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HAIR—A Ritual for Creativity and Strength

Workshop with Dr. Beau Lotto and The Lab of Misfits

Saturday, November 16, 2019
6:00 PM–9:00 PM
Sold Out

Hair has always had deep symbolic resonance: Samson loses his strength when shorn; a Buddhist nun shaves her head to demonstrate her separation from material concerns; the hair of Blade Runner‘s Nexus-7 replicant Rachael Tyrell loses its rigidity at the moment she discovers her humanity. Even relationships with our stylists can outlive those with our romantic partners.The material on top of our heads is dead. Why is it so meaningful?

Hair is a central element of our identity, whether we use it or lose it. This workshop introduces a ritual that leverages the inherent transformative power of hair—no matter its length, shape, thickness, or absence. Part of a larger science experiment conducted with neuroscientist Dr. Beau Lotto and his Lab of Misfits, this evening will give you the tools to recognize your inhibitions and clear the path to what’s beyond: more freedom to consciously create a life of your own choosing.

What to expect:

Please note: Hair will not be cut or washed!

  • The Lab of Misfits will lead the audience in perception exercises
  • Storytelling around hair as identity will follow
  • The audience will split in two groups:
    • Experience ticket holders will be personally guided through a hair visualization ritual
    • Learner ticket holders will be taught the hair ritual in groups
  • The group will reconvene to discuss the experience. How have their perceptions changed? How can they continue this ritual at home?
  • Experience ticket holders will be part of a larger neuroscientific study in a before-and-after test. The highlight of this experience is a 20-minute one-on-one with a hairstylist in the Museum’s galleries.
  • Everyone will come away with a new understanding of why we see what we do and what blocks us from seeing differently.

The Rubin is pleased to offer audio support with “Listen Everywhere,” a free app for audio streaming at our theater programs. You can download “Listen Everywhere” for free on your personal smartphone, or borrow an audio listening device from the Museum. Click here for more information.

About the Speakers

Dr. Beau Lotto is a neuroscientist and world-renowned expert in perception and its impact on creativity. Beau is also the founder of Lab of Misfits, the world’s first neuro-design studio. His studies in how the human brain adapts its perception have taken him well beyond the scientific domain and into the fields of education, the arts, and business.

He has been a three-time mainstage TED speaker and has appeared three times at Rubin events. He has spoken at the G8, Google’s Zeitgeist, and Wired, and contributed to the BBC, National Geographic Channel, and PBS.

Beau’s aim is to use the principles of perception to enable people to adapt to a changing world by thinking differently about both themselves and the world around them. Beau’s latest book, Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently, explores the surprising science of creativity and unveils the unexpected relationship between perception, reality, and innovation.

Lab of Misfits is the world’s first neuro-design studio. An experiential research lab comprising leading neuroscientists, artists, and technologists, the Lab seeks to understand why we perceive the world the way we do and share that understanding with the public to enable their own journey to self-discovery. By integrating science, art, and performance, The Lab creates immersive experiences that transform audiences and help them thrive in an ever-changing world.

This program is now SOLD OUT.

If you would like to be added to the standby list, please review our standby procedures.

Experience Ticket: $195.00

A stylist personally guides you through a hair ritual in the Museum’s galleries + reception + talk and storytelling

Learning Ticket: $45.00

Reception + talk and storytelling

Member Experience Ticket: $156.00

A stylist personally guides you through a hair ritual in the Museum’s galleries + reception + talk and storytelling

Member Learning Ticket: $36.00

Reception + talk and storytelling

Become a member today.

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