Event #5: The Getty Museum 5/23

The Getty is easily one of my most favorite destinations in Los Angeles. And of course the day we chose to go was one of the most beautiful days in a while and the lines to get in were atrociously long. Despite that fact, once we got inside all my bitter feelings from sitting in traffic melted away and I was prepared to wander the glorious halls of the Getty. On the tram ride up I wasn't sure what I was going to find inside that I could link to what I have learned in this class. Low and behold I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into the very first exhibit on Renaissance art. It had been a week or two after out nanotechnology lecture, so the information I had attained was still fresh in my mind and I instantly linked the illuminations of a book scripture from the early Renaissance period to the chemical reactions discussed in out nanotechnology lecture. 

As it was mentioned in the lecture on nanotechnology and art, there was a cup known as the Lycurgus Cup that looks green when illuminated from the front, but red when illuminated from the back. This is all due to the material that the ancient Romans used when constructing it. This is why they can be seen as the "pioneers" of nanotechnology without them even really knowing it. The same concept can be applied when it comes to developing the illuminated manuscripts. While these manuscripts were created a good time after the Lycurgus cup, it is possible that people had perfected the use of the right materials needed in order to make a work of art "glow" by the time these manuscripts were written and painted.  

This is the manuscript in its full form after the display before it had broken down the steps to get proper coloring. 

 Below are pictures of the ingredients used to make an illuminated manuscript, the variety of colors and mediums used truly astounded me! 

Here, my roommate and I are at the Getty taking a picture with our good friend who was securing the exhibit. 

Event #4: Discovery Cube Orange County 5/22

 I hadn't been to the Discovery science center since I was a little girl, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it hadn't changed all that much. When you walk in, it is easy to be overwhelmed with the plethora of fun interactive exhibits that not only teach you about scientific experiments and discoveries, but they are presented in such a fun and artistic way that it is appealing to both adults and children. As you can see from the pictures that I have selected it looks like your average super market display. However, this interactive fake grocery store seemed to be the hottest exhibit in the joint. Little kids were literally lined up to get their chance at a computerized grocery store.

With the innovations that have been made in interactive technology over the last decade or so, virtually anyone can use a product like a tablet or iPad. So for this exhibit, the children get to push around a mini shopping cart complete with an interactive touch screen that instructs them on which groceries they need to get and where they can find them. I thought this was an extremely clever way to teach kids how to grocery shop. Above all that, and not pictured, was a recycling game that made kids recognize the difference between recyclable materials and sort them into different bins.

Here is the check out station where kids scan all their items before they can take their groceries "home." 

 The designing that had to go into the creation of this exhibit, from the fake food (which ranged from fruits and veggies all the way to baked goods), to the layout of the entire store, the artistic and technological efforts that were needed to make something like this cannot be overlooked. By combining the elements of technology and art in this exhibit, the science center is able to educate young children and adults about ways to better care for the environment, as well as teach valuable life lessons. 

Here I am with a Science Center Employee after reliving the glory days of being a child. It was a great day. 

Event #3: Bowers Museum 5/22

When I first got to Bowers Museum, I didn't think that I was going to be able to find anything that could be related to the specific topics that we have covered in class because it seemed to be more historic rather than futuristic. However, I came across an exhibit by an artist by the name of Nancy Ravenhall Johnson that I believed to hold ideals of art concepts that we have discussed in class. Her exhibit is entitled, "Where Ends Meet," and essentially, she takes somewhat obscure physical objects that she has found throughout her life and remakes them into artistic items such as sculptures or masks. This exhibit can be applied directly to the main idea of the class, which is blending together the idea of "the third culture" of art. 

Johnson spent a majority of her life as a graphic designer, so she has a plethora of knowledge when it comes to understanding the importance of technology on the influence of art. I chose to take a picture of this mask that she made out of miscellaneous items because I believe that it really embodies the style of art that she is trying to convey, the idea that beauty can be found in any combination of items. I believe that her background as a graphic designer is beneficial to understanding that even though you are experienced in a technologically-based form of art, it can still give you motivation to create things that would not normally be associated with things that we would study in this class. 

Here is a mask that Nancy Johnson made out of products that she has found and come across in her daily life. 

                               

Here I am with a staff member of the Bowers museum 

Event #2: Robert Gero Exhibition Exhibit 5/21

Walking into Robert Gero's exhibit, I wasn't sure what to expect. Being one of the first people there, I was able to soak in the exhibit without any explanation from the artist. There were styrofoam rods and bars placed in zig-zag formations all across the room. The room was also dark and there was a very outer-space like musical sound track playing. It was pretty eerie but interesting all at the same time. 

