States of Mind: Tracing the edges of consciousness

Thought provoking exhibition at the Wellcome Collection looking at what consciousness is from a medical and a philosophical point of view.

The show tackled this difficult topic by looking at a range of experiences on the edge of consciousness. The first looked at the difference between the body and the soul by investigating neuroscience. This included one man who pressed unexposed photo plates onto people’s foreheads to see if he could capture thought! 

The section on sleep and awake included a creepy sculpture by Goshka Macuga called “Somnambulist” of a very realistic sleeping man in the middle of the floor. It also looked as mesmerism and how other generations have tried to explain dreams.

The final section looked as disorders of consciousness either through brain injury or trauma. This includes the idea of false memories which was fascinating.

Closes 16 October 2016

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Guardian
Evening Standard

 
  

 

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