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Inside the Brain of Gerald Scarfe

With the help of a neuroscientist, cartoonist Gerald Scarfe explores what鈥檚 going on inside his own creative brain. From 2017.

麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra celebrates the 90th birthday of Gerald Scarfe - born on 1st June, 1936.

Gerald Scarfe's drawings have intrigued and alarmed for over 50 years but where do his ideas come from?

Professor Vincent Walsh of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience has a theory he wants to pursue. He鈥檚 an expert in the workings of the visual brain.

He thinks that two specific areas may be talking to each other in an unexpected way, resulting in recognisable faces being mixed up with recognisable objects, hence Mrs Thatcher as an axe, a handbag, and even a shark.

Now, cartoonist and neuroscientist are going to meet.

"I for one would be fascinated to know what's going on in my brain - please pursue this!" says Gerald Scarfe.

Produced at 麻豆社 Bristol by Miles Warde.

First broadcast on 麻豆社 Radio 4 in July 2017.

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