Welcome to my Brain by Isa Messioptra @ Dathuil

Brains

I know I am late with covering this exhibit from Isa Messioptra @Dathuil, but time and mood to write cannot be forced, so therefore a late review, nevertheless one I like to do very much. The title ‘ Welcome to my Brain’ already is a great one, because it allowed Isa as well as the visitors to make a wonderful mess of it all. Yes admit it, your brain is a mess. Of course how all works inside a brain is incredibly advanced and sophisticated, but that never will be a guarantee for your brain to function without errors, uncontrolled thoughts, strange behaviours, impulsive eruptions and messy experiences. Dick Swaab, a Dutch physician, neurobiologist (brain researcher) and professor of neurobiology at the University of Amsterdam wrote a book called: ‘Wij zijn ons brein’ (We are our brains), which basically describes a journey through our brains.  One interesting and often debated conclusion Swaab draws is to be convinced humans have no free will, because the brain controls all FOR us without us able to influence that. A strict biochemical and neuro(logical) process,, functionimg like in a computer, following instead of leading.

Free will however is a philosophical concept and not a measurable brain function, which makes it almost impossible to even define what a free will is. For me I think we are more than our brains and I tend to agree with the  American philosopher, writer, and cognitive scientist Daniel Dennett who states that needing information with the help of our brains, does not contradict with the ability to use that information for a decision in our own control.

Whatever you think yourself, brains are so complex, I personally think we never really will understand all aspects and only can observe and experience certain things without the option for a clear explanation. Dutch only but you can use google translate if interested: Vittorio Busato: Free will or no free will.

Isa Messioptra’s Brains

I have no clue about Isa’s brains except that they make her produce nice things in SL I like a lot. In fact Isa invites you to walk around and experience, nothing more, nothing less. A trip through her brains so to speak. It does require a few special settings, but really easy so please follow the instructions on the walls at the entrance. Yes they are essential, so don’t be lazy. After that connect with what you see and make your own mess. A story, a reflection, an identification, a repulse, a laugh, a tear, a deep thought, etc etc. This is how our brain works: we get impulses which generate a thought and these thoughts generate a feeling. The feelings influence your mood and reflection, based on your own personal biological, environmental and cultural existence in this crazy world, SL, RL, all. What I see is not what you see. What I think and feel is not what you feel and think. Yet the exhibit is the same. Interesting huh? Yes it is:)  All of this can be enjoyed at Dathuil, a Gallery of Art, founded by Max Butoh and curated by him and his partner Lucy Diamond.

Personal impression

And do I have an opinion on what I see at this exhibition? Of course I do. Most of all I like the concept itself. Nothing like what we call cohesive consistency. Unexpected twists, like a mind spitting out images at random moments in different moods and sceneries. The only clear thing is the route maybe, but if you want you can mess with that as well and cam your way around instead of walking. That’s a SL ‘brain function’ we don’t have in RL.  I see things that relate with gender, love and society, I see things that relate with self-image and confusion, I see things that relate with desires and fears. But it is my brain seeing that …. and who knows Isa has a good laugh at that when she would read this :) When you enter the exhibition space one thing which is hard to read is the floor. It shows texts that change rapidly. Isa told me it is all Sartre quotes and chosen fairly random, but present in her brain due to having read works of him and I quote now:

It is like these bits of knowledge you accumulate in your head and kind of all get jumbled together but still effect you in someway through you life whether you realise it or not. But yeah could have been anything if not Sartre.

 And last but not least you even can shit on someone at this exhibit. I had no trouble to do that for a while. Not that it helps  . . .   but still :)

Information

TP to Welcome to my Brain
The exhibition lasts till September 30, 2017

Isa Messioptra

Dathuil information:
Originally housed in the Juniper Berry Distillery from the 1930’s, abandoned for decades during a time when the town of Mays Landing fell into squalor, the Distillery has now been revitalized into a beautiful space to showcase the amazing Artists of SecondLife.

Each month will feature an Artist and their work. Feel free to roam the large space, remnants of the Distilleries past still remain, and you might even be able to taste the aged whiskey in the air as you tour the magnificent collection.

P.S.
I now start to wonder why Isa choose MESSioptra as second name   . . .