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

Jul 31, 2023

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.

01:04:52

Creator website

Episode guests

Susan Magsamen

Ivy Ross

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Food as an Art Form and Cultural Symbol

01:47

The Difference Between Makers and Beholders

01:31

The Effects of Music on the Brain

01:42

Intro

4min

Mindfulness and Real Estate: The Art of Flourishing

5min

The Art of Well-Being

18min

The Art of Neuroplasticity

4min

The Therapeutic Power of Creativity

16min

The Therapeutic Power of Art and Sensory Experience

5min

The Art of Well-Being

19min

Acknowledgments and Upcoming Episodes

3min

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

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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