Extra Credit Event 2: The Getty Center

Visitor Card, stub for visit to the J Paul Getty Museum

For my second Extra-Credit event, I visited the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center. I am now a proud Californian, and can now proudly claim that I finally went to the Getty Museum after living 10 years in Los Angeles. Already entering the Museum from the parking lot, the Museum greeted us with a super clean, quiet and modern tram that took us over the mountains into the center.

Architecture of the Main Getty Center building

Walking into the main building of the Getty Center, I was flooded with the beautiful architecture, which every detail seemed to be intricately calculated. The architecture was designed to bring as much sunlight into the building, conserving much energy yet still looking so modern and artistically attractive. Although the lectures never touched on the topic of architecture, I personally believe that architecture can also become a branch of Mathematics+Art, part of our Unit 2 lectures.

2D  cave visuals, entrance of 3D room

2D visuals, entrance of 3D room

For this trip, I think my experience at the exhibit for Cave Temples of Dunhuang really allowed for an integration of technology+art. The exhibit of "Cave Temples of Dunhuang: Buddhist Art on China's Silk Road" features displays of rare objects originally discovered from Mogao in China, three full-size cave replicas, and lastly a 3-D virtual experience of Cave 45 from the eighth century.

Selfie with Uniformed Getty Center Employee.

The most significant part of my visit was the 3-D virtual experience, where the audience -in groups of 10-20 people- were guided into an entirely darkened room with a ceiling to floor screen wall, in which later the wall was projected with a first-person visuals of the Cave 45 from Magao China. We were given 3D glasses, and the experience was surreal. it truly felt as if I was in Cave 45, in Magao China, in the 8th century.

My own technological approach :)

This cave in real life was only witnessed by certified and pre-authorized researchers, however this virtual experience allowed the general public to experience the site while physically still in Los Angeles, CA. Technology allowed for art to be appreciated over barriers of time and distance, and I believe this truly integrated the technology+art genres.

I would recommend visiting the Getty Center to all my classmates, as the Museum was accommodated with cafes, restaurants, and rest areas; moreover, beautiful architecture, statues, and fine art exhibits. More importantly, for all foregoing reasons, I would recommend my classmates to go specifically to the Cave Temples exhibit before it ends in September 4,2016.

Event 3: Museum of Jurassic Technology

The Museum of Jurassic Technology, Ticket

Selfie with the main entrance display
(no picture allowed with employee)

For my third event, I visited the Museum of Jurassic Technology (MJT). Honestly when I first arrived, I was rather surprised at the humble outlook of the museum. The Museum had a petite and simple face structure, however some greater deep histories and exhibits were hidden within these walls. I was only able to take two pictures regarding this exhibit, as the regulations were very strict about photography.

The MJT was full of mysteries and provoking controversies, which personally made it even more interesting. The exhibits contained various mixtures of historic, ethnographic, artistic, and scientific exhibits and displays, which majorly emerged in the 16thC onward. The museum's mission was to be "an educational institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and the public appreciation of the Lower Jurassic".

Henry Dalton's "Micromosaic"

Two specific exhibits I want to mention are the "Micromosaics" by Henry Dalton, and "Obliscence, Theories of Forgetting and the problem of Matter" by Geoffrey Sonnabend.

Henry Dalton was a prominent micrographer in the 1800s, who took apart butterfly wings scale-by-scale to arrange them in artistic forms, his works called  "Micromosaics". These Micromosaics were imperceptible to the human eye, and could only be seen through a microscope. Dalton took individual butterfly scales, sort them by visual characteristics, transfer them onto a slide, and crush them onto the palette; all looking through a microscope. The unique scientific art gained much attention and inspiration among the European naturalists.

Obliscence model, Geoffrey Sonnabend

Geoffrey Sonnabend was more of a theoretical scientists in the field of arts, prominent in the early to mid 1900s. Sonnabend began to question the validity of "true memory", raising the theory that memory is an imaginative illusion of our experience. In this theory, Sonnabend created a model of Obliscence consisting of the Cone of Obliscence and the Plane of Experience. Later into Sonnabend's later career, complex terms were adjusted within this model i,e, premonition, Deja vu and forebodings. These terms are even used in the present day, contributing to both psychological and neurological fields of science and imaginary inspiration of art.

