How the Arts transform our Brains, Bodies, and Minds

One of my favorite sayings comes from David Thoreau: “My life has been the poem I would have writ / But I could not both live and utter it.” It speaks to the way that life and art are intertwined, and how we gain so much from living life with a sense of beauty and aesthetics in mind. There are many ways art infuses my own life—from singing and playing guitar to reading novels and attending plays, which all help to improve my mood and enhance my sense of wonder with the world. Probably, neuroaesthetics many of you feel the same way. Some of you may have felt you’ve even been saved by art. Now, a new book, Your Brain on Art, by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross, helps explain why that might be the case. By focusing in on the science of “”—how our brains respond to aesthetic and artistic experiences—the authors make the case that art is good for our physical and mental health, and that we should all incorporate more of it into our lives. What art does for our brains and bodies: It may seem a mystery that we make or enjoy art at all. But art has been part of every culture on the planet, for tens of thousands of years. This means art is central to our survival somehow, perhaps helping us to make new intuitive leaps and innovate and to help bind us to one another. As the authors explain, appreciating or making art involves using many parts of our brain—from those that process our senses to those involved in emotion, memory, and cognition. We are drawn to experiencing a...
Source: SharpBrains - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Education & Lifelong Learning art neuroaesthetics Your Brain on Art Source Type: blogs