The McKnight Brain Institute made a call, and artists answered.
The institute asked UF art students to submit a proposal for an art piece related to the brain, said UF biology professor and School of Art + Art History scholar-in-residence Jamie Gillooly. He was the one to make the call, because his job as scholar-in-residence is to get scientists and artists to work together.
Kelly Sharp, the administrative director of the institute, saw the four best proposals, Gillooly said.
Sharp said the institute needed some artwork and decided to work with UF students.
“It was a desire to help out another college and to ultimately display something that was done by a UF student,” he said.
Sorina Vaziri’s proposal was chosen, and now, months later, it hangs at the back entrance of the institute.
“We’re excited to have it,” Gillooly said. “She put a lot of thought and creativity into this and we’re all appreciative of it.”
The institute wanted a representation of neurons in a traditional way, but the 21-year-old graphic design senior’s proposal had a more modern design.
The 4-by-6-foot piece is made of wood, acrylic and plexiglass.
“It was a long, long journey,” Vaziri said.
She painted the piece first. Then, using Adobe Illustrator, she made it into abstract circles and lines to look like a circuit board to represent neurons interacting. With a laser cutter, she etched the designs onto plexiglass. Finally, she connected everything and attached it together on a frame.
“Through modern technology and through research, we’ve been able to understand the human brain,” Vaziri said.
The institute gave Vaziri $500 as an award and paid for her supplies.
Gillooly said this is one of a series of initiatives UF has started to combine science and art.
“It’s a pretty rare collaboration,” Gillooly said.
Contact Samantha Shavell at sshavell@alligator.org.
Sorina Vaziri created a 4-by-6-foot piece to hang in the McKnight Brain Institute. The 21-year-old aimed to depict neurons in a modern way.
