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Artworks from Lynx Ng, Lee Ju-Lyn, Liza (Lija) Markus, and Simbaro.
Curated by artnvoid.

“First I saw, then I knew, then I felt, then I was satisfied.”

To understand The Tripartite Model of the Soul, you must first notice that there exist in this world an elongated object with a smooth outer surface in a perceived yellow that either turns into mush with a little bit of pressure or peels open like a flower to reveal white flesh (“First I saw”). Considering context, prior knowledge and experience, you might realise that this object is known lingually as the “banana” and recognise that it is an edible fruit that, dependent on personal preferences, could be quite tasty (“Then I knew”). In that case, eating it might provide some glee (“Then I felt”), and fill a rumbling tummy (“Then I was satisfied”). When the senses, the head, the heart, and the gut are stimulated, the soul pulses with life.

In The Republic, Plato defines a tripartite soul: it is logical (head), spirited (chest), and appetitive (abdomen). The four works in this exhibition represent the head, the heart, the gut, and an attempt to reach out to a variation of a soul. In The Mindful Banana, Lynx Ng’s foray into mindfulness, absurdism, and calligraphy is translated into a single character “念” (niàn). In its most basic definition, it means “to think” but the presence of the heart radical “心” hints at something deeper. This by Lee Ju-Lyn mixes Eastern and Western languages, forms, and subject matter but at the heart of it, isn’t it a cross-cultural love story? Liza (Lija) Markus presents The Colour of Patience in a separate website that stands as an exhibition in itself. She documents the long process of sending her friends ingredients and baking banana muffins . Simbaro, on the other hand, presents a broken link. While www.banana_spiritline.com is a 404 error for living beings, it might be a conduit for the disembodied.

Plato thinks that the head is the source of all wisdom but neuroscience has shown that emotion and intuition count for something as well. Neural networks in the head, heart, and gut grow the more they are used. Just as the tripartite soul is divided into parts with varying composition in people, the strength of these networks differ from person to person as well. Could the soul be a metaphor for the behaviors that stem from processes in the head, heart, and gut? Is it intrisically tied to the human body or does it float free in immortality?

Further reading: Santoro, G., Wood, M., Merlo, L., Anatasi, G., Tomasello, F., and Germanò, A. (2009). The Anatomic Location of the Soul from the Heart, Through the Brain, to the Whole Body, and Beyond: A Journey Through Western History, Science, and Philosophy. Neurosurgery. 65. 633-43.

Curator’s note: To encourage freedom of interpretation and provide content for contemplation, the artworks will be paired with readings + related exhibitions (if any). For further conversation, dm me on Instagram @artnvoid.