Pareidolia - Hunting the Mind's Wildlife

Location
Civil Engineering - Lecture Room B23 (Y3 on campus map)
Dates
Friday 20 March 2015 (12:30-14:00)
Pareidolia

Ben Waddington in conversation with Matt Westbrook + walking tour

Pareidolia is the psychologists’ term for the brain’s tendency to detect forms and faces in nature where none exist. Whether that means naming constellations, reading tea-leaves or watching animal clouds float through the sky, humans have long tried to make sense of the chaos around us. To see patterns is to witness the brain’s programming and survival instinct at work but it can also be a delightful reminder of its occasional quirks and jitters.

For the last three years, Ben has been collecting real-world examples seen in nature and in artifice, and learning the tricks that can reveal them. Matt Westbrook, artist in residence at the University’s Research and Cultural Collections, has independently been doing his own pareidolic research.

Join them for an illustrated presentation and conversation that will shine a light on the shadowy recesses of human perception and artistic creativity. The event will be followed by a walking ‘safari’ tour of the University campus, looking for live examples of this intriguing phenomenon.

Admission is free however places are limited so book to reserve your place.

This event is presented as part of the University of Birmingham's Arts & Science Festival (16-22 March 2015), a week-long celebration of ideas, research and collaboration across campus.