Extromission, Art, and the Play of Light at the Getty

Summary

The episode is on a blog post titled "Projecting the Mind" by Emil Ahangarzadeh. It discusses the author's experience viewing "Lumens," a light installment by Helen Pashgian at the Getty Center. He draws a connection between the sculpture's visual effects and the ancient theory of extramission, which suggests that the eyes emit light, rather than passively receiving it. He argues that the sculpture's ability to induce hallucinations in viewers demonstrates how the brain actively constructs visual perception. Ultimately, the installation is a testament to art's enduring power to shape human perception, regardless of the era or technology involved.