ONE SMALL SEED MAGAZINE Issue #26 Digital 01 | Page 40

MINDFUL AESTHETICS:

SCIENCE AND ART
The self-proclaimed 'grandmother of performance art',
Serbian-born Marina Abramović is one of the many that
are wiring up to find out what exactly the brain can teach
us about art. A name you might know already from the
award-winning documentary The Artist is Present, her
work explores the relationship between performer and
audience, the limits of the body, and the possibilities
of the mind. Abramović goes face-to-face with the
renowned radio host Brian Lehrer as they both get their
brain wavelengths measured. Click here to hear the full
interview about how art and science influence each
other, and find out more about Abramović’s famous
experiment ‘Measuring the Magic of the Mutual Gaze’
here.

SPACE FOR THOUGHT...

TAKE A LOOK
AROUND YOU...
WHAT SPACE ARE
YOU IN?
Whether it's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Tumblr
– all social media platforms are an open outlet for selfexpression. Truth of content aside, the fact that many of
us are so compelled to share even the most arbitrary
information is a reality that heralds no dispute. The
question is why? A team of Harvard researchers – led by
Diana Tamir and her co-author Jason P. – put science
to the test on this one and delivered some interesting
results. Turns out that the process of disclosing personal
information triggers the sensation of pleasure in the brain
– the same type related to eating, money and sex! So,
next time you find yourself heading into 'Share-Overload
Mode', take a break and go eat some chocolate. Click
here to find out more detailed info about the results from
these Harvard researchers.

Einstein's famous dictum tells us that no problem can
be solved from the same level of consciousness that
created it. But metaphysics aside, what effect does our
external space have on us? Modern researchers – led
by the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture –
have shown that certain types of spaces can indeed
promote the growth of new neurons. No matter how old
you are, you can increase your ability to learn, which
in turn will affect your everyday reality. Architects
potentially have a whole new blueprint to work with:
one that can influence all of our realities.

STATUS UPDATE!

WHY ARE WE ADDICTED
TO SHARING?

“The question isn't, 'What do we want to know
about people?', It's, 'What do people want to
tell about themselves?” - Mark Zuckerberg