Brain Storm
What do neural networks, the fungus on tree roots, and the structure of the cosmos share in common? All three consist of a system of nodes connected by filaments—neurons linked by synapses, trees passing nutrients through mycelium, and galaxies bridged by strands of matter. Brain Storm is a Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition that analyzes these structures within the context of my brain. Inspired by yearly experiences with brain MRIs and the disquieting concern that accompanies them, Brain Storm translates my brain into different materials and environments, examining unexpected commonalities. Using the scan images as a point of departure, I have grown, sculpted, printed, rendered, and animated my brain, creating an ecosystem where disparate elements coalesce in unanticipated ways. The exhibition consists of three main components: first, a series of sculptures featuring my brain grown with mycelium and mounted atop towering branches, roots, and other tree parts; second, a film presented in a projection that combines imagery of the cosmos with animated microphotographs of mycelium and digital models of my muscles, bones, and organs, also including recorded audio with MRI sounds; and third, translucent algae sculptures of imagined organs floating in glass specimen jars. Together, these works explore the nature of my mind while imagining what it might look like when translated into these various systems. This exhibition was funded in part by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and \Art at Cornell Tech.