MRI (2021) presents a cross-sectional image of the brain, captured through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, revealing the complex and powerful functions of the human brain. This internal view reflects one of Tan Mu’s ongoing themes: exploring the complex and interconnected structures of biological and technological systems, and the similarities in the flow of information within them. MRI technology enables scientists to observe the brain in action—learning, seeing, remembering, hearing, perceiving, understanding, and generating language. Cognitive psychologists study how individuals acquire, perceive, process, and store information, as well as how cognition interacts with emotion. However, the brain’s functions are not infallible. Using tools like MRI, researchers delve into the brain’s responses to specific stimuli, gaining a deeper understanding of how structural differences influence a person’s health, personality, and cognitive abilities. Through this lens, MRI not only captures the brain’s structure but also prompts reflection on the immense potential and vulnerability of human cognition.

Q: What inspired you to create MRI?

Tan Mu: In 2019, during a deep freediving session, I experienced an episode of cerebral hypoxia. The lack of oxygen likely affected my hippocampus, temporarily disrupting memory formation and recall. After undergoing medical examinations, I became deeply absorbed in studying the structure of the brain and nervous system—particularly the brain’s role as a container for memory. Experiencing gaps in memory made me acutely aware of both the complexity and vulnerability of this organ. Around the same time, I read Three Pound Universe, which describes the human brain as a three-pound universe—a microcosm that mirrors the structure of the cosmos itself. This idea profoundly affected me. It revealed a poetic parallel between the internal and the infinite, and reinforced my belief that painting can serve as a bridge between personal experience and universal structure.

Q: Can you elaborate on the connection between the structure of the brain and the universe in your work?

Tan Mu: Three Pound Universe introduced me to the idea of the universe as a conceptual structure—one that links different scales of existence, from atoms and particles to neural systems and galaxies. This framework deeply resonates with my practice. Across my work, I depict atoms, cells, embryos, MRI scans, logic circuits, undersea cables, and views of the observable universe. These are not isolated subjects, but interconnected layers of a single structural system that spans from the microscopic to the cosmic.

Within this system, the brain functions as a biological archive, storing individual memory through intricate neural pathways. Seen this way, personal cognition becomes inseparable from larger collective and cosmic systems. My paintings map these connections visually, revealing hidden architectures that shape how we perceive, remember, and understand the world across multiple dimensions.

Q: You often describe the brain as an internal data center. How does this idea inform your visual language?

Tan Mu: I am interested in the parallels between biological and technological systems. Neural synapses resemble logic circuits; the brain’s network mirrors the structure of global undersea cable systems; and memory stored in the brain parallels the way data centers store collective human information. In my work, the brain holds personal memory, undersea cables transmit shared emotions and knowledge, and data centers preserve collective history.

These systems are unified through recurring visual elements—points, lines, and surfaces—that form a continuous fabric of memory. By bringing these structures together, I aim to visualize how memory evolves at the intersection of biology, technology, and time. This approach allows personal experience and historical transformation to coexist within the same visual field.

Q: MRI technology allows us to see beyond the visible surface of the body. How do you view this technological extension in your practice?

Tan Mu: I see technology as both an extension of the body and an externalization of memory. Thinkers like Marshall McLuhan and Yuk Hui have written about how technology extends human senses and cognition. Tools such as smartphones, microscopes, MRI scanners, and telescopes function as external organs, expanding our ability to see across scales—from the interior of the body to the far reaches of space.

For me, these technologies offer artists access to realities that were previously invisible. Much of my work documents images made possible by these extended senses. By painting them, I am not simply reproducing scientific imagery, but reflecting on how technological vision reshapes our understanding of existence, perception, and the boundaries of the human body.