Week 7: Neurosci and Art

Last week we discussed the integration of biotech and art, which was pretty controversial. Today we are looking into the relationship between art and a more specific human organ, the brain. With the development in modern technology and expansion of medical knowledge, neuro-science, especially in human brain, has been investigated and researched more by scientists. Santiago Ramon y Cajal was a pioneer who started the investigations of the microscopic structure of the brain. He was recognized as the father of modern neuroscience. Furthermore, he was also seen as a neurosci-artist since he drew a lot of neuron-pictures to illustrate the dedicate arborizations of brain cells, some of which are still used for educational and training purpose. As what Prof. Vesna said in the lecture, Cajal is a great example of how artist and scientist come together and how art and science are integrated into each other.

Cajal's neurological illustration: The Beautiful Brain

Moreover, Cajal's idea and work about neurosci also influenced other artists like Suzanne Anker. She is a visual artist and theorist woking in the fields of art and biological science. Cooperating with a neuroscientist Giovanni Frazzetto, Anker focused the work with connection with Cajal's idea of butterfly of the human brain. Cajal referred the neurons as the mysterious butterflies of the soul. The following is the Anker's artwork of "the butterfly of the soul"shown in inkjet prints on watercolor paper.

MRI Butterfly

Human brain is a very complicated organ since it functions as the control center of all the other organs. The structure of neurons in brain is so complex that even by looking at some digital images of brains, people still can hardly have a clear recognition of brain structure. Moon Brouwer realized this difficulty and then she came up the idea of making a book with 3D images to better illustrate the structure of brain. Her creativity made art of neuroscience not only visible but also touchable and educational.

How Brouwer made her 3D book

Resources:

1. Vesna, "Neuroscience-pt1.mov." YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. Lecture Video

2. Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. http://aon.nin.knaw.nl/

3. "Exquisite Data: a Review of Cajal’s Butterflies of the Soul : The Beautiful Brain." The Beautiful Brain | Art and Science of the Human Mind : The Beautiful Brain. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.

http://thebeautifulbrain.com/2010/02/exquisite-data-a-review-of-cajals-butterflies-of-the-soul/

4. "Santiago Ramón y Cajal." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Ram%C3%B3n_y_Cajal

5. "neurological illustration from Cajal’s Butterflies of the ... | design." Pinterest. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/102527328988658563/

6. "Artwork | Suzanne Anker." Suzanne Anker | Artist. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.

http://www.suzanneanker.com/artwork/?wppa-album=16&wppa-photo=152&wppa-occur=1