Picturing stories about the brain

Photos: Mathilde Bessert-Nettelbeck

Workshop combining natural scientific learning and creative drawing taking place at the Faculty of Engineering

From October 31 to November 4, 2016, fifteen teenagers became artistically involved with neurological disorders and their treatment by the use of neurotechnologies in the comic workshop “Hirn-Strips”.

On the agenda were: A theoretical part with a tour through selected BrainLinks-BrainTools laboratories, an encounter with people affected by brain diseases as well as an ethics role game. The schoolgirls and -boys from Freiburg and its environment got inspired by their freshly acquired knowledge and eventually put down their own stories on paper with a pencil (and much creative talent!). On the first day, organizers Mathilde Bessert-Nettelbeck and Sabrina Livanec introduced the participants into the physiology of the brain and the research of BrainLinks-BrainTools with the help of Dr. Birgit Ahrens, Prof. Dr. Thomas Stieglitz and Prof. Dr. Cornelius Weiller. The second day did not only include visits to the labs of PD Dr. Tonio Ball, Prof. Dr. Carola Haas, Prof. Dr. Thomas Stieglitz and Dr. Michael Tangermann, but a meeting with Parkinson’s and epilepsy patients. The guests reported about their lives with the disease and therapy. Particularly deep brain stimulation and surgical treatment of epilepsy were discussed at length. On the next day PD Dr. Oliver Müller discussed ethical implications of neurotechnology with the participants. On the third day they developed a comic concept and the fourth day was all about drawing the layout. Freiburg based illustrator Ludmilla Bartscht assisted them technically.

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The results of the workshop will be exhibited in Freiburg’s Museum für Neue Kunst from November 22 to November 27. Additionally, on November 25 at 6 pm, there will be a private viewing. At 7 pm this will be followed by Science Jam organized by BrainLinks-BrainTools. At this event, which is taking place in the context of the exhibition of Freiburg artist Herbert Maier, eye vision researcher Prof. Dr. Michael Bach will be speaking and Ludmilla Bartscht will accompany him graphically.

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The workshop was organized in cooperation with the Bernstein Center Freiburg and the Museum für Neue Kunst. The project was supported by Kindermedienland Baden-Württemberg.