Psychologists are now turning to modern art as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Anecdotally, they have found that memory is stimulated and moods change for the better when patients are exposed to the artwork. Neurologist Oliver Sacks is quoted in a recent New York Times article, “I have often seen quite demented patients respond vividly to paintings at a time when they are scarcely responsive to words.” Therapists have also observed that the artwork stimulates untapped creative ability.
Modern art challenges the brain to create new connections. As co-founder of cubism in the early twentieth century, Pablo Picasso took recognizable, organic objects and transformed them into angular, geometric objects. Ordinary representational art, while often beautiful, does not “surprise” the brain in the same way. In essence, representational art simply meets our preconceived expectations of an object, while the modern, abstracted version of the same object will challenge our brain much more deeply.
Ilchi Lee
Some people, in fact, do not like modern art. This may be because we often resist challenges to our preconceived view of the world. Yet, the improvement seen in Alzheimer’s patients confirms that the challenges of modern art are good for the brain. So next time you need a boost, consider taking a fieldtrip to your local museum.
| Like what you see? Subscribe to body & brain to read more! |
| Return to the contents page. |
| Published in body & brain Spring 2006 issue. |
