THIS interactive art gallery shows how coffee affects your brainwaves.
For one day only, the ‘Art of the Espresso’ experience is offering fans of the drink the chance to enjoy a coffee and create a new masterpiece in the process.
They’ll be invited to put on an electroencephalogram (EEG) headset which will track their brain’s response to the sight, smell, touch, and taste of their coffee.
The brainwaves detected by the EEG will then be transformed into a personalised artwork for visitors to take home with them.
Guests donned electroencephalogram (EEG) headsets, usually reserved for scientific labs, which tracked guests’ brainwave patterns as they experienced their coffee through sight, smell, touch, and taste.
Food anthropologist Caroline Hobkinson transformed the brainwaves into the bespoke art creations to mark the launch of the Breville’s Barista Series – the Slimline, Classic, and Sense.
Talking about the event, which took place at London‘s Gallery on October 8, Caroline described it as a visual celebration of the nation’s favourite morning ritual, she said: “Coffee is a deeply personal ritual.
“The sheer anticipation, the smell and the final much longed-for sip create mesmerising brain signatures that are completely personal.
“I’ve transformed these into visualisations, depicting glowing streams of liquid energy, capturing the sensation of stimulation as it spreads through the brain.”
The pop-up gallery follows research by the kitchen and cooking appliances maker, of 2,000 coffee drinkers, which found 23 per cent can’t function without their morning brew.
With as many as 10 per cent admitting they won’t converse with another soul before their first sip.
While others won’t make breakfast (23 per cent), take a shower (15 per cent), open their emails (18 per cent), or make decisions (13 per cent).
Other things coffee fans avoid until they’ve had their morning cuppa include using public transport (13 per cent), walking the dog (11 per cent), and tackling the school run (10 per cent).
Some even refuse to smile (five per cent) or kiss their partner (five per cent).
It also emerged abilities to make a good or adequate coffee also differ, with 60 per cent not entirely confident making the drink at home.
The biggest barriers are lacking the right equipment (25 per cent), not having good quality beans (17 per cent), and the time it takes to make (16 per cent).
This might in turn-in lead consumers to buy takeaway coffees instead – and 53 per cent do just this, purchasing three -a-week on average and spending an average £11.22 in the process.
Over the course of the year this works out to be around £583.
Carried out through OnePoll, the study found for 33 per cent, when a cup of coffee is made right, ‘it’s like art’.
A spokesperson for Breville, whose new range of machines which is designed to produce café-quality coffee at home is available now, said: “Coffee isn’t just a drink – it’s the spark that powers the nation’s mornings.
“Today’s unique café experience shows the hidden magic behind that first sip, and how the right machine can bring that joy into kitchens every day.”
TOP 10 FAVOURITE TYPES OF COFFEE
1. Cappuccino
2. Latte
3. Americano
4. Flat White
5. Espresso
6. Filter with milk
7. Iced Coffee
8. Mocha
9. Iced Latte
10. Macchiato
