Tan Mu showcases turning points in our human development, making visible the wonders of the modern world. Synapse is a departure from Mu’s other works in that it does not directly document a technological advancement. Instead, Mu renders an artistic interpretation of a process in the human brain, namely neurotransmission. An engagement with this process ties into Mu’s overall project in two ways. Firstly, Mu draws parallels between how the human brain processes and sends information and how our modern computers perform the same tasks. Secondly, Mu indirectly comments on our development by revealing what technology has allowed us to discover about our own bodies. In this way, Synapse describes the intimate relationship between organic and technological matter.

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Neurotransmission is the process of neurons communicating. It consists of a synaptic bouton and a synaptic body. Chemical substances called neurotransmitters transmit information between synaptic boutons and synaptic bodies. The synaptic body then transmits information to the receiving neuron via electrical signals. Communication between neurons is based on this process. Neurons in the brain communicate mostly through electrical signals. Electrical signals are produced when a neuron receives a signal from another. This continuous transmission of electrical signals forms an electrical signal chain, eventually forming an electrical signal network in the brain. This is the basis of various brain functions such as thinking, perception, memory, etc. Computers and brains have similarities and differences. Computing power is limited in computers, but learning and adaptability are high in the brain. Evolution has formed brains to deal with complex information and recognize patterns. The brain is like a highly efficient computer that uses electrical signals to transmit data and synapses to store and process information. Scientists are studying how computers can simulate human brain functions. (Tan Mu)