From Void to Tale

Ever wondered at what point mere marks on a white surface transform into stories? These monochromatic pieces explore how basic visual features, including edges, gradients, and spatial frequencies, influence higher-level visual processes, such as object recognition and scene perception. Watch as the animation unfolds, stroke by stroke. When do points, lines, and shapes take on greater meaning?

*These videos are without sound.

Idea & Inspiration

While neuroscience delves into the internal mechanisms of visual processing, art externalizes vision, offering clues to its underlying framework. At an MIT course, I was inspired by Cezanne’s philosophy of providing "just enough information" in his artwork. This sparked my curiosity about human visual experience in object recognition, leading me to reflect on Chinese ink wash paintings. These artworks often utilize only shades of black, emphasizing the "essence" of a subject rather than realistic imitation. After coming across works by Guanzhong Wu, I found inspiration to create an ink painting using simplistic elements to depict a scene.

Appreciation

A huge thanks to the support of MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and MIT Center for Art, Science, and Technology for making this exhibition possible. I also want to express my gratitude to Seth Riskin, Pawan Sinha, and Ganit Goldstein for their help and guidance throughout the project.