Artistic Brain: A Complex Nonlinear System as Advanced Neuroesthetic Research

Artistic Brain: A Complex Nonlinear System as Advanced Neuroesthetic Research

Jongcheon Shin and Joonsung Yoon / Korea
Department of Digital Media in Graduate School of Soongsil University, Tianjin Normal University, China/Global School of Media in Soongsil University, Korea
Paper

This paper explores brain systems that neuroesthetics and brainwave art have experimented with, in order to consider a complex nonlinear system of a brain in terms of art, science and technology. Semir Zeki created a field of neuroesthetics by trying to study the relationship between art, aesthetics and brain through fMRI technology. Since then, neuroesthetics has attracted the attentions of cognitive neuroscientists and elicited the vigorous discussions of estheticians and artists. Nevertheless, recently neuroesthetics confronts lots of criticisms and skepticisms. It is involved in a problem that regards a brain of the most complex structure as a functionally specialized linear system. In contrast, artworks that use brainwaves view a brain as a nonlinear system rather than a linear system. In particular, brainwave sonification experiments a brain as a complex nonlinear system, focusing on sound generated from neural impulses caused by the complex interactions of neurons in a brain. Interestingly, EEG and auditory feedback are appropriate elements for exploring a complex nonlinear system of a brain.