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Abstract
“Much has been written about art, but not in relation to the visual brain, through which all art, whether in conception or in execution or in appreciation is expressed” (Zeki 1998, p.1).
An inquiry into the neuroscientific function of the brain in relation to the choices that artists make when creating an artwork underpins the foundation of this research. Specifically, this research seeks to illustrate the intrinsic role that memory plays as a neurological co-factor in the production of artworks. As such, the first section of this paper provides a detailed overview of the processes of memory encoding, storage and retrieval. These functions are examined at a neurological level as a means of illuminating this complex human function. The work of pioneering researchers Professor Semir Zeki, Nobel laureate Professor Eric Kandel, and Dr Nancy Andreasen is referenced, as are papers by numerous other researchers in this field. This research also discusses the role of triggers in the process of memory retrieval and the implications of this for the creative act.
The subjective expression of memory informs the second part of this paper by demonstrating through examples of my own work and the work of other artists, the inherent co-dependence of memory and artmaking. It explores how triggers are enacted as creative potentials and how these potentials loop to and from current and previous studio outcomes and are expressed through sculpture, video and works on paper. Supporting these outcomes either conceptually or methodologically is an examination of the works of contemporary artists Diana Cooper, Gosia Wlodarczak, Do Ho Suh, Hanne Darboven and Gabriel Lester. Historical artists Louise Bourgeois and Paul Klee are also referenced in relation to their overarching influence, both consciously and subconsciously on my practice.
Key words: neuroscience, memory, creativity, drawing, video, sculpture, art