjects at all. However, after viewing the lectures and readings, we are
able to see the fascinating collaboration between both topics. After all, we
could not truly appreciate art without the functioning of our neurons and
brain. As Professor Vesna points out, it is important to focus on the mind and
brain, specifically in our culture nowadays where there tends to be an information
overload.
According to Santiago Ramón Cajal, known as the father of modern neuroscience, neurons are mysterious butterflies of the soul. The Nobel prize winner himself grew up wanting to be an artist; in fact, Cajal stated that artists in particular are attracted to science. Cajal found his love for science by spending hours a day drawing art. Eventually, Cajal began to draw stunning pictures of neurons, tree-like structures in our brain, which are still found in textbooks to this day (Vesna).
Similar to
Cajal, Suzanne Anker is currently working at the intersection of art and
neuroscience. She has teamed with neuroscientist Giovanni Frazetto to work on
the project Neuroculture; this project “aims to examine how modern brain
science has penetrated popular culture” (Vesna). With their main focus being on
the connection of art and neuroscience, Anker and Frazetto are studying the
ways that neuroscience is affecting our culture’s daily commercial practices
and social values. In order to do this, they have created a brain fMRI with a
butterfly in the center that shows numerous identical brain scans. Although the
butterflies are indistinguishable, the variety of the neurons create an optical
illusion which makes it seem as if the butterflies are all different from one
another (Anker and Frazetto).
Not only does the intersection of art and neuroscience create
beneficial artwork for educational purposes, but these subjects are coming
together with the goal of curing some of human’s trickiest diseases. The
Brainbow is being used in order to help map the human brain by identifying each separate neuron with its own
specific color. By using specific proteins and genetics, the Brainbow is being
used to map neurons in order to "revolutionize the diagnosis, prevention
and treatment of most if not all human diseases” (NPR Staff). If neuroscientist
and artists are able to come together to pull of this feat, then discoveries
will be made in regards to some of the most devastating human diseases.
All in all, this week’s material was fascinating to learn about, and I am excited to see the medical findings that will be made through the alliance of artists and neuroscientists.
References:
Vesna, Victoria. “Mindintro” UC Online. Youtube. 26 March 2012. Web. 19 May 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF0Qt7L2-kM
Vesna, Victoria. “Neuroscience-pt1.mov” UC
online. Youtube, 17 May 2012. Web. 19 May 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzXjNbKDkYI
Neuroculture: Frazzetto, Giovanni, and Suzanne Anker.
"Neuroculture." Nature Reviews Neuroscience 10 (2009): 815-21. Print.
Staff, NPR. "Somewhere Over the Brainbow: The Journey To Map the Human Brain." NPR, Staff, NPR, 31 Mar. 2013. Web. 19 May 2019
Ghani, Naureen. "When Art Meets Neuroscience..." PLOS Neuroscience Community, 17 Oct. 2016, Web. 19 May 2019 https://blogs.plos.org/neuro/2016/10/16/when-arts-meet-neuroscience-by-naureen-ghani/
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post and I also pointed out how we would not understand art without our brains and or knowledge! Something I intitially did not consider. It was also interesting to rad about how the neurons in our brains can create the optical illusion of butterflies, that is amazing. I guess that could be considered art as well!
Hello Abi,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your take on how art and neuroscience are intertwined. Evidently, I completely forgot about the Brainbow that Professor Vesna brought up in lecture and was reminded of it when you broached the idea in your post, so it was really great to read that. In addition, I thought your images well represented the connection between art and neuroscience. It seems that you have a very positive and upbeat attitude on the direction that art and neuroscience is going. Great analysis overall!
Best,
Sebastian Haworth
I really enjoyed reading about the connection you noticed through neuroscience and art. The idea that we don’t understand and project the idea of art without our brains wasn’t my initial though when writing my current blog post. Now thinking about it, you are truly correct and I totally understand the connection seen now. I enjoyed your depiction of art through the brain as well.
ReplyDeleteAdam Parks