At first I was a little bit confused because I didn't know it was going to be an exhibit that you would actually be standing inside of! That being said, once Robert Gero walked into the room and began explaining the exhibit, everything started to make sense. He said he was interested in the concept of having an infinite space within a finite space. This was his way of bringing that concept to life. The motivation behind his exhibit was the idea of there being a room where space essentially folds over itself into an endless dimension. To be honest it was a lot to take in but it was also extremely interesting to hear him talk about how he developed his idea into an actual physical display. The whole display was completely futuristic and it reminded me of the units that covered Robotics, Nanotechnology, and Space. To see these concepts that we discuss in class actually come to life in a work of art was not only beneficial to my understanding of the class but it made me appreciate the way that people can take these concepts and apply them to real life scenarios. 

Here is one angle of the exhibit where the styrofoam intersected the walkway of the room and the ceiling as well. 

Here is Robert explaining his motivation and inspiration behind the exhibit. 

Here is me talking a selfie in front of the building where the exhibit was held

Event #1: Hammer Museum 5/19

Having lived in Westwood for the last four years, I was disappointed in myself for having not gone to the Hammer Museum before. Not only is it within walking distance from my apartment but there are also multiple events and exhibits going through there every week! That being said, I was happy to see that there were exhibits that could be related to our DESMA class. More specifically, there was a display put on by Artist Charles Gaines. His use of the "grid" in his art work deals with issues of subjectivity. The image that you produce is some kind of subjective inspiration. By using the grid work he is using a math based systematical approach in order to make a work of art. This can be related to class because by using an intricate number system, Gaines is combining elements of being systematic and elements of being artistic.

Here is a work of art that Gaines created by taking a photograph and reducing it down to what seems to be sketches, but are actually constructed and made out of his numbering system or "grid" work. I believe that these images really capture the essence of his work, in the sense that there is not real racial recognition or stereotype that you can associated with the photograph once it is reduced down to its "grid" form. 

Here is another set of his "grid" works, in this picture it is grid works of trees that are made up of beautiful and vibrant colors. Here Gaines is showing that nature doesn't have any limitation when it is interpreted in the world of art. 

Here I am pictured with an employee of the Hammer. He was pretty excited to take a picture with me if you couldn't tell. 

Unit 9: Space + Art

Outer space is something that has always frightened me, so this weeks lecture was a little daunting, and watching the "Powers of Ten" video did not help my skepticism. However, as a history major I was excited about how important the exploration of outer space was to the development of the society that we now live in. The competition between the United States and the Soviet Union was an event that impacted the entire world, especially when it came to the technological and arms races. Trying to get to outer space and most importantly to the moon is something that caused a lot of tension in the world, atomic bombs had been developed and threats had been exchanged. The tensions created through this competition allowed there to be an explosion (no pun intended) and array of different art to be put out into the world. More specifically in the United States, futuristic cartoons such as The Jetsons and television shows, like Star Trek were becoming more prominent and the possibility of being able to explore and live in outer space seemed to be closer than ever before.

That being said, in lecture Professor Vesna mentioned a video called "The Pale Blue Dot" made by Carl Sagan. Within the video, it shows the furthest picture of Earth that has ever been taken. Mr. Sagan talks about how everything that has occurred on Earth is basically insignificant to the entire Universe. He says that "...the earth is a small stage in a vast cosmic arena..." But one of the points that resonated with me the most can be related to the arms race during the cold war. The United States and the Soviet Union were pursuing "...glory and triumph so they can become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot..." This really shows how insignificant is retrospect, but how important our Earth really is to us as its inhabitants. It puts into perspective the amazing capabilities that human beings have, and how quickly everything that we love can be taken away from us.

The way that this video is made can also be related to the Leonardo Space Art reading. Within the reading, it is said that "...discovering the history of space art, I came to understand that artists have been the fuel of space exploration, embodying in their art the dreams of humankind, making these dreams desirable for engineers to achieve." Obviously without the developments made and being made in science, technology, and math the exploration of space would not be possible. But I am a firm believer that without the wonder, curiosity and desire of artists, the motivation to explore the vast and infinite unknown would not be done with the same passion.

Works Cited

“A Pale Blue Dot.” A Pale Blue Dot. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2015. <http://www.bigskyastroclub.org/pale_blue_dot.html>.

 Malina, Roger, Arthur Woods, Annick Bureaud, and B.E. Johnson. "Leonardo Space Art Project Visioneers." Leonardo Space Art Project Visioneers. MIT Press, n.d. Web. 31 May 2015.

Peljhan, Marko. "CODED UTOPIA." Continental Drift. N.p., 27 Mar. 2007. Web. 31 May 2015.

UWM Graphic Design Capstone 2010. “Based on Soviet space propaganda.” UMW Graphic Design Capstone 2010. Blogger, 16 Nov. 2010. Web. 27 May 2015.

