February 16, 2001 – May 25, 2001 The Art of Neuroscience: Image and Understanding 1518 - 2000

This exhibition examines the evolution of neuroscience from the sixteenth century to the present day, encompassing depictions of the brain and central nervous system ranging from works by contemporary imaging specialists and fine artists to reproductions of historical images. It is offered in conjunction with the inaugural Arthur M. Sackler Colloquium and made possible through a generous gift by Jillian Sackler.

To trace western understanding of the brain and central nervous system, this exhibition takes us on a journey from a 1518 woodcut illustration to recent PET scans and in so doing traces the parallel evolution of our knowledge of the brain. According to curator Janis Tomlinson, "the will to image betrays a will to see – and thus, to understand – the structure and function of nerve cells. This exhibition seeks to illustrate the inextricable relationship of image and scientific knowledge."

Although some might say that machines have displaced human in creating images in the twentieth century, it is nevertheless still the human that guides the machine. Works by contemporary artists who have been inspired by scientific images that are included among the "scientific" images show that the aesthetics of neuroscience and of art are not far apart.

Neuroscience Exhibition Images

The attached 15 page SACKLER.pdf is an overview of images of the brain and central nervous system from the early sixteenth century to the present day, illustrating the history and development of Neuroscience.

The Art of Neuroscience Press Release.