The Health Museum, an interactive health science museum located in the Houston Museum District, has recently acquired, and installed “The Reading Brain” as part of the organization’s Healing Arts Initiative to demonstrate the intersections of art and science.
The installation was created by Sarah Sudhoff, a Cuban-American artist and advocate based in Houston whose work has been exhibited locally and nationally in museums, galleries, and arts centers, and developed in collaboration with Dr. Guinevere Eden, Director of the Center for the Study of Learning at Georgetown University.
"The Reading Brain” displays a vibrantly colored, playful organic brain-like structure, which generates a real-time, changing visualization of brain activity produced by dyslexic children reading.
Sudhoff created “The Reading Brain” through a residency with the DoSeum in San Antonio as a response to Beautiful Minds: Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage Exhibit, allowing families to be immersed in the inner workings of the reading brain through a multi-sensory, data driven installation. She collaborated with doctors to collect data and make the final piece research based. As a mother with a son who is dyslexic, likes sculptures and the color red, she took these personal likings into the final design.
“Even though your brain works differently, it still lights up and is beautiful to watch, a wonderful machine you have. It just means you have to navigate and pivot a little differently,” Sudhoff said.
The new exhibit bridges the gap between scientific understanding and artistic expression, offering visitors an immersive experience to understand the human experience, highlighting the intersection of art, science, and education. The installation has become a permanent feature of the museum during MindWorks, which brings mental processes like decision-making, memory, and emotions to life through colorful, playful and fun hands-on exhibits. MindWorks will close at The Health Museum on January 5, 2025.
About The Health Museum:
Located in the heart of the Houston Museum District, The Health Museum's mission is to foster wonder and curiosity about health, medical science, and the human body. The Health Museum is one of the most interactive and popular health science learning centers of its kind and a favorite among Houstonians. Since the museum’s opening in 1969, visitors have benefited from the intriguing exhibits and unmatched programming developed in partnerships with leading medical and scientific experts. As a member institution of the Texas Medical Center, and the only Smithsonian Affiliate Museum in the Houston Museum District, The Health Museum is a culturally significant educational asset that attracts learners of all ages. For more information about The Health Museum, visit thehealthmuseum.org.