Auras

Auras captures the visual experience of Migraine through a variety of mediums. The works are based on an original illustration of Migraine Aura by Karl Spencer Lashley. Lashley was the first to scientifically investigate Migraine through illustration. He illustrated his Migraine Auras as he experienced them on graph paper and timed the progression of the illustrations. Through this activity he was able to estimate the speed at which a then hypothetical wave of electrical energy was moving through his brain producing the auras. When scientific instruments could finally measure the wave directly more than 50 years later, Lashley’s estimate was within 10%, demonstrating the power of personal experience and illustration as scientific tools. Created and displayed as part of NYU’s ITP Camp program.