Event 2: The Hammer Museum

Me (right) with the front
desk employee.

On May 8^th I visited the Hammer Museum as the Scent Fair event was on display. It was very interesting to see, and smell, the wide array of scents created uniquely by each artist. I made the connection with the perfume to the lectures about Neuroscience. The creators of each perfume work laboriously to understand the science of creating a smell that will remind a person of a memory, or make them feel a specific emotion. They understand how the brain works and thinks in the presence of familiar smells and utilize science to re-create these scents. The creation of the various scents can be seen as an art form because each is unique to its artist and the scents have the capability to bring out emotion in a way that a piece of artwork can.

Armand Hammer Collection

In regards to understanding how the brain responds to stimuli, the Hammer Museum is also an example of neuroscience in art. Each room is designed a different way as to categorize each gallery with a unique aura. The creators of the rooms carefully choose to design the room in a way that will captivate the audience but also make them feel as though they are being transformed to a different location with each room they step into. The artists behind the designs of the museum exhibits truly understand how influential art and the senses can be in withdrawing certain feelings or emotions within the observer.

Leap Before You Look
https://hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/2016/
leap-before-you-look-black-mountain-college-1933-1957/

The Hammer was a great experience and the exhibits are always changing so you’re never going back to see the same things! I enjoyed this event and would highly recommend the museum to my peers.