Neuroaesthetics: How Art Can Improve and Extend Your Life | Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen

40 snips

Jul 31, 2023

Guest

Susan Magsamen

Guest

Ivy Ross

Ivy Ross, Google's VP of Design and an accomplished artist, and Susan Magsamen, founder of the International Arts and Mind Lab, dive into the transformative power of art. They reveal how just 20 minutes of artistic engagement daily can rival exercise and mindfulness. Discover how nature is seen as the pinnacle of art and that simple activities like humming or gardening qualify as creative experiences. The duo also emphasizes art's role in neuroplasticity and fostering connections, encouraging us to embrace arts for enhanced mental well-being.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Benefits of Art

Art offers benefits like improved learning, emotional regulation, and empathy.
It can also treat diseases, relieve stress, and potentially extend lifespan.

INSIGHT

Broad Definition of Art

The authors define art broadly, encompassing beauty in various forms.
This includes traditional arts, but also everyday activities like humming, gardening, and being in nature.

INSIGHT

Art as Process

The act of creating art, rather than the final product, holds significant value.
Even writing down a secret and burning it can reduce cognitive load.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

---

Did you know that just 20 minutes of art a day is as beneficial as exercise and mindfulness? Or that participating in one art experience per month can extend your life by ten years?

Our guests Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen talk about their new book, Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us. Together they explore the new science of neuroaesthetics, which explains how the arts can measurably change the body, brain, and our behaviors.

This is the first installment in a three part series we’re running called, Mundane Glory about learning not to overlook the little things in your daily life that can be powerful and evidence-based levers for increased happiness.

In this episode we talk about:

Their definition of the arts and aesthetic experiences
How they see nature as, “the highest form of art”
How simple actions like humming in the shower & gardening can be categorized as art experiences
How you don’t have to be good at making art to benefit from it
The difference between “makers” and “beholders” of art
What they mean by art being a part of our evolutionary DNA
How engaging in the arts can help strengthen our relationships and connectivity
How arts and aesthetic experiences create neuroplasticity in the brain
How society’s emphasis on optimizing for productivity has pushed the arts aside
The four key attributes that make up a concept called an “aesthetic mindset”
The benefits of partaking in a wide array of art experiences
The importance of infusing play and non judgment into the art you make
How art can be a form of meditation and mindfulness
How artistic experiences can extend your life, help treat disease and relieve stress
How the arts affect the way we learn
The emerging field of neuroarts and neuroaesthetics
How food fits into the arts category
Simple ways to integrate the arts into our daily lives
Technology’s relationship to the arts
And the importance of architecture and your physical space as a form of art

For tickets to TPH's live event in Boston on September 7:

https://thewilbur.com/armory/artist/dan-harris/

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/ivy-ross-susan-magsamen