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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Science Week workshop

Brains vs. Computers

Streamed live at 2:00pm (AEST), Thursday 17th August 2023
Science Week workshop. Video length: 48 minutes

The ultimate battle! Join us with artist Jess Herrington for a workshop like no other. In this online workshop we’ll compare the human brain with artificial intelligence. We’ll do some art activities to explore how each of us perceives visuals, then end with a creative challenge designing an artwork inspired by brains and computers.

For children aged 9–13 to share with family and friends.

To prepare

Grab some drawing materials – pencils, paper, crayons, whatever you have, and download DALL-E – an AI system that can create realistic images.

If you don’t want to sign up for a DALL-E account you can still join in using your normal (real!) drawing materials.

Jess Herrington is an artist and neuroscience PhD candidate. She specialises in visual perception – the science of how we see the world around us. In her creative work Jess creates surreal worlds exploring how we can represent ourselves in the internet age; and through play and interaction, experiments with how we see ourselves and others.

Video transcript
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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency