Week 7 Blog

In this week's blog, we will explore the crossroads between neuroscience and art. Prior to this week, I was not sure of how intertwined the art community was with neuroscience, but upon reviewing the resources and doing extra research, I realized that there is a very profound connection. Art is more than just physical beauty or physical expression, but it is also used to actively shape our brains and describe our biological experience in real life. “The nascent field of neuroarts rests at the crossroads of science, the arts, and technology.”(NeuroArts Blueprint). When examining Professor Victoria Vesna’s Octopus Brainstorming, the quote “ By generating affective and cognitive engagement, it elicits an enhanced consciousness of relations that surpass species boundaries.”(Albu) This quote delves into the idea of how, through art, we can find the interconnectedness of all life forms.

                                        Victoria Vesna, Mark S. Cohen, Art|Sci Collective, Octopus Brainstorming, 2016, Luskin                                                            Conference Center at UCLA. Courtesy of Patricia Olynyk and Victoria Vesna.

Another quote that I found fascinating is “Research shows that engaging with dynamic stimuli (like art) activates several regions of the brain.”(The Neuroscience of Creativity) Our modern-day neuroscience has relied on the arts in order to get a better understanding of how some of our brain regions, such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, function. This would support the idea of how important art is and how it could help contribute to mental well-being and stress relief. Furthermore, another quote that supports this finding is “Visual art can depict abstract ideas in a tangible way and illuminate invisible issues.”(Duke Arts) Art can be used for more than just a tool to allow human expressions to be expressed; it also allows us to solve many complex neurobiological issues, such as handling stress.


Greg Dunn Neuro Art - Brain and Neuroscience Fine Art Paintings

https://www.gregadunn.com/about/

“One of the factors motivating this new collaborative spirit is the realization that artists have made certain discoveries about the way the human brain works that are only now being uncovered by scientists.”(Pepperell) Lastly, this quote supports the finding in this blog that showcases the importance of the arts and how it has helped innovate and advance studies about the human brain. These findings are significant since they will allow humans to continuously solve neurobiological issues and find remedies towards a better tomorrow.

Iowa Neuroscientist and Painter Explores the Beauty of Biology | University of Iowa

https://magazine.foriowa.org/story.php?ed=true&storyid=2250

Sources:

Pepperell, Robert. Art and the Brain: Plasticity, Embodiment, and the Unclosed Circle. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Frontiers Media S.A., 2011, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2011.00084/full.

Exploring Art and Neuroscience at Duke. Duke Arts, 2022, https://arts.duke.edu/exploring-art-and-neuroscience-at-duke/.

The Neuroscience of Creativity: Exploring How Art Affects Mental Health and Cognitive Function. Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, 2022, https://www.rmcad.edu/blog/the-neuroscience-of-creativity-exploring-how-art-affects-mental-health-and-cognitive-function/.

NeuroArts Blueprint. “What Is NeuroArts?” NeuroArts Blueprint, 2022, https://neuroartsblueprint.org/what-is-neuroarts/.

Albu, Cristina. "Planetary Re-Enchantment: Human-Animal Entanglements in Victoria Vesna’s Octopus Brainstorming." Comparative Media Arts Journal, Issue Ten: Enchantment, Disenchantment, Reenchantment, Simon Fraser University, 2021, https://www.sfu.ca/cmajournal/issues/issue-ten--enchantment--disenchantment--reenchantment/cristina-albu.html.


Comments

  1. Mark EbaidMay 18, 2025 at 2:16 PM

    Hey Steven, I loved your writing and the quotes that you used because I agree with all your points, basically! I think the emphasis of the intertwining between art and neuroscience is huge because art does, like you mentioned, shape our mind, and our mind simultaneously shapes art! The collaboration and the interplay between artists and neuroscientists, like the quote by Pepperell, only highlight that there is so much we can see in art that reflects our brain. Very nice post, I enjoyed reading it!

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