This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Works of art are the product of the complex neural machinery that
translates light into thoughts and emotions. Recent developments in
neuroscience have come tantalizingly close to tackling long-standing
questions of creativity and aesthetics. In my presentation, I will discuss
discoveries at the interface of neuroscience and visual art, with a focus
on the artist's working practice in studio. What do the strategies that
artists use to draw, paint and sculpt tell us about how the brain works? I
will argue that insight into this question can shape our understanding of
art history, and inform notions of creativity and aesthetics.
Bevil Conway is an artist, an Associate Professor of Neuroscience at
Wellesley College, and a Lecturer on Neurobiology at Harvard Medical
School. His research examines the neural basis for visual behavior, with a
particular focus on color, and investigates the relationship between visual
processing, visual art, and art practice. His artwork explores a range of
topics and themes including the limits of visualization, cultural
metamorphosis, and concepts of beauty and the sublime. He uses classic
printmaking techniques, watercolor, oils, glass, and silk. He has held
fellowships from the Harvard Society of Fellows (Junior Fellow), the
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced
Study. His research is widely cited in the research literature and has been
reviewed in the popular press by the Boston Globe, the New York Times, and
Scientific American. In addition, his artwork has been published in several
books and is held in collections at the Fogg Museum (Cambridge, MA), and in
many private collections.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
