Art installation a first in Wallenberg Hall

For the first time in its short history, the expansive white walls that frame the two-story lobby of Wallenberg Hall are no longer bare. A new art installation by Pamela Davis Kivelson, director of SCIL’s Perceptual Sciences, Art and Technology program, opened April 10, Stanford’s Community Day. The installation includes pieces from Davis Kivelson’s exhibit “Before Recognition,” as well as a series of original posters reflecting girls and women in science.

Kivelson’s work has been exhibited at the DeSasset Museum, the Tech Museum and the Exploratorium, as well as at the Krannert Art Museum in Illinois. She joined SCIL to run the new program, which is aimed at fostering collaboration among artists, scientists, and educational technologists interested in developing new ways of visualizing scientific concepts. Kivelson has already partnered with Senior Research Scientist Robert F. Dougherty and Assistant Professor Kalanit Grill-Spector, both of the Department of Psychology, and Haun Saussy, professor of Asian Languages and Comparative Literature.

Current research in perception science creates new opportunities for the brain to study itself through art. In the exhibit “Before Recognition,” it is the preconscious character of the principal phenomena that is of interest. The unique perspective of each piece focuses the viewer on what is often taken for granted, or subliminal.

For example, in a series of extremely close-up photographs of fruit flies, the viewer sees the tiny flies in a virtual dance that is nothing like our everyday experience of an insect.

“Before Recognition” is a novel art installation that attempts to stimulate viewers to become aware of how their brains process perceptual input. It is also aimed at stimulating scientists to learn more about how the brain processes visual art.

A second Kivelson exhibit is now mounted in the hallways on the first through third floor of Wallenberg Hall. “The PDK Poster Project: Using Visual Means to Challenge Stereotypes,” was developed to encourage scientific literacy and to promote public awareness and appreciation of science and technology. By humanizing the image of research science and scientists the posters offer positive role models to girls and women who choose to pursue scientific careers.

The posters were co-designed by Kivelson and Inga Dorosz, with the art and photography shown in the posters by Kivelson.

For more information on Before Recognition visit: http://www.neur-on.com/

For more information on The PDK Poster Project visit: www.pdksciart.com