20th anniversary cover of the mcgill science undergraduate journal:
what would it be like to see into the brain? to map its pulses of electricity, traveling across networks upon networks of branching, interwoven neurons?
msurj’s 20th anniversary cover explores the possibilities of visualizing brain activity through electroencephalography (eeg), illustrating its potential applications to assessing consciousness recovery in sedated pediatric epilepsy patients. inspired by author marlo naish et. al.'s innovative work, found on pages 1-8, this cover artwork offers a colorful and fantastical interpretation of the ebbs and flows of chaotic, seizure-state brain waves.
typically, “windows” into the brain look more like sticky electrodes with wires that transmit electrical signals from the head to a computer. however, artist emma lowry interprets them as eyes peering into the world of layered, textured signs of life, which are stronger in some areas (indicated in bright red) and weaker in others (shown in cool blue tones). similar to a topographical map, she localizes the highest complexity eeg indicators in the warmest shades, which are the best signifiers for the restoration of consciousness. created with a combination of acrylic paint markers and digital art tools, this drawing is a whimsical portrait of the artist’s imagining of the hectic and resilient mind of the child.
volume V, issue I of the mcgill journal of human behaviour:
this piece was a representation of how i see human behavior- a reflection of how we are socialized and how we are all the product of the environment we are in and its dynamics. the dissolution of the body and body image into fragments was a major theme in the articles in this issue, so i leaned into the visuals that emphasize individuals as making up a sort of collective mind.
i was inspired by a web of neurons interconnection and then decided to continue the theme of little pink guys by adding one into the center of the nucleus. the meshwork and branching of the cells into a network is a lot like our social connections with others. i love thinking about how our external actions, behaviors, and social movements through our community reflect the anatomy and physiology of the connections between the smallest particles that make up our bodies.
this one was particularly inspired by a piece published in the issue about the history of eating disorders and anorexia- a rib cage felt like a prominent symbol of both. i drew the ribs as if they were ancient ruins of some sort, dripping in moss and greenery after sitting bare and open to the elements. my trusty pink abstract people (featured again) are slowly deconstructing the bones and prying a hole in the chest to find the heart like treasure in a tomb. i wanted to capture a feeling of disintegration and self-criticism that thrives on starvation and picking oneself apart slowly. if you look closely, you can see white scratch marks on the ribs themselves- meant to represent the internalization of the cutting words of others so deep that they reach bone.
