'Genetic Thought (series)'   2013
Limited Edition Prints produced by Stanley Jones at the Curwen Studio

The sequence of images shows an evolution of form from a more primordial and amorphous soup of genetic and molecular / neural elements to a view of how we interact with impressions received in life. Our hardwiring is genetically influenced but what we do with our hardwiring may be up to our own conscious sense of identity

In the second image the form of a human head emerges but a human being cut off from the world and completely introspective: e.g. autistic , schizophrenic etc, where the inner world dominates to the exclusion of outer signals.

In the fourth image the “normal” pattern of human interaction has emerged. The genetic scaffold has faded to a few dots indicating the blueprint and the complexity of neuron threads and pathways interact with signals from the outside world. In the upper part of the picture the long wavelength signal activates a white surge of energy which also interconnects with many other neural pathways. Behaviour is now more complex and the genetic origin and influence is more hidden from view. Soft interconnections can take over from genetics. This together creates our sense of identity and self awareness – our consciousness where we may become more than the sum of our biological and molecular parts.

In the first image there are genetic scaffold blocks that have formed and also long molecular spaghetti strands but no especially human form. It is a soup out of which a genetic scaffold guides the development of form.

In the third image the genetic scaffold is still very strong and dominates behaviour but there is an interaction with external signals. There is a complexity of neural pathways interwoven with genetic propensity. The genetic scaffold restricts the effect that outside signals shown in the upper part of the picture can have on interconnections and therefore behaviour.

The fifth image tentatively introduces colour.