Vesna , Victoria, dir. Space Part 1. 2015. Film. 31 May 2015.
Vesna , Victoria, dir. Space Part 3. 2015. Film. 31 May 2015.
Vesna , Victoria, dir. Space Part 4. 2015. Film. 31 May 2015.
Vesna , Victoria, dir. Space Part 5. 2015. Film. 31 May 2015.

Pictures

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/life-unbounded/return-to-the-pale-blue-dot/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-retro-future-of-the-jetsons/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapon

https://www.pinterest.com/sherrystjohn/renaissance-art/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Starry_Night

Unit 8: Nanotech +Art

After listening to the lectures and doing the assigned reading for nanotechnology this week, I was completely fascinated. I never knew how much nanotechnology impacted not just the study of science in the world, but also the immediate world that I live in. From energy, food, agriculture, and most importantly electronics, nanotechnology seems to make the world go around. The concept of changing the world from "the bottom up" is something that is pretty daunting. Imagining that within our lifetime things that we have come so accustomed to could be completely different because of things that we can't even see. 

Nano particles can even be viewed in ancient materials. For example, from part 3 of the lecture, he talked about nano-sized gold particles found in a cup known as Lycurgus cup. The cup looks green to the naked eye, but then when they were illuminated from the inside, the cup would turn red. I think that this aspect of nanotechnology was the closest thing that relates to "art" in a way that was easy for me to understand. Even though nanotechnology was not a hot topic of discussion during the time period that this cup was constructed. The fact that they have now been able to identify why the cup changes colors through the advancements of nanotechnology says a lot about how fast the

One of the most relatable aspects about nanotechnology that was mentioned was how zinc-oxide can be broken down into nano-particles and essentially be "invisible." Zinc-oxide is known to be a main "ingredient" of sunscreen and is often associated with being white and hard to rub in. However, with advancements being made through the scientific research of nanotechnology, it is now possible for sunscreen to have the same power of protection, but not be visibly white on the surface of someone's skin. 

In this picture, there is sunscreen on both sides of this guys face. One side is white from the zinc oxide and the other is also covered in zinc oxide, but it is not visible because nanotechnology made it possible for the sunscreen to have the same SPF power without leaving white marks behind. 

Works Cited 

          Gimzewski, Jim. The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact and Fiction in the Construction of a New Science. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print

        Gimzewski, Jim. "Nanotech for Artists." Nanotechnology and Art Lecture. UCLA, Los Angeles. 22 May 2015. Lecture.

           “Introduction to Nanotechnology.” Introduction to Nanotechnology RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2015. <http://nanogloss.com/>.

         Lilley, Maiken. “The Art of Nanotech”. NOVA. WGBH, 18 Nov 2010. Web. 22 May 2015.

         "What Is Nanotechnology?" What Is Nanotechnology? N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.

Pictures

http://ssv.com.sa/ssv/index.php/en/news/showitems/3/Nanotechnology-&-MEMS

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ist/?next=/history/this-1600-year-old-goblet-shows-that-the-romans-were-nanotechnology-pioneers-787224/

http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2009/08/17/is-nanotechnology-in-sunscreen-good-or-bad/

http://www.nanoandme.org/nano-products/cosmetics-and-sunscreen/

Unit 7: Neuroscience + Art

The brain is the second closest thing, next to outer space, that scares me. How is it that I am able to process these thoughts and be able to write about how? The ability of my brain to process information and send signals to by body to type and be present in the moment is a phenomenon that I struggle to understand. However, it was made clear that the process of being able to understand how the brain functions is something that can be linked to influences in the world of art. The earliest ideas of the brain as introduced by Gall indicate that the brain is "phrenological," which was a very creative theory that the brain was broken up into particular sections that had their own functions. This idea, while not scientifically accurate, can still be related to how we view the brain today.

Cognitive revolution allowed there to be an acknowledgement of consciousness and unconsciousness. Even more so, as it was briefly mentioned in the first lecture, it has been found that the Left and Right sides of the brain serve their own functions. Left Brain vs. Right Brain is something that has always interested me because they can be categorized into an "artistic" side and a "structured" side. The ability of the brain to function in these ways can be loosely related to the idea of a phrenology brain because specific parts of the brain are designated or associated with different actions.

In the Penrose reading, he states that "A lot of what the brain does you could do on a computer. I'm not saying that all the brain's action is completely different from what you do on a computer...I'm saying that it's beyond the physics we know now" (Penrose).  The capability that the brain has in relation to a computer is so similar, yet we know how to use the function of a machine better than we can control our own minds. Viewing the brain in this context shows just how amazing it is that we are able to create the works of art and the possibility of the art that we will be able to make in the future.

