Self-Reflected
Nominee(s)
Greg Dunn
Selected Links
http://www.gregadunn.com/self-reflected/ https://www.wired.com/2016/06/your-brain-as-art/ https://www.fi.edu/selfreflected
Category
ExploringAbout This Project
Self-Reflected is an exemplar because it combines art and science to revolutionize the way in which we think about the brain. The project fuses neuroscience, optics, mathematics, physics, and art to etch half a million neurons into large sheets of gold that are visualized explorations of the brain. The beauty, scientific accuracy, and technicality supply new insights among experts about the brain’s functions, while it also inspires a broader appreciation among the general public.
From the Nominee:
Self Reflected is the world’s most elaborate artistic depiction of the human brain, revealing insight into the complexity of consciousness by combining art and science to revolutionize the
way in which we think about the brain. Self Reflected illustrates the microscopic behavior of the
brain by fusing neuroscientific data, hand drawings, algorithmic manipulation, optical
engineering, photolithography, and gilding to etch half a million neurons into large sheets of
gold. The result is an 8’ X 12’, ultraprecise work of art that animates the brain’s delicately
balanced neural choreographies through reflected light. The artists Greg Dunn and Brian
Edwards invented this technique, called reflective microetching, to introduce visualizations of
the brain never seen before and to reflect what is occurring in our own minds as we observe this
piece. Self Reflected’s primary purpose is as a reminder that the most incredible machine in the
universe is at the core of our being and defines our shared humanity.
Self Reflected breaks ground by depicting an entire sagittal slice in space and time. It represents
an interdisciplinary benchmark through fusing the diverse disciplines of neuroscience, optics,
mathematics, physics, and art to create a piece something which has never been seen before. Its
scope and rigorous scientific accuracy will surprise even expert neuroscientists and supply a
much broader perspective on the brain than many are used to, inspiring new insights into its
function and a greater appreciation for its sophistication among the lay public.