The "Brain Child" of Bloomington neuroanatomist and stroke survivor, Jill Bolte Taylor, Brain Extravaganza celebrates the idea that the more we understand about the brain, the more we are inclined to take care of it. 22 enormous (5' x 5' x 4') and beautifully designed brains will be on display throughout the city of Bloomington, Indiana and across the Indiana University campus from May through October. The opening event of the Brain Extravaganza in this video was the only time all the brains will be together in one location.
In 1996 Jill Bolte Taylor experienced a severe hemorrhage in the left hemisphere of her brain. As a result of this rare form of stroke called an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life. It took eight years for Jill to completely recover all of her functions and thinking ability. In 2008, Jill gave a presentation at the TED Conference in Monterey, CA, which has become the second most viewed Ted Talk of all time, with over 8 million views. TIME Magazine named Jill one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2008.
Jill's book My Stroke of Insight is a New York Times Best seller After several appearances on Oprah Winfrey’s TV show, Jill has built a national following. If everything works out, a movie about her life, directed by Ron Howard and featuring Jodie Foster as Bolte Taylor, could begin filming later this year.
I've been fortunate to work with Jill on several projects over the the last ten years. We met through a mutual friend here in Bloomington who asked me to videotape Jill's presentation "Brain Research: From Knowledge Will Come A Cure!" We later collaborated in the production of a video for a song she co-wrote with our friend Sarah Stevens, "Free to Be."
To get an idea of Jill's zest for life, check out the ingenious assembled pontoon boat she makes with inner tubes and plywood at the end of this video.
The 22 Brains of Jill Bolte Taylor's Brain Extravaganza are all in place throughout Bloomington and the Indiana University Campus. Come check them out and learn more about your brain. Map of Brains locations