Harlem art exhibit showcases neuroscientist's creative side
NEW YORK - A new art exhibit in Harlem showcases the mixed-media paintings of a neuroscientist. Inside the Heath Art Gallery at West 120th Street and Mount Morris, the unique perspective of Dr. Lisa Cain is on display.
Set against colorful acrylics, historic photos of daily life in the rural South seem stark. As a Mississippi native, Cain aims to send a message of hope and inspiration from the past in her exhibit entitled "Home," curated by Wade Bonds.
"A lot of times, you may associate some scenes with poverty, but still there was a richness," Cain said, "a generational wealth."
Cain worked alongside her grandmother in the fields as a girl, but her father taught chemistry class, sparking a different interest. She grew up to be a neuroscientist, of which only 4% are Black, and even fewer Black women.
Gallery director Saundra Heath said Cain's ability to switch between both sides of her brain comes through in her vision.
"There's this myth out there that you are art or science, and I think that's unfair," said Heath, "and she's a wonderful demonstration of both."
Cain broke barriers while making breakthroughs in her field. Her research into a protective protein called albumin provided new information about spinal cord injuries, which other scientists are now using to understand stroke and Alzheimer's, which disproportionately affect Black Americans.
"There has been a lot of research that says that racism can increase blood pressure, can increase stress, and that can lead to all sorts of illness," explained Cain.
Seeking to escape in the Great Migration, many families would find instead inequality following their descendants. Today, hate continues to permeate society, but Cain encourages viewers of her art to carry with them the values of home.
"When you think about Harlem and you think about how many people have come from somewhere else and brought those values with them to create a home here, that's what I'm struck by," Heath added.
Cain wants to continue cultivating communities, connected through caring.
Heath will host an open house with Cain on Saturday, April 8, from 1-6 p.m. All pieces in the exhibit are for sale. The Heath Gallery is located on West 120th Street across from Marcus Garvey Park.
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