Ten Artists with Abilities Born of Brain Damage

Posted by Miss Cellania in Arts & Crafts on July 14, 2009 at 2:27 pm


Sometimes talent is sparked, or maybe just revealed, in the strangest ways.

Imagine having a stroke, a severe brain injury or a tumor and suddenly waking up one day to find you’ve developed artistic talents to rival Picasso. It sounds impossible, but the brain is a mysterious organ, and sometimes, damage causes it to rewire itself in ways that reveal new talents even in people who could barely doodle a stick figure. From the engineer on disability who became a sought-after digital artist after a stroke to a woman whose dementia spurred remarkable creative output, these 10 artists were all transformed by neurological trauma or disorders.

Pictured is Alison Silva, who chose not to have a brain tumor removed because it improved her painting talent. Link -via Buzzfeed


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8 comments to "Ten Artists with Abilities Born of Brain Damage"

  1. Al Nonymous
    July 14th, 2009 at 3:17 pm

    Isn't this the plot of William Gibson's book "Pattern Recognition"?

  2. Cola
    July 14th, 2009 at 3:18 pm

    As an illustrator, I've always said I could never go on living without my hands or eyes. I don't know if I would put myself at risk (not having a tumour removed) to keep my talent.

    I think I'd rather be around to appreciate art if I couldn't make it. The deal with my hands is that I have to draw or I feel anxious and terrible. It would be torment to be unable to act on those impulses.

  3. Feh
    July 14th, 2009 at 4:40 pm

    I have read many of these biographies before, in some depth. It's too bad that the article suggests that brain damage has been an artistic blessing to all these people; while awe-inspiring, these stories are often very tragic and far more complex than is implied here.

  4. LisaL
    July 14th, 2009 at 6:11 pm

    I'm sorry, but that woman is an idiot. Of course her art is going to become more dark and moody. The heifer found out she had a freakin tumor in her brain!
    My artwork directly shows the moods I'm in as well. Whether if it's romantic, depressed, happy, whatever.
    I'm sorry but I just have to call "The tumor is making me better" excuse total BS.
    Now I'm not saying all of those are BS, just that womans.

  5. ted
    July 14th, 2009 at 6:53 pm

    Pass the knife.

  6. vonskippy
    July 14th, 2009 at 7:02 pm

    Big surprise, like we didn't already know that most so called "artists" are brain dead.

  7. Flu-Bird
    July 15th, 2009 at 10:58 am

    They maybe brain damaged but their certianly more intellegent then a bunch of liberal politicians

  8. Scooter
    July 15th, 2009 at 3:59 pm

    anyone else read "Duma Key"


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