Marieke Hendriksen will give public lecture on depictions of the brain in the visual arts from 1500 until today, 6 December, Amsterdam

On 6 December, Marieke Hendriksen will give a public lecture in Amsterdam titled “De verbeelding van het brein in de beeldende kunst, 1500-heden” (Imaging the Brain. Depictions of the brain in the visual arts from 1500 until today) as part of Weeflab en de Brainshow by Monika Auch. Download the invitation here.

Weeflab and the Brainshow
Two projects about the axis between hand, brain and creativity at WG Kunst in Amsterdam. Swiping, scrolling and ticking replaced writing with a pen, doodling in marges and crafting. What are the effects of tactile deprivation on well-being and health? Will we grow new brain connections over a period of time? How do we perceive a loss of dexterity and making with material? How do we visualize our brain?

Weeflab is a platform and studio where the loom is the connector between anatomy and art. Sculptures handwoven with the aid of computer software are an interpretation of the layered embryological growth. The large scale wall panels are enlargements of tissue – a look through the microscope. Visitors can weave on a mobile loom and contribute to the communal weave, study the stitched brains and participate in the project.

Stitch-your-brain is an international project and empirical study where participants visualize their brain through creative work on a canvas representation of a brain. Since the start in 2014 it has gained the interest of many artists and workers in health care. At WG Kunst there will be an overview of stitched brains and personal stories of makers. Gawthorpe Textiles collection lends 27  brains stitched by the local community for the exhibition.

Monika Auch studied textile design at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy. Her speciality  is weaving as an autonomous 3D construction technique. Auch’s work former medical practice and current work as free-lance editor and writer on artist’s current practice of making support her broad view on the interaction between art and science. She will give a number of short lectures about ‘The intelligence of the hand’.