THIS IS YOUR BRAIN(brān) ON ART(ärt)

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN(brān) ON ART(ärt)

By Sarah(ˈse(ə)rə) L. Kaufman, Dani Player(ˈplāər), Jayne Orenstein, May-Ying Lam, Elizabeth(iˈlizəbəTH) Hart(härt) and Shelly Tan

When we experience(ikˈspi(ə)rēəns) art, we feel connected to something larger(lärj). Why?

If you think about it, having a great time at the theater(ˈTHēətər) defies(diˈfī) logic(ˈläjik) in many ways. We’re surrounded(səˈround) by strangers(ˈstrānjər), bombarded with unusual(ˌənˈyo͞oZHo͞oəl) images(ˈimij) and often faced with a wordless language(ˈlaNGgwij) of symbols(simbəl). Yet, on a good night, we generally(ˈjenərəlē) laugh more, cry(krī) more and enjoy(enˈjoi) ourselves(ou(ə)rˈselvz,är-) more at a live(liv,līv) performance than when we’re watching TV at home. We may even lose(lo͞oz) ourselves and feel connected to something larger. How does this happen?

Some of the answers to art’s mysteries(ˈmist(ə)rē) can be found in the realm(relm) of science(ˈsīəns). Art is considered(kənˈsidər) the domain(dōˈmān) of the heart, but its transporting effects(iˈfekt) start in the brain, where intricate(ˈintrikit) systems(ˈsistəm) perceive(pərˈsēv) and interpret(inˈtərprit) it with dazzling(ˈdaz(ə)liNG) speed(spēd). Using brain-imaging and other tools of neuroscience(ˌn(y)o͝orōˈsīəns), the new field(fēld) of neuroaesthetics(esˈTHetiks) is probing the relationship between art and the brain.

Social connection is one of the strengths(streNG(k)TH,strenTH) of our species(-SHēz,ˈspēsēz) — it’s how we learn from others by imitation(ˌimiˈtāSHən). We’re keenly(ˈkinli) attuned(əˈt(y)o͞on) to the emotions(iˈmōSHən) and actions of people around us, because our brains are designed(dəˈzīn) for this.

If, for example(igˈzampəl), you’ve ever gone to an experimental(ikˌsperəˈmen(t)l) performance-art piece(pēs) where there’s hardly(ˈhärdlē) anyone in the audience(ˈôdēəns) but you, and you’ve felt a little exposed(ikˈspōz) and awkward(ˈôkwərd), this is why. We crave(krāv) social connection. And the cues we get from those around us help our brains make sense(sens) of our surroundings. This starts from the moment we walk into a crowd(kroud).

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Social connection is a key function of our brains. It helps us make sense of human behavior, a large part of which is evaluating(iˈvalyo͞oˌāt) movement and emotion within us and around us. Our brains like to share(SHe(ə)r) emotions with others. This is just one reason(ˈrēzən) that seeing a live performance — a concert, play, opera(ˈäp(ə)rə), etc.(et cetera et ˈsetərə,ˈsetrə) — is a neural(ˈn(y)o͝orəl) rush(rəSH). With our brain’s capacity(kəˈpasitē) for emotion and empathy(ˈempəTHē), even in the wordless art of dance(dans) we can begin to discover meaning(ˈmēniNG) — and a story.

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