An immersive and interactive exhibition has recently opened at two sites local to Sheffield.
The ‘Brains in a Dish’ exhibition is now open to the public at Barnsley’s Glass Works Digital Space and Cooper Gallery (until 20 th November 2022 and 14 th January 2023, respectively) to showcase the extraordinary processes and technologies involved in pioneering dementia research.
Three years in the making, this breath-taking exhibition represents seven years of collaboration between artist Charlie Murphy, research lead Professor Selina Wray, and electronics engineer Robin Bussell. Charlie Murphy has presented her previous works internationally, across many science and art contexts. Her installations typically use glass, light and digital tools to illustrate complex human anatomy in a truly mesmerising and engaging way.
The ‘Brains in a Dish’ exhibition is no exception. Glass neurones, made from glass burettes, have been individually arranged to represent the intricate neural network within the brain. When robotic lasers penetrate light through them, the interwoven lattice becomes a sceptical phenomenon. This fascinating light choreography (designed by Robin Bussell) mimics the electrical pulses of energy passing across the network of brain cells.
Professor Wray said, “I really like the glass sculptures that Charlie has developed in response to our cells and the images she’s seen. They’re very beautiful but on a deeper level they really capture the fragility and the delicateness of the cells that we’re growing, recognising just how fragile they are in our brain.”
Professor Wray grew up in Barnsley, on St George’s Road, and her family received benefits. Now leading a world-renowned research team at University College London (UCL), she said, “this exhibition has a particular resonance for me – it’s a privilege to bring the work to my hometown where everything started for me, and I’m excited for the local communities to have the chance to interact with it.” To complement the exhibition, a series of free hands-on activities have been organised for families, schools, and community groups aimed to raise the profile of dementia research.
Scheduled to take place across several Barnsley Museum sites (see below for details), they include: getting creative and making your own pipe-cleaner neurons, collaging brain cell cultures in petri dishes and hot glass demonstrations with the opportunity to learn how to blow a glass ‘Selina Cell’.
It is estimated that around one million people in the UK are living with dementia, and about 3000 of those are from Barnsley alone. Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia, is understood to be caused by a build-up of two proteins (amyloid and tau) in the brain. This results in worsening brain function which manifests as symptoms of confusion, disorientation and speech and language impairment. This unique exhibition is not one to miss, especially if your interests align with those of the arts, science, and technology.
Currently, there is no treatment for dementia. However, the remarkable research carried out by Professor Way and her team at UCL shines hope for the future of those living with Alzheimer’s.
