Landscapes of the Mind

Carnie, Andrew, Rankin, Jessica, Katy, Schimert and Susan, Aldworth (2010) Landscapes of the Mind.

Abstract

Landscapes of the Mind includes contemporary work by artists Susan Aldworth, Andrew Carnie, Jessica Rankin, and Katy Schimert. The objects on view visualize the internal processes of the brain such as memory, thought, and perception using a variety of media, including etching, embroidery, sculpture, and an installation of neuron projections. Using the brain as inspiration, each artist is unique in his or her own approach. Susan Aldworth (b. 1955), a British master printer, became interested in the brain as a visual image after she was a neurology patient. Her etchings, called Brainscapes (2006), are based on her observations of patients’ brain scans at the Royal London Hospital. These works allow her to explore consciousness and the sense of self within the physical brain. Andrew Carnie (b. 1957), a British conceptual artist, demonstrates the birth and differentiation of brain cells (neurons) in his installation Magic Forest (2002). Jessica Rankin (b. 1971), an Australian artist inspired by “mental maps,” explores ideas of memory, intuition, and interpretation using embroidery on large-scale pieces of organdy. Katy Schimert (b. 1963), a New York sculptor, is interested in how the internal body mimics the external world. Her sculpture, Brain, a recent gift to the museum, uses simple domestic materials (wire mesh, metal pins, and light bulbs) to represent an over life-size human brain.

Co-curated by Professor of Psychology Betty Zimmerberg and Interim Associate Curator Kathryn Price, Landscapes of the Mind underscores the Williams College Museum of Art’s commitment to multidisciplinary approaches to looking and thinking about art. A variety of programs and events connecting art and science are planned for students, families, and the general public for the duration of the exhibition.

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