Digital Artistry Fusion: Exploring the Scientific Avenues of Creative Expression
🎨 German artist Moritz Wehrmann blends his artistic touch with scientific research to create thought-provoking projects. His latest fusion, "Alter Ego," is the product of a collaboration with neurophysiologist Alain Berthoz, aimed at aiding individuals with dissociative identity disorders such as schizophrenia. This project is a testament to the fact that art and science can complement each other, fostering wonder and enlightenment. Catch Moritz Wehrmann's extraordinary artwork at the Recto VRso immersive art festival happening from April 10-13, 2025.
Art or Science, or Both?
Moritz Wehrmann isn't just an artist - he's an innovator who dives deep into new media. His work often centers around conceptual and experimental explorations with a strong research-oriented approach. His fascination lies in transporting viewers into unfamiliar realms, using mechanical and experimental tools. He collaborated with esteemed neurophysiology researcher Alain Berthoz, from the admired Collège de France, to envision "Alter Ego."
"Alter Ego" is a participatory visual installation that investigates the mental and mimetic relationship between two conversing individuals. It invites two participants to stand opposite each other behind a special mirrored screen equipped with stroboscopic lights. The screen displays both participants' reflections intermittently, creating a transformation between one's own image and the reflection of the other.
"Alter Ego" is the byproduct of interdisciplinary collaboration in neurophysiological research. As the artist-researcher explains, "The installation sheds light on key research areas of self-other perception, mechanisms of sympathy and empathy research, and their disorders like schizophrenia, autism, and Alzheimer's disease."
Psychological Chaos: The Disintegration of Self
The concept of alter ego is crucial in dissociative identity disorders. Drawing inspiration from scientific articles and studies, Moritz Wehrmann crafted "Alter Ego" originally as an art installation but later transformed it into a device for neuroscientific research.
By merging the two reflections, the two individuals, "Alter Ego" generates a disconcerting feeling of isolation and identity loss. Simultaneously, participants experience a profound sense of empathy for the other. The installation highlights how our spatio-visual mechanisms are impacted when we identify with someone other than ourselves.
In essence, our brain uses visual and body cues to orient itself and interact with the environment. When we begin to see ourselves as someone else, these cues become obscured, disrupting our perception of space and our ability to interact with the external world. Thus, "Alter Ego," besides being an artistic endeavor, also contributes to scientific research in this specific sense.
Moritz Wehrmann's groundbreaking project has been selected for the 2025 edition of the Recto VRso immersive art festival. Experience it for yourself on April 10-13 at our website exhibition.
[1] Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Alumnus Link[2] Exhibition Title Link[3] Media Arts Background Information Link
- Moritz Wehrmann's installation, "Alter Ego," serves as a bridge between art and science, delving into the realms of mental health and neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, and Alzheimer's disease.
- Relying on technology, "Alter Ego" is a tool for empirical research that explores self-other perception, empathy, and its disorders, demonstrating how art and science can collaborate in the realm of health and wellness.
- As a testament to the interplay between technology, mental health, and art, "Alter Ego" aims to replicate the disorientation experienced by individuals dealing with dissociative identity disorders, shedding light on the psychological complexities that these conditions entail.
