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!