Uncharted Territory

Shannon Amey:

Acrylic mixed media on canvas 

“I met with the Airavaara lab and kept detailed notes of our discussions. It was clear we shared collective energy and vision. The scientists introduced me to brain cells, which are part of their research. In this work we brought the brain cells back to life, from scientific microscopy images through an artist’s hand. I loved how each scientist had an individualistic way of presenting their research. In contemplating the painting, I took into account the types of metaphors and language the scientists used when describing their work. I was largely inspired by the visual content provided to accompany the research, particularly how the pseudo-coloured immunofluorescent microscopy images were presented. I wanted to emanate ideas such as “astrocytes chatting with neurons”,  “dopamine neurones ready to party!”, “fireballs of ischemic stroke”, “flags for the guardians of the brain”, “microglia are the gardeners, pruning and cleaning, keeping the brain garden tidy and flowering”. I was also drawn to the differences between the dopamine neuron and the capnella corals, which offered a different type of visual structure. The painting was guided by all the energy gleaned from the research and the scientists”.

Price: 2900 EUR (1450 EUR for artist, 1450 EUR for the faculty’s sustainable pharmacy fund) 

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