Week 7

Each of the scientists I learned about in the readings and lectures have played a big role in the collaboration of art and neurotechnology.

Franz Joseph Gall created phrenology, the study of the shape and size of the cranium as a supposed indication of character and mental abilities. He was the first to make assumptions that the form of the skull can project aspects of your intellect and personality. Although he was wrong about shape contributing to a person’s attributes, it was discovered that certain areas of the brain have different functions. This was proven by Pierre Paul Borca, who did research on speech in the frontal lobe. Gall and Borca both played essential roles in building the foundation of psychology today.

Image result for parts of brain have different functions

An example of an artist who has combined neuroscience and art is Susan Acker, who has worked on a project with sea sponges to help understand how the brain works. The sea sponges’ brains are made up of similar building blocks for nerve development, making the study of brain dysfunctions on them very useful. Humans share 70% of their genes with sea sponges, which is a fact I found very shocking! Sea sponges are also commonly seen as a form of art because of its vibrant color and variety of different shapes.

Image result for sea sponges

Neuro-Chemicals have made an immense impact on human experience, as well as on art, by allowing the creation of different forms of reality within the mind. This contributed to a change within artistic expression and perspective. Albert Hofmann, the “father of LSD”, explained how the drug completely changed his outlook on nature and made him “hallucinate fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes, with intense kaleidoscopic play of colors.” A common object transformed into an optimal perception with changing color, which explains why many artists and artwork has been inspired by the effects of drugs such as LSD.

Image result for albert hoffman art



Franz Gall, 1812. Digital image. PS1061: Sensation and Perception. PS.UK, 3 Feb. 2011. Web. 10 May 2015.

Kwan, Mei. Kaleidoscope. Digital image. Meipokwan. Mei-Po, 22 May 2009. Web. 10 May 2016.

Turn, Nat. Sea Sponges. Digital image. Nats Sponges. Natural Sea Sponge, Mar. 2013. Web. 10 May 2016.

Uconlineprogram. "Mind Intro." YouTube. YouTube, 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 16 May 2016.

Uconlineprogram. "Neuroscience Pt3." YouTube. YouTube, 16 May 2012. Web. 16 May 2016.

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