Emergence 02 (2024) illuminates the neural structure of the brain with vibrant yellows and blues, evoking the scattering of galaxies across the cosmos. Radiating outward, the composition forms a chaotic yet interconnected web of neural pathways, mirroring the cosmic patterns of dark matter. By juxtaposing the brain’s microcosm with the universe’s macrocosm, the painting reveals an underlying order within apparent disorder, inviting reflection on their profound connections. Inspired by holographic theory and Hindu mythology, Tan Mu envisions the universe as a vast hologram, where the whole is reflected in both collective and individual parts. Could the human brain, with its intricate neural network and capacity for knowledge, embody a microcosm of the cosmos itself? This question drives a deeper exploration of the parallels between the brain’s architecture and the universe’s hidden patterns. With its one hundred billion neurons and one hundred trillion connections, Emergence magnifies this miniature universe within the human body. As dark matter and the essence of life remain enigmatic, the painting bridges the physical and metaphysical, offering a portal to explore the unknown depths of both the universe and the self.

Q: What inspired your interest in the neural structure of the brain?

Tan Mu: My interest began with a personal experience. During a deep dive, I suffered brain hypoxia, which temporarily affected my memory. Later traumatic experiences intensified this sense of fragmentation and loss. These moments made me acutely aware of how fragile memory is and how deeply it is tied to the physical structure of the brain. That experience directly led to MRI (2021).

In works like Emergence, I focus on neurons as the basic units of communication within the brain. Neurons receive, process, and transmit information, forming the foundation of thought, memory, and action. When you look at the brain as a network of billions of interconnected neurons, it functions much like an extremely efficient biological computer. That parallel continues to shape how I think about both biology and technology in my work.

Q: The human brain is often described as a highly efficient computer. How do you approach this analogy, especially in relation to technology today?

Tan Mu: My work often explores the intersection between biological systems and technological systems through what I call the “fabric of memory.” I think about memory in two ways. Internal memory exists within the body, in the brain and nervous system. External memory exists outside the body, in systems that store and transmit human knowledge, such as data centers, servers, and undersea fiber optic cables.

In Synaptic (2023), I draw a direct comparison between synapses in the brain and logic circuits in computers. Both operate through on and off states that determine how information flows. Neural networks and global cable networks share similar structures. Nodes connect through pathways, forming systems that depend on connection and are vulnerable to disconnection.

This analogy also appears in how a computer motherboard mirrors the brain. Chips and circuits regulate electrical flow in ways that closely resemble synaptic behavior. Works like MRI (2021), Memory (2019), Emergence (2022), Logic Circuit (2022), the Signal series, and Synaptic (2023) form a continuous exploration of how memory, connection, and loss operate across both biological and technological realms.

Q: Do you see parallels between the human brain and the evolving capabilities of artificial intelligence?

Tan Mu: I have always intuitively felt a strong connection between the structure of the human brain and artificial intelligence. That intuition became more concrete when I encountered the research paper The Geometry of Concepts: Sparse Autoencoder Feature Structure. The paper articulates something I had been visually exploring for years.

It describes how large language models process information through distributed conceptual structures, similar to how different regions of the human brain specialize in tasks like vision or logic. These models organize knowledge as a multidimensional point cloud, a universe of concepts. What fascinated me was how this structure echoes patterns found in the brain, atomic systems, and even the organization of galaxies across micro, meso, and macro scales.

This hidden structural similarity is exactly what my paintings attempt to visualize. From Atom (2020) to MRI (2021) and Gaze: Observable Infinity (2024), my work explores the idea that cognition, matter, and the universe may share underlying organizational logic. Seeing these scientific models align with my visual intuition gave me a deeper confidence in the direction of my practice.

Q: The vibrant blue and yellow tones in Emergence are especially striking. Do these colors hold symbolic meaning in relation to neural communication?

Tan Mu: Color is essential to how I think about neural activity. In Emergence, blue represents neurons themselves, with axons and dendrites extending outward to form complex networks. The surrounding yellow and luminous particles suggest the constant movement of signals, energy, and information traveling through those networks.

Visually, neurons resemble branching trees, which naturally evoke ideas of growth and interconnection. At the same time, they remind me of bioluminescent marine organisms or distant galaxies. These associations allow the work to operate across scales, from the microscopic to the cosmic.

By using these colors, I want to emphasize both the scientific reality of neural communication and its quiet beauty. The goal is to invite viewers into a sense of wonder, where the structures inside the human brain feel connected to larger, unseen systems that shape life and the universe itself.