Gear Head

This brain sculpture is encrusted with thousands of vintage watch parts woven together with various cogs and gears to make it appear like one giant movement. Similar to the way the neurons in the brain communicate with each other by electrical changes in the form of brain waves, the parts of the watch also must work together. If they are not used and taken care of, the watch can break down; or when used, the watch strengthens, similar to synaptic plasticity.

While the watch parts represent the internal workings of a complicated organ, the pieces also represent time itself. Time is the great equalizer and is truly the only currency we have. We must take the time to love, learn, engage, feel and live. If we don’t take the time to grow, the mechanism will eventually break down as well.

The artist marvels at the engineering and human perseverance that make these watches possible. Watches serve as a reminder that we must be the engineers of our lives, doing what is right in life and persevering to leave all things better than when we first came upon them.