Life of A Neuron a New Exhibit at ARTECHOUSE NYC at Chelsea Market

Step into the human brain and discover what makes us unique at the cellular level. Experience the next dimension of storytelling while exploring how the brain shapes the universal human experience.

Life of a Neuron brings together decades of neuroscience data and research to create a cellular level journey through the human brain. Created by ARTECHOUSE Studio in partnership with Society for Neuroscience (SfN), this exhibition is the result of three years of ardent collaboration and research and reveals the story of a universal human experience — the story of ourselves.

Visitors will walk into an unprecedented, real-life 3D model of a human prefrontal cortex neuron — the “thinking cell” of the brain — and see it grow from birth through death.

The exhibition invites visitors to witness the beauty and complexities of one of science’s greatest mysteries — the human brain. A culmination of three years of research, study and development, the exhibition’s foundation is the dialogue of discovery between neuroscientists and multidisciplinary artists. The world’s leading neuroscientists and experts came together with ARTECHOUSE to reconstruct a human neuron from the prefrontal cortex — a scientific marvel on its own — that served as the anchor for this enlightening and thought-provoking exhibition. In Life of a Neuron, science is not merely a muse to create inspirational art, but the art furthers the understanding of science; a fitting relationship celebrating the 50th anniversary of the SfN made possible by the interdisciplinary collaboration.

In addition to the Immersion Gallery installation, you can explore other technology-driven interactive artworks that cover vision, stress, addiction, and neural connectivity all at the cellular level.

“What’s fascinating and revolutionary about the narrative we are telling with this groundbreaking collaboration through Life of a Neuron, is the ability to have the audience experience something that is happening inside all of us by using the latest technical tools. It’s an incredible opportunity to experience the science that we have been studying for the past 50 years in a new artistic way that speaks to the human experience,” said Sandro Kereselidze, ARTECHOUSE Founder & Chief Creative Officer.

In Life of a Neuron, science is not merely a muse to create inspirational art, but the art furthers the understanding of the science; a fitting relationship celebrating the 50th anniversary of SfN made possible by interdisciplinary collaboration.

“What I find so exciting about this exhibit is that it is the first of its kind to use data like this to bring key neuroscience principles to life. Through the work of an incredible group of scientists organized by SfN, collaborating alongside the exciting group of artists organized by ARTECHOUSE, we’re able to bring to the world an exhibit like no other—artistic interpretations of scientific data and principles that allow the public to experience neuroscience in a whole new way. It is my hope that this exhibit will spark curiosity in those who see it and inspire them to learn more about the universe between their ears,” said lead neuroscientist for Life of a Neuron John Morrison, PhD, UC Davis Distinguished Professor, Director, California National Primate Research Center, Professor, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Secretary, Society for Neuroscience.

The main installation is supported by technology-driven interactive artworks exploring vision, stress, addiction, and the neural connectivity from a neuron’s perspective.

●       Edge of Illumination by SYNTHESTRUCT, in collaboration with scientists Robert Wurtz, PhD & Bevil Conway, PhD, explores the topic of vision utilizing a real-time simulation to artistically present the pathway of light from our eyes to our visual cortex, revealing different ways that light is processed by our brain along the way.

●       Interactive installation Eureka! by Akiko Yamashita collaborated with scientist Kristin Anderson, PhD to examine the science of neural connectivity based on Hebb’s postulate that states “neurons that fire together, wire together.”

●       Imposter by Gil Castro, in collaboration with scientist Eric Nestler, MD, PhD, is an abstract, interactive visual simulation that reveals how drug abuse affects our neural connections. The simulation is mimicking, blocking, or producing neurotransmitters, related deeply to our reward system.

●       Eyes of the Science by Ciphrd, in collaboration with scientist Kristin Anderson, PhD, is an artistic recreation of a standard microscopy used by neuroscientists. The neuron samples are created through agent-based simulations presenting the input and output features that characterize how neurons process data.

Life of A Neuron is at ARTECHOUSE NYC in the former boiler room of Chelsea Market at 439 West 15th Street, New York, NY 10011. ARTECHOUSE NYC is open 10am-10pm daily.