Scribing the Soul at Science Oxford
Thursday 3 April 2008
‘Scribing the Soul’ by Susan Aldworth starts at Science Oxford on Monday 7 April and finishes on Friday 23 May. The exhibition is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm and is free of charge. ‘Scribing the Soul’ is part of a series of exhibition and events for the general public exploring the inside of our brains.
Susan Aldworth’s art explores the nature of consciousness. In 1999, the experience of observing her brain live on a monitor during a diagnostic brain scan triggered an ongoing fascination with the relationship between the physical brain and the sense of self. Since then Aldworth has worked and collaborated with doctors, neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, etchers, artists and musicians in pursuit of this elusive subject. She has observed numerous brain scans in hospitals and undergone research brain scans herself to try to make sense of the material basis of personality.
Aldworth has recently spent some time observing the work of neuroscientist Dr Fiona Le Beau at the Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University. Le Beau studies the activity, connections and networks in the cerebral cortex that are involved in cognitive processing and consciousness. This has been central to the development of Aldworth’s new works. In parallel with these investigations she has experimented with etching techniques in collaboration with master etcher Nigel Oxley and developed a radical method whose chemical processes are analogous to those in the brain that might be responsible for personality. Aldworth also works with animated film, digital print and light installation. ‘Scribing the Soul’ is the result of her tracking consciousness over the past seven years.
Dominic McDonald, Head of Public Programmes at Science Oxford says “We are delighted at Science Oxford to host the work of a well-known artist like Susan Aldworth, one of the leading artists in Britain linking art and science through living experiences.”
Alongside ‘Scribing the Soul’ exhibition, Science Oxford will be running events for the general public including a talk about the science of hypnosis, an insight into the teenage brain and an introduction by Baroness Susan Greenfield to Alzheimer’s Disease before a viewing of ‘Iris’.
Susan Aldworth’s art explores the nature of consciousness. In 1999, the experience of observing her brain live on a monitor during a diagnostic brain scan triggered an ongoing fascination with the relationship between the physical brain and the sense of self. Since then Aldworth has worked and collaborated with doctors, neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, etchers, artists and musicians in pursuit of this elusive subject. She has observed numerous brain scans in hospitals and undergone research brain scans herself to try to make sense of the material basis of personality.
Aldworth has recently spent some time observing the work of neuroscientist Dr Fiona Le Beau at the Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University. Le Beau studies the activity, connections and networks in the cerebral cortex that are involved in cognitive processing and consciousness. This has been central to the development of Aldworth’s new works. In parallel with these investigations she has experimented with etching techniques in collaboration with master etcher Nigel Oxley and developed a radical method whose chemical processes are analogous to those in the brain that might be responsible for personality. Aldworth also works with animated film, digital print and light installation. ‘Scribing the Soul’ is the result of her tracking consciousness over the past seven years.
Dominic McDonald, Head of Public Programmes at Science Oxford says “We are delighted at Science Oxford to host the work of a well-known artist like Susan Aldworth, one of the leading artists in Britain linking art and science through living experiences.”
Alongside ‘Scribing the Soul’ exhibition, Science Oxford will be running events for the general public including a talk about the science of hypnosis, an insight into the teenage brain and an introduction by Baroness Susan Greenfield to Alzheimer’s Disease before a viewing of ‘Iris’.