I would definitely recommend this event to the class, as I believe this museum withholds much of the earlier works and beliefs that have allowed for artistic and scientific progressions, even against much opposition and social rejections. This museum can be defined as one of the mothers of technology+Art genre, displaying earlier works that have allowed for the genre today.

Event 2: Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory, attended on June 3, 2016; 90 Degrees!

Before the show began, beautiful artificial sky.

Inspired by our lecture of Space+Art, I chose to visit the Griffith Observatory and watched the "Centered in the Universe" screening at the Griffith dome named Samuel Oschin Planetarium. First off, it was 90 degrees outside waiting under the canopy for 30 minutes to enter the dome, and the moment I stepped in I was faced with this beautiful artificial image of a sky-blue sky in a nice breezy room. I was stricken by how realistic technology had made the sky look, and how intricate they had the details added. I was only able to take one picture of the dome before the screening began; however the sky changed colors, clouds changed positions, and sunlight was withdrawn as if within a real sunset.

The screening was about how human beings are metaphorically the "center of the universe" even within all the scientific investigations and discoveries proving how we are not, literally. Surrounded by the circular shape of the dome, and with every corner filled with some beautiful projection of visuals, the audience looked around 360 degrees as if it were the real sky.

Myungjae song, with Uniformed Griffith Observatory worker

 The computer graphics of the show took us through eras of pre-modern to modern histories, all the way from Alexandria, Egypt of 140 A.D., to astronomer Clausius Ptolemy's Earth-centered universe, to Galileo's Sun Centered Solar system -which reminded me of Professor Vesna's lecture about the Copernicus model of the sun centered system, and lastly onto Edwin Hubble at Mount Wilson Observatory.

The graphics were designed in such a way that it provided visuals from both the bird-eye&human-eye perspective. This show was visually aimed to trigger the audience's creative imaginations according to the bits of realistic time travel, making us question the fundamental questions about the universe, who we are, where we come from, and how the space was integrated into so many aspects of inherent questions to where we are today.

 For me personally, this was such an interactive way to experience the integration of science into technology, visualizing astronomy, made into art; I would definitely recommend this event to all my classmates. As Professor Vesna said, Space is where all the subjects we learned came together;  where robots projected artificial yet beautifully realistic images onto the dome sky, where exploration of astronomy&science was explored through the technology of computer graphics, and where imaginations and visual effects were artistically expressed and triggered through such technological tools.

Week 9: Space + Art

As our last lecture, we discussed about the topic of Space+ Art, which integrates all subjects of technology, science, math, and art. Professor Vesna stated in her lecture that she chose this specific topic to finalize our course as it sums up all previous topics into one definitive lesson.

"Interstellar" movie dimension science

As Professor Vesna touched on the topic of space race, I found it personally artistic that scholars were able to locate visual personalities of the supposed evidences provided by the countries supporting victorious news of the space race. The Space Race began in human curiosity of the cosmos beyond the trees and the clouds of our own world. As Sagan describes the earth as a “lonely speck”, scientists began its significant and active research in order to be able to explain the cosmic dark outside the lonely speck of earth.

In thinking about space, the film “Interstellar” come up in my mind. Although the movie is a 21^st century digestion of the concept of space and cosmos beyond the earth, the film visualizes the theory of an entirely different system of the dimension in which was able to be achieved with the balanced integration of scientific research, mathematical calculations and artistic creativity.

Another film in which corresponds to the curiosity to the Space and the technological aspects of the operations in space is the film “Gravity”, which plays with the space’s concept of gravity. Motion artists and visual artists are shown, defining, expressing, and fiddling with such concepts related to space. Space is still a mysterious concept to the general public, and the subject of Space allows for an opening for artists to exercise creative imaginations and for scientists to theorize for realistic measures in order to invent for more discoveries.

