Extreme Imagination Conference

The conference, which took place between 5 and 7 April 2019, was a result of research by the Eye’s Mind team, including by Professor Adam Zeman (Neurology, University of Exeter College of Medicine and Health), Professor Fiona Macpherson (Philosophy, University of Glasgow), Dr Crawford Winlove (Neuroscience, University of Exeter), Professor John Onians (Art History, University of East Anglia), and Dr Matthew MacKisack (Cultural History, University of Exeter).

The conference was one of the many public responses by the Eye's Mind team, recognising the need for people to connect and share knowledge and information about a subject that clearly resonates strongly with many people. Over the course of the conference, participants heard from the Eye's Mind project leaders about the current research pertaining to Aphantasia and Hyperphantasia across disciplines of Neurology, Psychology, Neuroscience, Philosophy, and Art and Culture.

The participants also took part in a range of workshops and break out groups to learn and share, contributing and sharing their own experiences with both researchers and each other.

Watch the lectures and browse photos from the conference below.

photo of an auditorium with adult audience in seating in front of a projector screen in a lit conference room, viewed from above

photo of a white older man in shirt and suit gesticulating while speaking Professor Adam Zeman - Phantasia: the psychological significance of visual imagery extremes

Professor Adam Zeman - Phantasia: the psychological significance of visual imagery extremes

photo of a white woman with dark long hair in a black blouse gesticulating while speaking Professor Fiona Macpherson – 'What is it Like to Have Visual Imagery?'

Professor Fiona Macpherson – 'What is it Like to Have Visual Imagery?'

photo of a white man in his 30s in light smart clothing gesticulating Professor Joel Pearson - 'The cognitive neuroscience of mental imagery'

Professor Joel Pearson - 'The cognitive neuroscience of mental imagery'

photo of a woman with dark short hair in blouse and cardigan gesticulating while speaking Professor Emily Holmes - 'Mental Imagery and Emotion: Psychology from lab to clinic'

Professor Emily Holmes - 'Mental Imagery and Emotion: Psychology from lab to clinic'

photo of a white man in a dark suit and pink shirt gesticulating while speaking in front of a desk and computer Dr Crawford Winlove – 'The Neural Basis of Visual Imagery'

Dr Crawford Winlove – 'The Neural Basis of Visual Imagery'

photo of an old white man with short white hair in a suit gesticulating while talking in front of a computer screen Professor John Onians - 'Neural Deficits as Assets: Life as a Colour-Blind Art Historian'

Professor John Onians - 'Neural Deficits as Assets: Life as a Colour-Blind Art Historian'

photo of a line of white middle-aged people (four men and one woman) sitting on chairs, all looking to the left Extreme Imagination Artists Panel

Extreme Imagination Artists Panel

an abstract image that looks both like an eye and a galaxy Q&A session with the Extreme Imagination speakers

Q&A session with the Extreme Imagination speakers

photo of an older white man with grey receding hairline, glasses, blue shirt and suit jacket gesticulating while speaking in front of a projection screen Extreme Imagination 2019 - Closing remarks and next steps

Extreme Imagination 2019 - Closing remarks and next steps