Greg Dunn, Ph.D.

Meet Dr. Dunn

City: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Preferred medium: Reflective microetchings

About Dr. Dunn: He began painting brain and neuroscience art in grad school at the University of Pennsylvania. His love for the brain and the beautiful forms of neurons fit harmoniously into his love for Asian art.

About my art:

Dr. Greg Dunn uses his knowledge of neuroscience to create works of fine art that celebrate the brain. These paintings are dedicated to the neuroscientists, psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, and neurosurgeons who explore the brain's beauty, mystery, and anatomy. More importantly, this work is dedicated to every last one of us who share this most precious possession that we are using even at this moment to read this sentence.

His paintings and reflective microetchings deeply fuse art and science, attempting to illuminate the unfathomable complexities of our minds. Dr. Dunn's art includes ink paintings on gold leaf exploring the spontaneous branching of a handful of pyramidal neurons to incredibly intricate, large scale reflective etchings such as Self Reflected that animate the collective activity of half a million neurons at once. In prints, paintings, hanging scrolls, and etchings, his works bridge the micro to the macro to change the way in which the average person thinks about the brain. It hopes to reinstill the sense of awe, even to those of us who struggle with various neurological ailments, and to hopefully remind us that our brains are a thing of wonder.

How I began making brain and neuroscience art:

Dr. Dunn began exploring art of the brain and neurons through ink paintings and scrolls, painting commissions for universities and individuals. Over time, he gradually began using gold in his art.

After years of experimentation with gold leaf, he invented a hyper-detailed process called reflective microetching with his collaborator Dr. Brian Edwards. This style of art uses reflected light to create animated scenes on a seemingly flat piece of art on the wall.

Where my art is exhibited:

Dr. Dunn has exhibited all over the world including at the National Gallery of China and the Centre Pompidou, as well as with permanent installations at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, the Museum of Science in Boston, the Max Planck Institute in Florida, Johns Hopkins University, Caltech, and many others. He now lives with his family just outside of Sofia, Bulgaria, though he maintains his art studio space in Philadelphia, PA.

Who most often purchases brain art?

Dr. Dunn routinely provides artwork for neurosurgery, neurology, neuroscience, psychology, and psychiatry departments, clinics, and offices. His work very often appeals to anybody with an interest in the beauty and mystery of the brain and mind. He provides prints, ink paintings, microetchings, gold leaf works, scrolls, murals, and large installations. Many use his art as a reference in brain related fields due to its scientific accuracy and ability to engage the public in the complex themes of the brain.

Discover more