MCA, Art and Architecture Against Gravity

An exhibit by the Museum of Chicago Arts has opened in 2012 named “Skyscraper: Art And Architecture Against Gravity”, which collected a series of artworks by artists who wanted to express the human desire to build farther into the sky against “gravity”, testing technological limits “while embodying a yearning for spiritual connection to the heavens”. The opening of curiosity to the Space world has opened technological advancement based on the experimental nature of the Scientists, and has opened an entire new cosmos of mystery and “unknown” to the artists. Now we wait to see to what  our artists and scientists may achieve in cooperation into Space.

Sources

Gravity. Dir. Alfonso Cuaron. Perf. Sandra Bullock. Heyday Films/ Warner Bros Studios, 2013. Film.

Interstellar. Dir. Christopher Nolan. Warner Bros. Studios, 2014. Film.

Museum of Chicago Arts. "SKYSCRAPER: ART AND ARCHITECTURE AGAINST GRAVITY." Past Exhibitions of MCA. MCA, n.d. Web. 29 May 2016.

Sagan, Carl “A Pale Blue Dot.” A Pale Blue Dot. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May. 2016. Web. http://www.bigskyastroclub.org/pale_blue_dot.html.

Vesna , Victoria, dir. Space Parts 1-6. 2012. Film. 29 May 2016. 

Week 8: Nanotech + Art

This week’s lesson about Nanotechnology +Art by far was the most interesting to me. As Professor Vesna introduced, I believe Nanotechnology can actually be the third culture collaborator of shifting paradigms that pushed us into our 21^st century.

For this week, Professor Jim Gimzewski gave us our lectures and lesson on different perspectives of Nanotechnology and art. From his lectures, I understood that nanotechnology was all around us in our lives! Surprisingly, nanoparticles existed from decades back in Roman Empire with the use of “glass”, with the use of nanoparticles, which has the biggest market today. Today, Refrigerators and anti-bacterial wipes are things that work through nanoparticles in order to benefit our personal lives. This technology does not remain simply a technology; it becomes a paradigm shifter in art, science, and society.

As you can see in the video above, nanotech is being developed with nanoparticles to take a useful and technical part of our lives. The “Liquipel” products, which make smartphones completely waterproof while operable, are an example of how artful mechanisms can be developed through science, and used for society. 

Nanoart; Cris Orfescu, “NanoMaiastra –
Brancusi, In Memoriam.” (© 2008, C. Orfescu.)

In Professor Gimzewski and Professor Vesna’s article, they as authors write how nanoscale science and media art together become “powerful synergies” that become the third real culture in helping the symbolic sense of 21th century emergence, implementing for a biologically inspired shift with “new aesthetics and definitions”.  Today, artists use nanotechnology in art directly through a new genre of “Nanoart” as well. Through this new genre of Nanoart which is considered as a direct way in familiarizing the public with the all-pervasive nanotech in our world of science and arts, artists create Nanosculptures and visualize the nanostructure.

As elaborated through this blog, so many artists have taken initiative in expressing creativity through nanotechnology; moreover, I believe scientists themselves rightfully became “artists” within the research and experimentation of science and technology. I have learned that nanotechnology is essentially opening a new paradigm shift for both science and art, and that nanotech was more familiar in my life than I have known. 

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Sources

Ad Trending, Http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC48wK9trXIkot1Dvh65_wmQ. "Top 3 Nano Technology." YouTube. YouTube, 24 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 May 2016.

Gimzewski, Jim, and Victoria Vesna. "The Nanoneme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact and Fiction in the Construction of a New Science." Technoetic Arts Technoetic Arts 1.1 (2003): 7-24. Web.

Gimzewski, Jim. “Nano Tech + Art.” Lectures Nanotech for Artists . 2016.

Orfescu, Cris. NanoArt: Nanotechnology and Art. N.p.: Biologically-Inspired Computing for the Arts: Scientific Data through Graphics, 2012. Print.

Vesna, Victoria. “Nano Tech + Art.” Introduction Nanotech for Artists . 2016.

Week 7: Neurosci + Art

The most interesting point from this week’s lesson can definitely be said as the concept of “unconsciousness” and the different influences to some unseen religious aspects. As Professor Vesna covered, the in-depth research of neurology becomes eminent especially with Franz Joseph Gall’s concept of phrenology, where mental functions were said to be localized and one’s feelings reflect such localized functions. Although Gall touched on the topic of 8 senses in which humans had where other animals did not, this idea went perpendicular to Gall’s era where it was highly religious in Judo-Christianity. Similarly, prominent researcher Mark Cohen also touches that around this time, there existed such different standards of neuroscience than of today; that even people believed criminals have bumps on heads specifically where the brain had localized characteristics.

