Silvering the Cerebrum

Dillwyn Smith, 2015 Exhibition

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A new exhibition of artworks by Dillwyn Smith gives a unique insight into brain donation and techniques used in post mortem diagnostics and research. University College London Hospitals arts and heritage hosts the exhibition Silvering the Cerebrum between 30th September and 18th November 2015, at the UCLH Street Gallery, Euston Road in London. Dillwyn Smith has been Artist in Residence at the Queen Square Brain Bank (QSBB) (UCL) since 2013, creating a new body of work entitled Silvering the Cerebrum through observational drawing at QSBB and drawing from memory in his studio.

For this exhibition, Dillwyn collaborated with Factum Arte to create a new group of works. Initially, members of the 3D team joined him at the Queen Square Brain Bank and scanned slices of brain as it was dissected. Afterwards, he explored a range of approaches in the print room at Factum Arte: working from a milled plate of the scan data, from memory on large carborundum prints, and on delicate hardground etchings done from observation. Printing on silver-leafed paper which will tarnish over time, and hand staining blind embosses with dyes used in brain analysis, he has made works which evoke the experience and the evidencing of the degenerating mind.

Carlos Bayod and Arthur Prior scan sections of a brain at Queen Square Brain Bank

Scanning sections of a brain with a Geomatic Capture 3D Scanner

The Lucida 3D Scanner was used to capture the relief of the surface.

 

Scanning sections of a brain with white light scanner

 

 

3D Render of the digitized brain

3D model of the digitized brain

Dillwyn Smith and Rafa Rachewsky show the wallpaper designs to Guy Noble the arts curator of University College Hospital.

Constanza Dessain wipes a plate before it

Mike Ward pulls a carborundum print in the print studio at Factum Arte.

The Prints

Printing and hand staining with Eosin and Luxol Fast blue pigments, both of which are used in neurological research for dyeing brain tissue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blind emboss printed on silver leafed paper which will tarnish and colour over time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The exhibition

 

 

View of the installation of 'Silvering the Cerebrum' at the UCLH Street Gallery

Carborundum prints hung against wallpapers created from microscopic images of the brain

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