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Week 7: Neuroscience + Art

This week’s topic was by far the most interesting topic so far because the brain is a field of science
that is very unexplored even though our brains and our consciousness makes up who we are. One
idea I thought was interesting was the art project FMRI by Suzanne Anker and Giovanni. They
superimposed butterfly wings onto 15 different MRI brain scans, and even though the butterfly
wings were identical on all scans, the differences in the brain images made each picture look different.
I thought this was interesting because just like how no two people are alike, every brain is completely
different too even when the same thing is done to each one of them.

Another thing I found to be interesting was the discussion between Freud and Young about dreams and
discussion of how the conscious and unconscious function. Although Freud argues that the unconscious
is simply “a reservoir of repressed thoughts and motivations,” I agree with Young’s idea that the unconscious
is actually the source of creativity. This can be why artists take chemical stimulants , or drugs, in order
to reach the unconscious for original and spontaneous creation.
The most famous artist who (supposedly) used drugs for his art is Lewis Caroll, the author of
Alice in Wonderland. It is rumored he was under the influence of opium or laudanum when
composing his book. I’m not saying artists should use performance enhancing drugs in order to
create great works of art, but it is an interesting area of study and something to consider. Do drugs
cause chemical reactions to release more creativity through hallucinations? There was an interesting
study by an artist who took 20 different types of drugs and then painted her interpretation of the effects.
I think the relationship between the unconscious mind and creativity is the epitome of the merging of art
and science.

Sources:


Tikunova, Paulina. “Artist Takes 20 Different Drugs And Creates 20 Illustrations To Show Drug Effects.” Time Wheel, http://timewheel.net/artist-takes-20-different-drugs-and-illustrates-effects/.

Vesna, Victoria. “Neuroscience + Art.” Lecture part 1. May 20, 2018.

Vesna, Victoria. “Neuroscience + Art.” Lecture part 2. May 20, 2018.

"Is Alice in Wonderland Really about Drugs?" BBC News, 20 Aug. 2012, www.bbc.com/news/
   magazine-19254839. Accessed 20 May 2018.

"Learn from the Flowers." The Cool T-Shirt, www.thecooltshirt.com/product/learn-from-the-flowers/.
   Accessed 20 May 2018.

"Your Hidden Unconscious Mind." Journal Psyche, journalpsyche.org/your-hidden-unconscious-mind/. 

     Accessed 20 May 2018.

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