MRI talk at Archbishop Holgates School, York

This morning I gave a talk at Archbishop Holgate's School, York on MRI technology as part of my role as a STEM Ambassador. Together with Kirsty Halliday from Geodesic Arts, we talked the pupils through the 'Me, Myself and MRI' project and specifically the process of undergoing an MRI scan.

The talk was sponsored by NYBEP and links in with the launch of the new education website for 'Me, Myself and MRI'. The exhibition is currently split between Archbishop Holgate's School, the York Neuro-imaging Centre and the Knaresborough Technology Park.

Artists in the Archive

I've just been involved in a project with the artists from Geodesic Arts again, this time working with the York Museums Trust and Creative York.

The project has involved looking at artefacts in the Yorkshire Museum archive, specifically pieces from the Mesolithic Period. We've then had to create an installation for the studio space at York Art Gallery. You can follow the background to the project on the AITA blog and take a look at the process on the Flickr site.

The final exhibition uses one of the monitors (with PC, Ensemble and sensor) that were previously used for the Me, Myself and MRI project. This time the monitor shows some footage of an archive area filmed using timelapse over several days, and speeded up. When someone steps in front of the monitor, this is faded into one of the interviews that we carried out for the project.

 

I interviewed Nicky Milner (our Mesolithic expert), Andrew Morrison (Keeper of Archaeology at the Yorkshire Museum), James Watson (a flint knapper) and Ben (a PhD student) for the piece. The edited interviews are shown on the screen.

The Ensemble map makes used of the fader, video and variable sensor blocks. We are using an infra red sensor for distance detection, but this is quite noisy (electrically speaking) and is not terribly reliable. You can see me setting up the system in the image below.

Getting A-Head in Art

An arresting new interactive exhibition exploring the boundaries between art and science, and powered by Apollo technology, opens on Tuesday 24th February at the National Science Learning Centre, York.

MRI Brain Scan

Me, Myself and MRI uses photography, video, sound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data to create complete portraits of a series of individuals. By interacting with the exhibition you can explore many of the facets of the individuals portrayed. This exciting multi-media exhibition has been created by York-based arts partnership Geodesic Arts, working in unique collaboration with Archbishop Holgate’s School York and York Neuroimaging Centre, and is funded by the Wellcome Trust and Arts Council England. It will tour to regional venues in 2009.

The culmination of a year long project, this exhibition uses photography, sound and video as well as contemporary neuroimaging technology. The subjects were chosen by Year 9 pupils from Archbishop Holgate’s School who decided to concentrate on capturing a comprehensive look at some of the very different people who make up society.

Tajinder, one of the subjects in the exhibition

The final six subjects were a nurse, a chaplain, a playwright, a kick-boxing champion, a TV journalist and a scientist. They sat for photographic portraits and took part in video and audio interviews, as well as undertaking an MRI brain scan.

The resulting data and footage has been transformed into a series of digital portraits that provide a unique representation of each of the subjects, giving a more detailed insight into what makes them all individual. MRI scans as well as being essential diagnostic tools also produce beautiful images and highlight features that are unique to each individual.

The project team has been working with Year 9 pupils from Archbishop Holgate’s School since the beginning of last year. James Evans, Head of Science, explains why the school got involved. “It is an exciting, collaborative project that has engaged the pupils, teachers and outside agencies. It is an opportunity to celebrate the exciting developments in science, explore the ethical issues raised and marry them with the creativity and expression of art.”  He believes that the project has made a lasting impression on the pupils. “To experience the ‘wow’ factor of science with inspirational people, to make links with many facets of the curriculum, to be engaged by science and express through art, ICT and media is priceless.”

As well as learning about creative digital technology, the pupils have been exploring the development of contemporary neuroimaging techniques such as MRI and MEG and the science behind them. Staff at York Neuroimaging Centre have been acting as scientific advisors to the project, explaining how modern-day techniques have developed, investigating ethical issues surrounding these techniques and carrying out MRI scans on the people selected to take part in the project. This is a chance to experience contemporary science firsthand, as Elliot Crowe, a Year 9 pupil points out. “I thought it would be something new and exciting to try. It’s not very often you get an opportunity to do something like this.”

The pupils have also found out about the development of portraiture as an art form and the links between science and the arts as they worked with an art historian to discover how art and science together can help us make sense of the world around us. As Francesca Smith, a pupil taking part in the work says, “I like this project – it’s different because we’re doing art and science together.”

"This innovative project will enable young people to develop an understanding of the science behind MRI scans," explains Clare Matterson, Wellcome Trust Director of Medicine, Society and History. "By engaging in a creative and accessible way with science and technology, they will explore ideas about the individual and self from scientific and cultural perspectives."

Work on the project started in January 2008 and the final exhibition will launch at the National Science Learning Centre on the 24th February before touring to Impressions Gallery, Bradford in April 2009. The project forms part of the year-round community and education programme of SightSonic, York’s International Festival of Digital Arts.

News: Apollo gets creative with Sci-Art project

Apollo Creative is excited to announce its involvement with the innovative sci-art project Me, Myself and MRI. As a key partner, Apollo Creative is providing technical expertise through the involvement of its Creative Director Mark Hildred.

