Head On: Art with the Brain in Mind

The exhibition was commissioned by the Wellcome Trust to launch the Wellcome Gallery of Medicine in Context at the Science Museum. It developed as a close collaboration between the Trust, Museum and the European Dana Alliance for the Brain, along with artists and scientists in the UK and abroad. A conference was organised at the Wellcome Trust to galvanise the work in progress (2001).

The exhibition focused on the visual in the understanding of the brain and the mind in historical and contemporary representations, indicating the links between art and neuroscience. The research led to an exploration of both fields through historical artefacts and images, contemporary artworks by renowned artists (e.g. Wentworth, Hughes, and Hockney), scientific imaging, and a specially commissioned video.

The rationale was that of exploring the significance of the visual in relation to representations of the brain and of neuro-anatomy, exploring scientific issues within historical and contemporary discourse. Live collaborations with neuroscientists and artists were monitored systematically by the curators and formed part of the publication and media contributions. Much of the research was continued by the artists and the curators, and gave rise to further fellowships and academic recognition.

Caterino Albano
Research Interests
Cultural history, cultural theory, history of medicine and science, curating, visual and perfoming arts.
Current Research
I am currently working on a book project Fear and Art (working title) to be published by Reaktion on the cultural construction of fear as articulated through the lens of the visual arts. Fear and Art timely looks at contemporary ‘culture of fear’ by exploring the significance of contemporary art in betraying a climate of uncertainty and anxiety. The book reflects upon the present and on the rich panorama of artists bridging between cultural theory, history of emotion, and art criticism.

I collaborated in a curatorial capacity on ‘Exploring the Invisible’, an interdisciplinary project by artist Anne Brodie and molecular microbiologist Simon Park (University of Surrey) funded by the Wellcome Trust. The project explores the properties of the light of the bioluminescent bacterium Photobacterium phosphoreum. The project investigates human relation with bacteria using enquiry and experimentation across photography, film and installation.

I also collaborate as an external consultant on a curatorial capacity for the Wellcome Trust to the forthcoming exhibition ‘Medicine and Art: Imagining a Future for Life and Love – Leonardo, Okyo, Damien Hirst (Mori Museum, Tokyo, 28th November 09 – 28th February 2010). The exhibition explores the art and science of the human body historically and through contemporary art and is based on the medical collection of the Wellcome Trust.

Related outputs: a catalogue (Albano and Wallace, 2002) 'Gregor Mendel: The Genius of Genetics', Czech Republic, ISBN: 3-9501590-1-2 articles, lectures, and an international scientific conference (2003); further exhibitions : Genova, 2004, "Il Genio della Genetica"; in Chicago, and further North American venues "Mendel, Genes and Genius", 2006-07; a Mendel web site; establishment of a permanent Mendel Museum at Abbey of St. Thomas, Brno.

Professor Marina Wallace
Research Interests

Curatorial concepts, relationship between art and science, representation of medicine and its relation with art. Collaboration with Professor Martin Kemp, Oxford University
Current Research
My research is primarily related to curatorial concepts and the relationship between art and science. This has included 'Project 8' which was a collaboration between the UK and Korea, exhibiting contemporary artists from each country. My main project, supported in part by an AHRB award and collaborative with Professor Martin Kemp of Oxford University, culminated in a major exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, 'Spectacular Bodies', and the production of a catalogue for the show. Research for this was extensive including visits to museums in Europe and Russia to identify the artefacts for the exhibition, and to determine the impact of the historical material on the contemporary art element also included in the exhibition. Regular contact established with the contemporary artists in the exhibition resulted in their inclusion in a workshop, funded by the European Science Foundation, and held in Oxford at the Department of the History of Art in September 1999. Its scope was to examine some of the themes on the representation of medicine and its relation with art, focusing on aspects central to the exhibition. During the period under review I have also published works on John Hillard and the etymology of objects. Current research remains focussed on the relationship between science and art and design including a collaboration with the Royal Free Hospital, London University.

• http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/headon/inde...