22K gold handmade gilded microetchings
24″ X 32″ (framed dimensions 28″ X 36″, edition of 10)
2017 by Greg Dunn and Brian Edwards
Please email me for pricing – greg(at)gregadunn(dot)com
(hint: these are quite a bit more expensive than the microetched prints which can be found here)
The triggering of an action potential is one of the foundational principles on which the brain operates. Action Potential is an animated microetching that simulates how a neuron receives and integrates incoming signals from connected neurons to trigger an action potential. Incoming action potentials from the small neurons hit the dendrites of the large neuron while their collective input builds through the large neuron’s dendrites. When these signals simultaneously reach the cell body, they trigger the large neuron to fire its own action potential. While this piece is a study of how input velocities, locations, and relative strengths influence a downstream neuron’s ability to fire, it is also an artistic experiment exploring the explosive beauty of the process. Action potentials are the fundamental processes by which we think, feel, taste, and accomplish every task our brain carries out.
Artwork description:
These are 24″ X 32″ 22K gold hand-gilded etchings framed with anti-reflective and UV protective glass in a beautiful dark wood molding. The original etchings come with a custom built light source (if desired) which wraps around from the back of the frame and illuminates the piece with a single white light. Multicolor illumination is not included in the price, but if desired I can advise on the best ways to achieve it.
Each micro-etching is made when ordered and will be available for delivery in approx 4-6 weeks.
- Action Potential microetching under white light
- 22K gold Action Potential microetching in frame
Additional information on lighting, etc.
Both 22K original microetchings and microetched prints can appear dramatically different depending on how they are lit, and below are a series of still images demonstrating suggested illumination patterns. In these images, the colors encode information about relative locations of the synapses relative to the cell body. For example, the more proximal gold colored synapses may be contributing to a greater degree to the signal integration, whereas the more distant pink synapses may be contributing a weaker signal.
Please read this .pdf for detailed information and product recommendations on how to light your microetching.
This video below also explains in detail how to get the most out of your etching.