Dedicated quite simply, to the brain, the Wellcome Collection's latest exhibition probes this eternally mysterious piece of human machinery, showing how it has been examined, sliced, treated, depicted and revered through time. While there is undoubtedly a scientific bone to the bulk of the exhibition, the close relationship between science and art is a core matter.
Curator Marius Kwint has picked out works by contemporary artists, who have responded to the form and physical matter of the brain in a myriad of ways. There are abstract offerings in Katharine Dowson's glass laser etchings, Susan Aldworth's watercolour series and stills from Andrew Carnie's film 'Atlas'. And there are some suprisingly (if unnervingly) rousing works exploring its physicality, such as photographer Corrine Day's pictures of herself before brain surgery, Daniel Alexander's 'Brandenburg State Hospital' photo series and Ania Dabrowska's portraits of brain donors - along with her graphic presentation of the process of dissection and surgical paraphernalia.
Thematically, the exhibition's four sections break down the way humans have used the brain in the cause of medical intervention, science, culture and technology. 'Measuring / Classifying' defines the relationship between the brain's function and form, 'Mapping / Modelling' delves into its anatomy, 'Cutting / Treating' the (at times) gory history of surgical intervention, while 'Giving / Taking' deals with the subject of brain harvesting and its purpose.
The architecture of the space, designed by Calum Storrie, is a visually striking maze, peppered with angular white columns and plinths. LucienneRoberts+'s graphic identity for the exhibition broadly references the collecting and classifying of the brain - recurring themes in the show. The colourful perspex block letter display Roberts created to illustrate the title, for instance, is a pointed nod to the traditional paraphernalia associated with scientific specimens.
Dedicated quite simply, to the brain, the Wellcome Collection's latest exhibition prods into this eternally mysterious piece of human machinery. Courtesy: Wellcome Library, London
While there is undoubtedly a scientific bone which forms the bulk of the exhibition, the close relationship between science and art is a core matter
LucienneRoberts 's striking graphic identity for the exhibition broadly references the collecting, classifying of the brain - recurring themes in the show. Courtesy: Wellcome Library, London
The colourful perspex block letter display Roberts created to illustrate the title is a pointed nod to the traditional paraphernalia associated with scientific specimens. Courtesy: Wellcome Library, London
'Me just before brain surgery, London hospital, 1996' by Corrine Day, 2000. Courtesy: Corrine Day
Head divided into four cerebral lobes: profile. Drawing with watercolour, c. 1900. Courtesy: Wellcome Library
Electrode head board, Bristol, England, 1958. Courtesy: Science Museum
'Head Ache' (detail), Helen Pynor, 2008, C-type photograph on Duratran, face-mounted on glass, Edition of 5, 173 x 39. Courtesy: the Artist and GV Art
The architecture of the space, designed by Calum Storrie, is a visually striking maze peppered with angular white columns and plinths. Courtesy: Wellcome Library, London
Installation view of 'Brains: The mind as matter'. Courtesy: Wellcome Library, London
Installation view of 'Brains: The mind as matter'. Courtesy: Wellcome Library, London
'SCAN' by Nina Sellars, 2012. Courtesy: Nina Sellars, GV Art
'My Soul' by Katharine Dowson, 2005. Courtesy: Katharine Dowson, GV Art
'Self-Portrait with Saw' by William Utermohlen. Courtesy: Galerie Beckel Odille Boïcos, Paris
'Haus 40, interior', Brandenburg State Hospital, by Daniel Alexander, 2011
Brain slices, dry specimen (human tissue). Courtesy: Richard Wingate, Kings College London
Corrosion cast of brain blood vessels, plastic. Courtesy: The Gordon Museum, Kings College London
Hearing Voices, Susan Aldworth, 2000, watercolour on paper. Courtesy: the Artist and GV Art
'Brainbow' image. Courtesy: Livet and Lichtman Harvard University
Installation view of 'Brains: The mind as matter'. Courtesy: Wellcome Library, London
'Fresh Brain' from the After I'm Gone series, from the Mind Over Matter project by Ania Dabrowska and Dr Bronwyn Parry, 2011.
'Headrest' from the After I'm Gone series, from Mind Over Matter project by Ania Dabrowska and Dr Bronwyn Parry.
Still from the film 'Atlas' by Andrew Carnie. Courtesy: Andrew Carnie, GV Art
Installation view of 'Brains: The mind as matter'. Courtesy: Wellcome Library, London
'Nervous Tissue Note Panel' by David Marron, 2010
Gallery guide for 'Brains: The mind as matter' by LucienneRoberts
ADDRESS
183 Euston Road
London NW1 2BE
-
Arthur Casas reimagines Villa Dubrovnik as a modern Adriatic retreatThe Brazilian architect brings poetic restraint and light to Croatia’s most elegant coastal hotel
-
14 of the best new books for music buffsFrom music-making tech to NME cover stars, portable turntables and the story behind industry legends – new books about the culture and craft of recorded sound
-
Margaret Howell marks 55 years in business by reissuing pieces from her archiveThe stalwart of British design will reissue a series of archival silk scarves to celebrate the landmark anniversary, alongside an era-traversing exhibition of foulards at the brand’s Wigmore Street store
-
Zofia Rydet's 20-year task of photographing every household in Poland goes on show in LondonZofia Rydet took 20,000 images over 20 years for the mammoth sociological project
-
Joy Gregory subverts beauty standards with her new exhibition at Whitechapel GalleryUnrealistic beauty standards hide ugly realities in 'Joy Gregory: Catching Flies with Honey '
-
Bengi Ünsal steers London's ICA into an excitingly eclectic directionAs director of London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts, Bengi Ünsal is leading the cultural space into a more ambitious, eclectic and interdisciplinary space
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekThe clocks have gone back in the UK and evenings are officially cloaked in darkness. Cue nights spent tucked away in London’s cosy corners – this week, the Wallpaper* team opted for a Latin-inspired listening bar, an underground arts space, and a brand new hotel in Shoreditch
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekFrom sumo wrestling to Singaporean fare, medieval manuscripts to magnetic exhibitions, the Wallpaper* team have traversed the length and breadth of culture in the capital this week
-
Viewers are cast as voyeurs in Tai Shani’s crimson-hued London exhibitionBritish artist Tai Shani creates mystical other worlds through sculpture, performance and film. Step inside at Gathering
-
Who are the nine standout artists that shaped Frieze London 2025?Amid the hectic Frieze London schedule, many artists were showcasing extraordinary work this year. Here are our favourites
-
Doc’n Roll Festival returns with a new season of underground music filmsNow in its twelfth year, the grassroots festival continues to platform subcultural stories and independent filmmakers outside the mainstream