A more modern perspective comes into picture when Carl Jung was said to introduce the idea that every person has some psychic culture in his unconsciousness, as Professor Vesna describes. In Carl Jung’s article, in which the language was personally heavy to read, Jung states that the body lays claim to equal recognition, that it exerts the same fascination as a psyche. 

Jung’s ideas reflected a more modern view of the spiritual sense within science, somewhat similar to many concepts introduced by various deitic religions. In its modern transitions of the neuroscience research, many inventions and experimentations- both inside laboratories and outside- are conducted such as Mark Cohen’s inverted goggles testing brain’s adaptation abilities.

In Swann’s Hypothesis article, author Max states that researcher Lehrer found that writers and musicians consistently lead the way to new theories with inspiration while scientists mop up with hard data. In this, we can even see the correlation of artistic activity to scientific research, as scientific research is not always conducted in laboratories; they are brought from the everyday life, with many inspirations and products of everyday lifestyles- much including art. As Frazzetto and Anker states, the interaction between art and science offers an opportunity to make the scientific community and the public aware of the social and ethical implications of the scientific advances in neuroscience. As Neuroscience reveals individuality, there is no way that individuality can precede without putting Art into the picture! Although so many theories are introduced and experimented for every day, as it has been for the last century, the true product comes from its interaction with art.

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Brain and Art Img. "Psychology Brain Art - Danasojak." N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2016.

Cohen, Mark. "Neuroscience-Mark Cohen.mov." YouTube. YouTube, 12 May 2012. Web. 15 May 2016.

Frazzetto, Giovanni, and Suzanne Anker. "Neuroculture." Nature Reviews Neuroscience Nat Rev Neurosci 10.11 (2009): 815-21. Ucdesma. Web. 15 May 2016.

Jung, Carl. "The Spiritual Problem of Modern Man." Collected Works of C.G. Jung, Volume 10: Civilization in Transition (n.d.): n. pag. Ucdesma. Web. 15 May 2016.

Max, D. T. "Swann’s Hypothesis." The New York Times. The New York Times, 03 Nov. 2007. Web. 15 May 2016.

Phrenological Img, Dale Michels. "Phrenological Phacts." Fine Art America. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2016.

Neuroculture Img. "Is Neuroculture a New Cultural Revolution? | OUPblog." OUPblog Is Neuroculture a New Cultural Revolution Comments. N.p., 26 Nov. 2015. Web. 15 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria, narr. “Neuroscience Art Lectures I-III.” N.p., . web. 16 May 2012.

Week 6: Biotech + Art

Although this week’s  topic of Bio art was and is still somewhat distant to me, the modern approach to cultivating any form of nature into something so creatively intriguing was indeed surprising and interesting. As Professor Vesna mentions in her lecture, Technology has relations to this week’s topic as well as it is generally expanding into bodies and environments, for science and for art.

Looking at Eduardo Kac’s “Transgenic Art” where he experimented with rabbits to make that unnaturally translucent in the dark, there seemed to be many contrasting approaches to the use of Animal experimentation not only within the field of his scientific input, but more because he is using it for art.

"Ear on Arm" by photographer N. Sellars

So what makes a legitimate standard in judging one’s artwork, or experimentation,  unethical or inappropriate? Related thereto, in Ellen K. Levy’s article; Philosopher Haraway questions how psychic and commercial investments are to be made when lines among human, machine, and organic nature are highly permeable and eminently revisable.

Personally, after much research I have come to add a statement that although animal experimentation is generally looked down upon in its “unethicality” of abusing a living object, the practice is acceptable when it has a tangible benefit to the lives of the human beings. According to, a experimentation like that of Eduardo Kac with the GFP Bunny where it seems to have no medical or physical benefit to human beings will be prone to much opposition. Similarly, Kathy High recognizes that although she is not against animal scientific research, she believes only certain kinds of research should be conducted.

