California Institute of the Arts’ Health and Wellness Department is premiering the August Grahn Memorial Thriving Artist Series, in memory of CalArts student August Grahn. This series will focus on the intersections of art and mental health, and provide an outlet for students to understand their own artistic talent, and how it can intersect with mental health.
For the first iteration of this series, Dr. Bruce Miller, MD and co-director of the Global Brain Health Institute of UCSF, will present a lecture titled Art and the Brain. His engaging presentation will focus on the anatomy of the brain and specific areas that appear to be involved in the new interest in art in people who develop neurological conditions like frontotemporal dementia. He has several examples of patients in whom art becomes almost an obsession. An expert in this field of neurology, he views the brain as a dynamic system in which areas of vulnerability (losing an ability like speech) can unmask areas of strength (artistic talent).
Please join us in August Grahn’s memory to learn about art and the brain. Refreshments will be provided.