The project, being lead by the arts partnership Geodesic Arts, has been awarded funding by the Wellcome Trust and Arts Council England. It has been designed to explore the idea of individuality using contemporary neuroimaging technology, photography and audio-video work.

MRI Scan of Geodesic artist Damian Murphy's head

Geodesic are working together with Archbishop Holgate CE School, York and York Neuroimaging Centre to realise the project, which will culminate in a touring exhibition of digital portraits in 2009.

Year 8 students from the school have been working on the project since the beginning of 2008 and will choose six people to be the focus of the work. Approaches are currently being made to a range of people suggest by the group, from teachers to celebrities. The foundation for their selection is based on the question “what makes an individual?” and could focus on anything from their career, their background through to their every day lives.

The chosen subjects will be invited to undergo an MRI scan as well as sit for photographic portraits and take part in video and audio interviews. The information and data collected will then be transformed into a series of digital portraits which will provide a unique representation and insight into who they really are.

Mark Hildred, Apollo Creative and Technical Producer on the project, has been involved since the project’s inception and will be responsible for the realisation of the final exhibition. Mark has been actively involved in both the planning and running of the project sessions within the school, together with liaising with the galleries for the final exhibition.

Mark Hildred said – “It is always exciting to work with young people on innovative arts projects such as this. At Apollo Creative we actively seek involvement in this area as it helps us to develop new ideas and technologies. This ethos often provides us with ways for us to expand upon the work we already do within schools; and so develop the potential for future creative and technically skilled employees.”

James Evans, Head of Science, explains why the Archbishop Holgate CE School got involved. “It is an exciting, collaborative project that has engaged the pupils, teachers and outside agencies. It is an opportunity to celebrate the exciting developments in science, explore the ethical issues raised and marry them with the creativity and expression of art."

He believes that the project is significant to the pupils as “to experience the ‘wow’ factor of science with inspirational people, to make links with many facets of the curriculum, to be engaged by science and express through art, ICT and media is priceless.”

As well as learning about creative digital technology, the students are also exploring the development of contemporary neuro-imaging techniques such as MRI and MEG and the science behind them. Staff at the York Neuroimaging Centre are acting as scientific advisors to the project, explaining how modern-day techniques have developed, investigating ethical issues surrounding these techniques and carrying out MRI scans on the people selected to take part in the project.

The students are also finding out more about the development of portraiture as an art form and the links between science and the arts, as they are working with an art historian to discover how art and science together can help us make sense of the world around us.

The final exhibition is due to launch at the National Science Learning Centre in January 2009 before touring to York Hospital and Impressions Gallery, Bradford. The project forms part of the community and education programme for SightSonic, York’s International Festival of Digital Arts.

For further information, see the projects blog at: www.geodesicarts.org or contact Mark Hildred

MRI Project - Interactivity

The Me, Myself and MRI project continued today with a session at the school on interactive technology and interactive art works.

We started the session by letting the group have a play with the Apollo Ensemble and some of our prototype sensors. As we had a very short time to setup, this demo only involved playing sounds and music rather than a full sensory experience. The group seemed quite excited by the idea of being able to control sounds from different body movements.

The rest of the session involved linking this to how we might control the final portrait exhibition. More info on the project blog:

http://geodesicarts-mri.blogspot.com/

MRI - Working with video

Today was the latest session before the summer with the young people taking part in the Me, Myself and MRI project. The primary focus was on using video to capture a portrait of someone and the different methods we might use.

More on the project blog at: http://geodesicarts.blogspot.com/

Sense of Place [Revisited II]

This afternoon I acted as Technical Director for the setting up and running of A Sense of Place. This interactive sound and light piece reflects a 2000 year link between two historic sites in the City of York.

A Sense of Place [Revisited II] is a re-working of the original piece which was presented in Bootham Bar for three months in 2005. This version has the emphasis on the audio composition, with visual cues provided by images from the original installation. It was presented in Bedern Hall, a 14th Century dining hall of the Vicars Choral of York Minster.



This performance was part of a sound tour of the city for a conference on 'Virtual Audio and Past Environments', organised by SpACE-Net.

Me, Myself & MRI sessions start

Today was the first official session in Archbishops Holgates School, York for the 'Me, Myself & MRI' project. Following on from the introduction we carried out before Christmas, the young people today got the oppotunity to visit the York Neuro-Imaging Centre (YNIC).

A key part of the work is to involve the young people in both the arts and science side of the project. You can find out more on the project blog.

'Me, Myself and MRI' kicks off!

The 'Me, Myself and MRI' project kicked off today with the introductory lecture at Archbishops Holgate School in York. Myself, Kirsty and Damian from Geodesic Arts presented a pack hour long session covering everything from basic magnetics to Da Vinci, the Nobel Prize to artistic installations.

The main project kicks off next year. You can find out more details on the Geodesic Arts website at: http://www.geodesicarts.org.uk/

Me, Myself & MRI

Geodesic Arts, a group of York based digital artists and associated professionals, has received funding from the Wellcome Trust for a project called 'Me, Myself & MRI'. The group, which includes myself as a Technical Producer, will be working on an exciting sci-arts project from December 2007.

The final touring production will include Apollo technology to help create an interactive exhibit that will tour various venues in the North East.

More information can be found on the Geodesic Blog.