Ayşe Sare Özdoğan
I am a student interested in neuroarts at Turkish Education Foundation İnanç Türkeş High School (TEVİTÖL), an independent private coeducational boarding school for gifted and talented students in Turkey.
As one of the first and only gifted high school students in Turkey, I have spent my life asking questions about how the human brain thinks and the mind it creates. Now, as a 16-year-old trying to find clear answers, I am fascinated by the field of neuroarts. I have been surrounded by art my whole life. I have played the violin for six years, acted in many plays, and danced. I have also been greatly influenced by my mother, who is a portraitist. Although there is still no replication or modeling of the desired clear findings on the interconnectivity network between neurons in the human mind, what fascinates me is the connection that the mind establishes with the surrounding neurons. To me, art means curiosity, and curiosity is the essence of life. Creativity develops with curiosity, and as you wonder, the electrochemical connectivity in your brain develops, creating differences in your mind and life that you never expected. Being involved in art means many parts of your brain interact, producing people who are livelier. This is precisely what fascinates me. Art is an inherent power that everyone should strive for, regardless of how it is perceived. In short, I want to observe and study in a deep and passionate way the effects that neuroart has on people, especially those with certain disorders.
Interests
Art has always been a part of my life. For as long as I can remember, our home has been filled with my mother's paintings and the sounds of music playing on the record player. Lines from plays and poems have filled the air. I believe art has a captivating power that nourishes me mentally and emotionally. Accordingly, I take care to continue this tradition at my school. I have played the violin for six years and, after studying the cello for a year and a half, I perform in recitals and concerts organized for TEV scholarship recipients, as well as New Year's Eve events. I also love theater. My theater team and I choose a play every year and prepare for it throughout the year. So far, I have performed in two plays: "Moonlight Play" and "The Caucasian Chalk Circle."
Not for the first time, I felt the unifying and healing power of art when I visited earthquake victims with a group of my friends and performed a play for the children there, spending three or four days in containers. I don't know how to explain it, but it was as if art was exactly what they needed at that moment. The drawings we made together, the music we sang, and the play they watched healed them. I can't wait to experience that feeling again. My biggest goal is to bring a new light to the pessimistic and unhappy environment of Turkish hospitals and introduce my country to the healing power of art. My curiosity, enthusiasm, and hunger to learn about this subject are all things that I think only those who have experienced this enchantment can understand.
