The+Tangible+Imagination

"The Tangible Imagination" by Caitlin Barth.

This work is a visual representation of the hypotheses of connections between the mind and body. The connection begins and ends with a "light". The ribbon is first connected at the bottom to a yellow objected, the "starting place", which is undetermined. This is because no one ever seems to worry about the beginning of the cycle, just the cycle of mind-body itself. The ribbon is first inhibited by a shoe, representing multiple aspects. One is that we "put our foot down" to determine where connections should start and try to straighten and define pathways. Man tries to flatten the course. Also, it shows the first connection of the body: the shoe is attached to a battery, representing the body. The body supports the head. It takes in external stimuli and fuels its connection to the brain. As the ribbon extends up to the compass, representing the head, a metal wing is attached. This symbolizes the defined restrictions of freedom of choice and of the mind. It is on the way to the mind because one may feel that they can do what they want and may carry it out but this supposed free will is restricted to certain limitations based on cultures. Farther up, in front of the compass, is a button that says "say something nice". This is in front of the compass because it represents the cultural restrictions on imagination and of the mind, as culture will dictate what we should and should not choose to say and do. A compass represents the head, symbolizing directions the mind takes to a certain path, though many compasses are inaccurate, meaning that our path will change while we think we are working towards one goal. A feather is obscured and hidden behind the "body" of the work, obscuring the true freedom of will behind reality and restrictions. A circle is attached with a peace sign dangling from it, representing cycles of freedom vs. violence and how the goal of peace rarely makes its way into the cycle, though it may be the cycle's intention. The ribbon loops back around at the top of the head to a bottle cap. The bottle cap has a thought bubble that says "twist and shout". This was positioned near the prefrontal cortex of where the brain would be. The prefrontal cortex is involved in decision making, representing how our freedom of will may be tangible in our thoughts, but cannot make its way out of the brain and into the path. The path leaves off at another "light", a mechanical nightlight. This is representative of how man strives for enlightenment and understanding of the world and our own minds. Man attempts to define what makes our mind, how it connects through neural impulses and stimuli to the rest of our body, how it works, and how to "fix" it. Trying to define a person's mind limits its capabilities, and the supposed freedom of will existing in our brain is attempted to be pinpointed, and yet, though a scientist cannot point to it, it can still be shaped and restricted by the ideas of society. The definition of the limits or lack thereof of the mind results in lack of creativity and imagination as we attempt to define what "imagination" is.