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Week 7 - Neuroscience + Art

Aristotle, the father of psychology, had believed that the brain was merely an organ built to cool down the blood in the heart and lungs. With developed technology, science can now confirm with microscopes and electricity that the brain is the conductor of thought and emotion. In a lot of literary works and art, the heart seems to always be romanticized as the driver of human passion while the mind is always portrayed as the rational counterpart. Artists and even scientists have challenged this notion through beautiful depictions of neuroscience.

Split

Santiago Ramon y Cajal is considered to be the father of modern neuroscience, as he has won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work in medicine and physiology. However, according the Vesna's lecture, he referred to neurons as "mysterious butterflies of the souls" and their dendrites as the wings. He obtained his artistic fulfillment within science, as he spent hours drawing natural scenes that would be later used in textbooks.

Drawing of Purkinje cell by Cajal

He was not the only person to display interest with neuroaesthetics. Inspired by Cajal's work as well as traditional Japanese and Chinese ink drawings, visual artist Greg Dunn depicts the branching of neurons as plants in his paintings. He has said that this style displays a "simple, emotional, and direct" nature.
Two Pyramidals

Retina in Ink
Neuroscience is a discipline that explores the interworkings of our mind, as our actions and thoughts are not all that conscious. The anatomy itself shows how intricate this single organ can be, with a common metaphorical comparison to the outstretching roots of trees and plants. It's not a surprise that our nervous system, which controls our very capacity to feel and exhibit emotion, have also inspired creative endeavors in the artistic world.

Sources

Dunn, Greg. Retina in Ink, 18 Oct. 2016. Greg Dunn Designs, www.gregadunn.com/category/ink-paintings/. Accessed 21 May 2017.

Ehrlich, Ben. "A Portrait of the Scientist as a Young Artist " The Beautiful Brain, 1 Jul. 2010, www.thebeautifulbrain.com/2010/07/cajal-portrait-of-the-scientist-as-a-young-artist/. Accessed 21 May 2017.

Hutton, Noah. "Greg Dunn: Gallery + Interview. " The Beautiful Brain, 9 Nov. 2011, http://thebeautifulbrain.com/2011/11/interview-gallery-greg-dunn/. Accessed 21 May 2017.

"Neuroscience-pt1.mov". Youtube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 17 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzXjNbKDkYI.

Rodrigo-Vega. Split. 29 Nov. 2011. DeviantArt, www.rodrigo-vega.deviantart.com/art/Split-271578516. Accessed 17 May. 2017.

Rozman, Deborah. "Distinguishing Mind From Heart: Which One Are You Listening to?" Huffington Post, 27 Apr. 2013, www.huffingtonpost.com/heartmath-llc/heart-mind_b_2728398.html/. Accessed 21 May 2017.

Comments

  1. UnknownMay 24, 2017 at 5:23 PM

    I didn't know Aristotle thought that the brain was nothing more than a simple physical function. It amazes me that there was a time were scientists and people believed the brain was not associated with thoughts and feelings. I think this very aspect is what makes neuroscience and art one. Both are forms of an expression... Your comparison of roots of trees/plants to the neural system was very interesting. It was a perfect way to put the association of art and neuroscience into perspective. Great blog!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. JeffreyMay 24, 2017 at 11:09 PM

    I think it was fascinating how you expanded upon Professor Vesna's lecture commentary on the artistic depiction of neurons by extending the discussion to Japanese and Chinese ink drawings. Looking at the pictures you included in your post, I can definitely see how the neuroscience inspiration plays into the artwork. And of course, how our own cognitive processes have inspired the creation of neuroscience-based art (as if "completing the circle") was an excellent way to conclude the post!

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