At the end, as Chris Kelty says in his article- Creativity breeds creativity, and innovation breeds innovation. Therefore which method the innovation is conducted should not be focused on, as there seems to be no linear form of accumulation as to what standard one’s work is determined as supposedly an “outlaw”. 


I come to understand that the ambiguity remains in determining one experiment’s righteousness over another when using animal experimentation, as the same argument can cause hindrance to an experiment actually crucial for a discovery for science. So should we set down the rules to determine the ‘rights’ from ‘wrongs’ in Bio-art and their experimentation? I can only assume that Bio art- because it is so closely linked to biological and medical sciences- we can only respect the ambiguity and strive upon further innovations to expand.

Eduardo Kac's GFP Bunny

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 Sources

High, Kathy. "The Politics of Empathy." Embracing Animal. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2016.

Kac, Eduardo. "GFP BUNNY." GFP BUNNY. Kac Web, n.d. Web. 06 May 2016.

Kelty, Chris. "Meanings of Participation: Outlaw Biology?" Journal of Science Communication (2010): n. pag. Web. 07 May 2016.

Levy, Ellen K. "Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications." (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 08 May 2016.

Marcredi, Janique. Image. "Rencontre(s) Avec Edouardo Kac." NUMEDIA-ART. NUMEDIA-ART, 2007. Web. 8 May 2016.

Person, and George Dvorsky. Image. "7 Bio-Artists Who Are Transforming the Fabric of Life Itself." Io9. N.p., 24 June 2013. Web. 09 May 2016.

Strijip, Mu. Image. "Body of Matter: Body Based Bio Art and Design." Bio Art & Design Award. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2016.

"Summer Residency in Bio Art at SVA | Art & Education." . Image. Art & Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2016

Vesna, Victoria. "Biotech + Art Lectures." UC Online. Professor Vesna, n.d. Web. 08 May 2016.

Extra Credit event 1: LACMA Pavilion of Japanese Art

Myungjae Song, April 22, 2016; Women security worker in uniform in the back

For my First extra-credit-event, I visited the LACMA museum and checked out the different exhibits. For this post, I want to elaborate on one specific exhibit of “Pavilion for Japanese Art”, which I found very interesting and applies to the Math+Art perspective from Professor Vesna’s lecture.

By each era the sophistication of depth, actuality, expression, proportions tangibly advanced. Many sculptures and art works before the 10^thc developed the most contrasting advancement towards realistic life-like features of the subjects. However, what was most interesting for me were the Japanese Traditional-style Screens, in which the artistic painting depicted pivotal moments in the history of Japan.

These screens were useful in forming a wall-like space for the aristocratic Japanese who actually were able to afford owning them, however symbolized much historical and religious perspectives, literally. For example, the Screen depicting the Genpei-War was created in the 16-17th century, which was around the time when the Western civilizations utilized different baroque art-style ideas using vanishing points, and perspectives.

Battle of Ichi-no-tani; Genpei Wars, Japan, circa 16-17th c

Similarly, however somewhat differently, the screens portrayed a war scene with calculated proportions of waters, architecture, forest, and actual people. These proportions were believed to have derived from the Buddhist belief re Yin and Yang, however while still serving the technological perspective in daily usage.

Jomon, Rope Pattern Pottery

This Screen was similar to the Flatland idea where three dimensional setting was expressed on a two dimensional space, just as many Western artists did around this time. I would recommend this exhibit to my class, as I believe my DESMA classmates would be able to recognize and be wowed by such mathematical perspectives of the different sculptures and in the gallery.

Moreover, Japan's much pre-modern period displays of artworks had much influence from the usefulness of the artists. Decorative art was founded mostly for Jomon and Yayoi period pottery, in which the artists configured ways to utilize the technological perspectives of such pottery objectives while still demonstrating much creativity in its beautiful visuals.

Screen depicting Rice Cultivation through the Four Seasons, Japan, circa 1700-1725

Midterm Project

Here is my Midterm Project on the "Art Therapy Diagnosis Machine" submitted May 1, 2016, uploaded here for your view! Enjoy!

