jan fabre carves the human brain from carrara marble

jan fabre carves the human brain from carrara marble
(above) exhibition view at galerie daniel templon, brussels
courtesy galerie daniel templon, brussels
photo by isabelle arthuis

jan fabre: do we feel with our brain and think with our heart?
galerie daniel templon, brussels
april 23rd – may 31st, 2014

belgian artist artist jan fabre presents a series of sculptures carved from white carrara marble at galerie daniel templon in brussels. thematically, the exhibition ‘do we feel with our brain and think with our heart?’ explores the intricacies and mysteries of the human mind, a subject which fascinates the artist on an intellectual and creative level. fabre has studied neurology for more than ten years — working with a number of renowned scientists — and has cultivated a particular interest in the work of italian neurobiologist giacomo rizzolatti who discovered the mirror neurons that are the basis of the capacity for empathy.

exhibition view at galerie daniel templon, brussels
courtesy galerie daniel templon, brussels
photo by isabelle arthuis

fabre has turned to the marble medium in his quest to investigate the brains’ capabilities, carving lobes, veins and arteries from the solid white rock. juxtaposing the biological motifs, strange and seemingly unassociated objects are intermixed with the sculptural forms. fruit and food — references from rizzolatti’s experiments — appear in a series of illustrations that examine poetic possibilities of the brain, while wine openers, knives and bugs are paired with small-scale statuettes.

laughter and bread mirror, 2014
carrara marble
18,4 x 18,1 x 14,7 cm

cutting the memory, 2014
carrara marble
18,6 x 23,3 x 22,1 cm

achteruitkijkspiegel, 2013
carrara marble
190 x 110 x 120 cm

achteruitkijkspiegel (detail) 2013
carrara marble
190 x 110 x 120 cm

exhibition view at galerie daniel templon, brussels
courtesy galerie daniel templon, brussels
photo by isabelle arthuis

exhibition view at galerie daniel templon, brussels
courtesy galerie daniel templon, brussels
photo by isabelle arthuis

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