Coalesce by Emily Chaplain

The idea behind Coalesce grew from my interest in various conflicting scientific studies that try to find out whether differences in the female and male brains determine things such as mental ability, personality, emotion and behavior. I am interested in the tension between these studies and the potential negative implications acceptance of research that finds inherent gendered brain difference could have on our lives and on obtaining gender equality in our society. The pages of Coalesce show portraits of a woman and man intersecting to evoke a blending of characteristics and represent an androgynous mind. I view this piece as offering my solution to the conflicting research on gendered brain differences—one where the side of research that believes brains are a mosaic of female and male characteristics is accepted.