Dr Kellyann Geurts and Dr Indae Hwang

What if you could hold your thoughts IRL?

Combining personal experience, scientific knowledge and technological wizardry, Thoughtforms creates a three-dimensional memento from your mind. Take a seat, put on the headset and create your own unique “thought recording”. Let the EEG headset detect and record your thoughts, observations, dreams, feelings and memories in real time. Your recorded “thought data” are interpreted through digital imaging and 3D printing into abstract forms you can hold in your hand. Thoughtforms continues a long tradition of artistic practice to materialise mental experiences by visualising them outside our heads. It also speculates on the role of technology in reshaping how we think.

Dr Kellyann Geurts’ work is informed by her experience as a patient, artist and researcher. Her practice explores the digital expression of “thoughts” and how we relate to them in the context of our personal experiences. Part of the inspiration for this research was the uncomfortable and traumatic experience of medical testing around her neurological symptoms. Her work explores regaining a sense of control by accessing and externalising mental spaces. Kellyann draws on neuroculture, cognitive science and medical imaging technology to gain greater clarity and depth of understanding of her personal experiences and issues as a way of reflecting on how identity is formed in relationship with technology.

Dr Indae Hwang is an interactive artist, designer, researcher and lecturer. Indae researches our relationship with emerging technologies through interactive art. He teaches User Experience and Interactive Design in the Department of Design at Monash University. 

This project was developed under the PhD supervision of Dr Mark Guglielmetti and in collaboration with SensiLab, Monash University.