Event 1: Los Angeles Asian Film Festival

For my first event, I attended the Screening of VC_Digital_Posse_2016, held by the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

The night of my attendance [04/24/2016], this event show-cased 9 short films created by rising talents, surrounding the theme of Asian-Pacific Heritage. Some films also focused on the general and simple theme of "heritage" within their own culture, not just of the Asian Pacific.                                 

My favorite film  of the event was the "Hand Fart" created by Travis Ashkenazy &Stanley Wong. This film is a humorous depiction of the symbolic representation of having the fate of your life in your own hands. [http://laapff.festpro.com/films/section/shorts_program_vc_digital_posse_ver_201]

At the end of the screening, the filmmakers all came up to the stage to describe the process of creating their films. Each filmmaker was assigned to deliver a message and theme through their five-minute movie (sometimes more), and keep the audience entertained with the keen calculation and usage of video-editing. Camera-technology was utilized at its outermost potential to bring out the best artistic result of their projects. In order to create their one piece of 5-minute short-movie, these filmmakers put weeks in editing every little sound effect, visual effect, and sentimental effect of each second. 

This was where I was able to learn that technology was utilized to create art, and that the art conclusively expressed the greater purpose of human mind. Specifically mentioning the "Hand Fart" film, the filmmakers stated that they had to use the real set of a hospital scene with real medical instruments in order to gain the depth and true humor of the film. 

Through this event, I was able to think deeper into the third world as described by C.P. Snow in the Third Culture, as mentioned in our class week 1. Contrary to my disagreements back in week 1, I came to realize that the world of technology was essentially like the middle bridge connecting different worlds of art and different science. Technology was used to create the filmmaker's artistic expressions, in subjects and genres of sciences. Moreover, I came to realize that anything can be expressed through art like science/math, and art can express anything and everything. I believe everyone will enjoy the event, it is not only interesting but also very eye-opening.

Week 4: Medicine+Technology+Art

"Yuriko Yamaguchi: Interconnected in Art, Nature,
Science and Technology" Installation image. "

Medicine, Technology, Art?? I would have never thought of combining these three completely different genres under one umbrella. However, despite the personal lack of experience I had within my limited knowledge about sciences, I came to find out that Science was always depicted as Art, and that the standard was only changing from a more traditional perspective to a more modern one.

In her lecture, Dr. Vesna indicates that Medicine was traditionally considered as art, and the use of tools/technology within medicine was not to be practiced by “true doctors”. On the other hand, Dr. Vesna describes the drastic transitioning of ideas as Modern days the Medical Tools/technology is practiced by “true doctors”, and that those mechanisms are actually artistic. A foundation cultural-transition of medicine is also expressed in Peter Tyson’s article where Dr. David Graham points out that the traditional “Oath” of Medicine was heavier as a sort of a covenant binding to an inherent treaty in medicine.  However, Graham compares such traditionalism to modernism as many modern oaths have more bland nature with a generalized concept of “best wishes” about them.

MRI art- Bunge Lab Berkelely

Virgil Wong's 3D Anatomy App

Although Graham’s translations of the cultural transition was rather pessimistic, we can definitely understand that the modern scientists definitely have a contrastingly different interpretation of Medical Science and technology expressed artistically, disparate from the traditional ideas. Silvia Casini realistically compares modern MRI with the concept of the Portrait art, as having “parallel looks”; with both being performative, but resistant to being regarded as transparent windows. However, the two diverse yet parallel genres have different artistic values as MRI has a more “acoustic” artistic expressions but the Portrait has a more “visual” artistic expression.

Moreover, Donald E. Ingber goes further into interconnecting Medical Science with Art as Ingber states that the design of the organic structures of the natural life creates a design of natural order so complex and artistically significant, that it shall be considered visually artistic. By directly implying the natural order of science to art, Ingber completely interrelates two such distinct concepts under one translational bubble.

Conclusively, I came to realize that art can be found in basically any fundamental and physical existence in the world. As Virgil Wong used artistic 3D Anatomical bodies to fulfill both fields of Arts and Sciences through his works, modern technology opened a new era for Medical Sciences within its bond with the beautiful outlook as “Art”.

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Sources

Bunge, Silvia A. "MRI Recollection, Bunge Lab." Bunge Lab, Building Blocks of Cognition. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. <http://bungelab.berkeley.edu/principal-investigator/>.

