Interview with the Brain Man: Emilio Garcia and his Skull Brains

Skull Brain by Emilio Garcia

Zombies are beyond played out, but I still can’t get enough brains. Specifically, brains by Spanish artist, Emilio Garcia. Recently, Garcia ditched the legs on his Jumping Brains for something even more cerebral: The Skull Brain. The new brain editions will make their debut tomorrow, Tuesday, December 4th during Miami’s Art Basel. Each Skull Brain is a hand-cast resin sculpture, measuring 7″ x 5.5″ x 5″ and weighing 6 pounds.

Skull Brain by Emilio Garcia

Four different finishes have been announced so far.

  • PINK: Gloss acrylic and nitro coat on resin + magnets, limited to an edition of 30 pieces for €230 (~ $300 USD) each
  • GRAPHITE: Graphite sand-textured finish on resin + magnets, limited to an edition of 30 pieces for €230 (~ $300 USD) each
  • CHROME: Nickel-plated finish on resin + magnets, limited to an edition of 20 pieces for €290 (~ $378 USD) each
  • 24K GOLD: gold-plated finish on resin + magnets, limited to an edition of 20 pieces for €330 (~$430 USD) each

All pieces are signed and numbered by Emilio Garcia and include a certificate of authenticity.

Skull Brain by Emilio Garcia

Emilio Garcia’s Skull Brains will be available December 4th at www.jumpingbrain.org, and quoth Emilio: “We gonna try to produce and ship as much as we can for Christmas time. The stock is limited, good luck!”And now for a brief interview with the Brain Man…

Skull Brain by Emilio Garcia

JB: What is it with you and brains???

EG: I’m definitely a big fan of brains. It’s kind of an exciting and mysterious organ, and there’s a lot to learn about it. Do you know that the real size of an adult human brain is 2 square meters (21.5 square feet)? Incredible! It’s just so well packed. But basically I adore brains because they’re the factories from where ideas come.

Skull Brain by Emilio Garcia

Who’s this guy photo-bombing behind the skull? (above, right)

Yaaay! He’s Cheshire!

Skull Brain by Emilio Garcia

Are you a “left brain” or “right brain” person?

Good question. Seems that this theory about right and left brains isn’t right at all. Yes, there are more expresive and creative functions on the right and more logical functions on the left. But the latest studies demonstrate (thanks to fMRI) that both halves are continuously communicating with each other. The brain is not nearly as dichotomous as once thought; the different areas never work alone. For example, recent research has shown that abilities in subjects such as math are actually strongest when both halves of the brain work together.

Skull Brain by Emilio Garcia

What inspired you to combine the brain and the skull?

A trip to Mexico I took last September, and the latest studies about the plasticity of our brains. Our brains are changing their shapes everyday! Let’s say you start making something new, a movement for example. Every day you train and exercise this movement til perfection, and the area in your brain that makes your body perform this concrete movement grows. So you can get whatever brain shape you want through practice and training.

Skull Brain by Emilio Garcia

What are your most indispensable art-making tools?

I really love clay, and I use custom wooden tools to model it. I also love resin and silicone, and my Iwata airbrushes and spray-guns. Of course, I’ve got a few favorite pencils (usually gifts from people I love) and my Kolinsky brushes. Oh, I forgot the indispensable digital hardware: An iPhone and a MacBook!

Skull Brain by Emilio Garcia

What favorite books would you permanently display sandwiched between the halves of the  Skull Brain?

John Maeda’s Laws of Simplicity, Martin Lindstorm’s Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy, Kandinsky’s Concerning the Spiritual in Art, Rob Thomson’s Manufacturing Process for Design Professionals

Skull Brain by Emilio Garcia

What music were you listening to in the Secret Lapo Lab while making the Skull Brains?

At the Lapo Laboratories, I listen advertisement-free online radios. My favs are SomaFM’s Clip-hop and Ayeko.

What are your favorite things to do when you’re not making brains?

I spend quality time with my girlfriend, friends and family. I hang out somewhere/anywhere, go to the theater and art shows, play ping-pong, dance and enjoy nature or the city.

Skull Brain by Emilio Garcia

Thanks Emilio! Check out more of the making of the Skull Brain in this slideshow.