Works Cited 

Bateson, Gregory. Mind and Nature: A Necessary Unity. New York: Dutton, 1979. Print.

Gardner, Howard. Art, Mind, and Brain: A Cognitive Approach to Creativity. New York: Basic, 

1982. Print.

Melina, Remy. "What's the Difference Between the Right Brain and Left Brain?" LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 12 Jan. 2011. Web. 17 May 2015.

Penrose, Roger. "Consciousness Involves Noncomputable Ingredients." The Third Culture: Beyond the Scientific Revolution. N.p.: Simon & Schuster, 1995. N. pag. Print.

   Vesna, Victoria. "Consciousness/Memory." Neuroscience and Art Lecture. UCLA, Los Angeles. 11 May 2015. Lecture.

Pictures

Phrenology: http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Phrenology.jpg

Artistic Brain: https://www.pinterest.com/katelynrichelle/the-creative-cranium/

Computer Brain: http://controlmind.info/human-brain/brain-and-computer

Unit 6 BioTech + Art

I found the segment on Joe Davis to be extremely fascinating this week. I never knew that there was such thing as "Bio Artist." One of his projects that caught my attention was briefly mentioned in the first lecture. Professor Vesna mentioned that he conducted an experiment that involved measuring the growth of E coli bacteria in regards to the music that was being played for the bacteria. He played a variety of different genres for the bacteria and measured its growth based on that. As someone who is passionate about music, it was nice to make an artistic connection to a scientific experiment.

That being said, I looked into other experiments that could have been conducted with the same guidelines. I discovered an experiment conducted by NASA back in 2004 and what I found was it is not necessarily the musical and lyrics instruments that affect the bacteria growth, but rather it is the sound waves and vibrations that speed up or slow down the growing process. Viewing this as an art form is something that would not have been made possible without people like Joe Davis. The information and insight that has been found out because of him thinking outside of the box is something that can even benefit the world of medicine.

While the topic of Biotech and art experiments is very controversial, it is both inspiring and eye opening to see how many endless possibilities there are when it comes to regarding something as art, and when it comes to regarding something as inhumane. I found this experiment to be something that can be regarded as an art form because it involves music as an art form and it can be viewed as  something that can be beneficial to the medical world, because being able to better understand bacterial growth can only benefit us from contracting diseases. 

Works Cited 

Levy, Ellen. “Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications.”Context Providers: Conditions of Meaning in Media Arts. Eds. Margot Lovejoy, Christiane Paul, and Victoria Vesna. University of Chicago Press: 2011.

Vesna, Victoria, narr. “BioTech Art Lectures I-V.” N.p., . web. 5 May 2015. 

http://www.viewingspace.com/genetics_culture/pages_genetics_culture/gc_w03/davis_joe.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Davis_%28artist%29

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20040152083.pdf

Bacteria Images: 
http://www.thermapure.com/environmental-services/bacteria/
http://www.playbuzz.com/maryfs10/which-pathogenic-bacteria-are-you

Unit 4 Medicine+ Technology+ Art

       The human body has been under scrutiny by artists, doctors and scientists for centuries. As it was mentioned in lecture 1, anatomy of the human body was a hot topic for artists because they wanted to better understand how to perfect drawing and painting the human body. Now jump ahead a couple of centuries and we have utilized the advancements made in technology and science in order to use the artistic understanding of the human body to benefit our lives. This can be seen through the benefits of X-rays, plastic surgery, MRI’s and even ultra sounds for pregnancy. All of these technological innovations have been benefited by art, and can even be viewed as art.

3D UltraSound that can be used to see up close and real images of the baby inside of you. This is also helpful for detecting any problems that may occur in the pregnancy. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD_l0EtkNYU

            As it is mentioned in the lecture, there is an artistic exhibit known as “Body World” that I have been lucky enough to witness in person. Within these exhibits, the entirety of the human body has been dissected, stretched out and preserved in order to be put on display. It is used to show populations of people how the different parts of our body work. The technological aspect of art is used here because there is a specific science used in order to make sure all of the different parts of the body can be put on display properly. 

On a more advanced scale, art, technology and medicine have been working together in order to benefit the health of our society. My own step brother has been a benefactor of this because he has metal shunts in his head that help blood flow through his brain. Had there not been someone with the ability to artistically form the shape of shunt that my step-brother needed, the surgeons and scientists wouldn't have been able to figure out how to properly fix the issue that he was having. 

Works Cited 

• Ingber, D. "The Architecture of Life."

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as MIrror and Portrait: MRI Configurations between Science and the Arts
• http://www.kevinwarwick.org/

Images 

http://highbridgecompany.com/blog/2014/04/07/npr-american-chronicles-wwi-marks-100-years-of-hard-lessons/

http://www.katu.com/news/local/131116263.html