Casini, Silvia. "Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations between Science and the Arts." Configurations 19.1 (2011): 73-99. Ca Foscari Universita Di Venezia. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

"Emory University School of MedicineRad Report." 31st Annual Weens Lecture: Health Time Machines- How a 3-D Selfie Can Help You Get Healthy. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. <http://radiology.emory.edu/about/rad-reports/stories/2014/08/weenslecture/index.html>.

Ingber, Donald E. "The Architecture of Life." Sci Am Scientific American 278.1 (1998): 48-57. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

Tyson, Peter. "The Hippocratic Oath Today." PBS. PBS, 27 Mar. 2001. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/hippocratic-oath-today.html>.

Vesna, Victoria, Dr/Prof. "Medicine Lectures." Course Login UCLA Desma9. Victoria Vesna, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/484297/pages/unit-4-view?module_item_id=8599397>.

Wong, Virgil. "Virgil Wong | Artist and Health Cognition Researcher, Columbia University | Cofounder and Inventor, Medical Avatar." Virgil Wong. Virgil Wong, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. <http://virgilwong.com/>.

Yamaguchi, Yuriko. "Yuriko Yamaguchi." Koplin Del Rio. N.p., 2007. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. <http://www.koplindelrio.com/content/yuriko-yamaguchi>.

Week 3: Robotics+ Art

After this week’s reading, I began to think that Technology and industrialization may have actually triggered a new world, with new functions, and new perspectives. However, is “New” always so good?

Ford Assembly Line, 1920s

Primarily, Mass production stands as one of the most influential impact of the utilization of Technology in the practical society. Although a symbolic introduction of technological practicum of this mass production is known to be Ford’s technology of Assembly Lines, Dr. Vesna adds in her lecture that the First mass production was the Printing Press. Printing Press should be seen as the first mass production practice as it benefited, or at least effected, the lifestyles of all people in all classes and genders; not just the rich who were   primarily effected by Ford’s first Assembly Lines. However, was this new technological influence in the society welcomed?

Douglas Davis states in his article that Original and reproduction in this society virtually no longer withholds a clear conceptual distinction between one another. If the production of replicas and copies, and mass production was so conformed into the use of the society, I would have initially assumed that since the society allowed for such conformation, then people probably thought positively of it. However, this assumption is contrasted by Walter Benjamin as he expresses in his article that there exists an imperialistic warfare in the society where it began within the discrepancy between the means of production and their “inadequate” utilization in the process of production, which ultimately sums up to negatively affect unemployment and Lack of Markets. So I came to understand that technology has its toll in different perspectives in the society. Technology is becoming significant in propelling the market, but taking away employment of humans.

Thinking deeper into this topic, I thought of two movies that reflect the contrasting ideas of the society towards technology, although both published in 2008. “Eagle Eye” starring Shia Lebeouf seems to clearly demonstrate the ultimate fear of the people with the drastically growing use and complexity of technology. In contrast, the famed “Iron Man” starring Robert Downey Jr. becomes a more positive outlook of the use of technology as protagonist heroically saves the world from bad humans. Although there was, is, and will still exist contrasting outlooks to technology and industrialization in the society, the inevitable presence of Technology is increasingly being defined and expressed through Art.

Sources

Benjamin, Walter. "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." Stardom and Celebrity: A Reader (1936): n. pag. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.

Davis, Douglas. "The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction (An Evolving Thesis: 1991-1995)." Leonardo 28.5 (1995): 381-86. JSTOR. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.

Eagle Eye. Dir. D. J. Caruso. Prod. Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Patrick Timothy Crowley. By John Glenn, Travis Adam Wright, Hillary Seitz, and Daniel McDermott. Perf. Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, and Rosario Dawson. DreamWorks SKG, 2008.

Iron Man. Dir. Jon Favreau. Prod. Avi Arad and Kevin Feige. By Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, and Matthew Holloway. Perf. Robert Downey, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Paramount Pictures, 2008.

Robotics Lectures. Dir. Victoria Vesna. Perf. Victoria Vesna (Dr./Prof.). Course Login. UCLA Online Website DESMA 9, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.