What art reveals about consciousness

Girl with Pearl Earring by Jan Vermeer painted around 1664. It reveals much about ourselves and the way we see the world.

Part 1:
Instructions

Look at the painting and write down what you think the girl is feeling. Compare your answers with the group, and then try to explain the results.

*

Use the language of speculation and hypothesis:

*

Modal verbs:

"The results of the class survey of the painting may be/ might be/ could be explained by ...... I think this because...."

*

Expressions:

"It is possible that the results of the class survey are due to....."

Homework

In class you noticed how nearly everyone interpreted Vermeer's painting 'Girl with the Pearl Earring' differently.

In the next class we will try to explain this. The class will work in two groups.

Group 1

Listen to the first 22-23 minutes of the NPR broadcast from 'Science Friday' entitled The Passionate Mind. I'd like you to listen in particular to what Jorie Graham and Antonio Domasio have to say about consciousness and how it is expressed in poetry. Your task is also to present and interpret Jorie Graham's poem entitled Prayer to the rest of the class. The transcript of this part of the talk has been posted. Use it while you listen if you like. There is a commentary of the poem for you as well, just follow this link: Prayer Commentary

Group 2

Read the extract from Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene' (Endnotes pp.278-281). Explain to the class Daniel Dennett's computer analogy of consciousness. Use the following terms in your explanation where possible: The virtual machine, Serial processor, Parallel processor, Mouse, Keyboard, Screen, Central Processor Unit, Monitor, User friendly.

Once you have done this answer the What do you think? question at the end of the extract.

Class Seminar

In class we will conduct a seminar in which student representatives will expose their findings, and then as a class try to explain the phenomenon exhibited by Vermeer's famous painting.

Answers

Either click on the following link Answers or on the 'Blog Archives 2007' link at the top right corner of this page. For further clarification go to Ariadne's Thread and read the post The Ecology of Vermeer.

Part 2:

Instructions

The class should be divided into three groups. For homework read the article Artistic Creativity and the Brain by Semir Zeki . In your group prepare a talk on one aspect of it (see the list of topics below). Illustrate your talk with examples of paintings mentioned in the article. You should also speak briefly about the artist and the history of the paintings you show.

Group 1: The Law of Constancy

Group 2: The Law of Abstraction

Group 3: The Toll or Price on the Individual

A written summary of the main points of the article can be found at the following post: Answers

References
Dawkins, R. (1989) The Selfish Gene. Oxford University Press.
Dennett, D.C. (1989) The evolution of consciousness. In Reality Club (ed J. Brockman). New York: Lynx Publications
Kennedy, X.J & Gioia, D (1994) Literature: an introduction to fiction, poetry and drama. Seventh Edition. Longman, New York
Pinker, S (1997) The Big Bang. In Evolution (ed. Mark Ridley). Oxford Readers. Oxford University Press
Zeki, S. (1999) Inner Vision: the exploration of art and the brain. Oxford University Press.
Useful websites
Girl with Pearl Earring: an in depth study
The Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Haag, The Netherlands.
Nature, Art & Language
© All Copyright, 2007, Ray Genet