Event 3 | The Getty Center

Last weekend I visited the Getty Center for the first time. Since there are several exhibits dating from the 1600's to contemporary times, I decided to use this opportunity to explore and find examples of the topics we have learned in this class. 

Getty Center

My friend, who has been to the Getty several times, acted as my tour guide and he gave me some insight on the architecture of the museum. He told me that each building was designed with a purpose. For instance, the circular research building is supposed to stimulate the "introspective" nature of research. Another reason why some parts are rounded is to invoke a welcoming feel to visitors. There are usually entrances in these sides. It was interesting to me that geometrics played a huge role in efforts to produce certain vibes and movement. 

Hunting on the Lagoon

Here is a painting called "Hunting on the Lagoon" by Vittore Carpaccio (from about 1490). Infrared light examination helped reveal the artist's preparatory drawings which shows perspective lines and that this painting is only a quarter of the original piece. We have learned about perspective and how it shaped paintings, and it is fascinating that we could use the concept to piece original pieces together.

In the decorative arts exhibit, I learned that symmetry was an important aspect of decorations during the Neoclassical times. In this mirror and arch design, you can clearly see the symmetry and how mathematics play a role in decorative arts.

Neoclassical Room

In the photography museum, there were two displays that caught my eye. One was a series of photographs created by Matthew Brandt. We were not allowed to take photos but here is an image that I found online. Matthew submerges his photographs of lakes in the water they were collected from. After weeks of soaking, sediments and bacteria erodes the chemical properties and creates these colorful patterns. This is a cool way biology is being incorporated into photography, and I didn't realize that photography could be performed creative ways.

Lakes by Matthew Brandt

Another one was a series of photographs of the moon called "Lunagrams" by Lisa Oppenheim. She used original 1851 negatives which are known to be the earliest known photographs of the moon! This series reminds me of the relationship between space and art that we have learned in class.

Lunagrams by Lisa Oppenheim

Overall, I would definitely recommend anyone to visit the Getty Center. Not only is it a beautiful place to take a break from the city but also an opportunity to explore classical and contemporary art. It was fun because I was able to analyze several works in the perspective of the "two cultures"! 

Me Imitating a Painting #MusePose

Proof of Date

Event 2 | Vivan Sundaram: Making Strange: Gagawaka + Postmortem

As I walked into Vivan Sundaram's exhibit, I was instantly captured by all of the unique dresses on mannequins. I've always been interested in fashion, and I immediately knew that I was going to be amused. Making Strange is the combined exhibit of two projects: Gagawaka, which consists of 27 garments made from recycled or found objects, and Postmortem, which is composed of mannequin dummies and anatomical models.


I think that Sundaram's work can be interpreted in different ways. Sundaram wanted to display the interaction between haute couture and the fragility of the human body. In a video at the exhibit, he points to the inseparability of fashion and the anatomical body. His efforts attempt to capture tension between beauty and illness, pleasure and pain, and life and death. Furthermore, he contemplates representing the human figure within conditions of our globalized world.



My perception was that these pieces are meant to show what is beneath all of the fashion and materials of our modern world. The recycled objects like plastic tubes, ties, and pills, represent the things that we consume or consume us in our everyday lives. The postmortem pieces show the one thing that we all share, the organs of our body. Everybody may be going through different illnesses and feelings, yet we are all human and have the same fragile bodies.

Sandarac's work fits perfectly into our curriculum. The combination of biology and fashion illustrates an amazing way to combine science and art. I would definitely recommend this exhibit to you all. We have learned about how anatomy has played a role in art, and it was very intriguing to see this being done through run way fashion!

The front desk girl and me outside the exhibit

Week 9 | Space + Art

In the beginning of the quarter, we learned about the necessity of a paradigm shift in our educational systems that could implement the importance of both cultures. Learning about the history of space exploration made me wonder if the "space race" played a huge role in a previous education paradigm shift that further split the "two cultures." Although we entered a new era of space exploration when telescopes were created in the 17th century, it was not until the "space race" that the educational system entered a long term paradigm shift. Math and sciences began to be heavily emphasized and funded by the government at this time, which led to more focus towards one culture over the other.

Propaganda During the Space Race

Aside from this thought, it fascinated me that science fiction writers played a huge role in inspiring engineers to make reality of their creativity. This demonstrates the indirect yet significantly powerful relationship between artists and scientists. For instance, writer Arthur Clarke, created the concept of a space elevator (an orbital tower that would rise from the ground) in his novel "The Fountains of Paradise." This inspired David Smitherman, an engineer at NASA, to compile plans for actually creating this idea.

Space Elevator Concept

There are other ways space combines art and science that I had not realized before. I did not even know that the term "space art" existed! Chesley Bonestell created scientific illustrations, which have been in several science fiction magazines, and helped popularize manned space travel through his work. In addition, the work in Dancing on the Ceiling exhibits severals works of different artists that explore the theme of weightlessness and zero gravity through digital or traditional art media. Lastly, T.V. shows like Star Wars and Star Trek incorporates space science and film art.

Chesley Bonestell, Exploration of Mars 1953

Overall, I was surprised at how fast space exploration grew and how much space engineers have accomplished. For instance, I never knew about the robotic asteroid mining industry and its potential in providing a tremendous amount of cobalt, nickel, and platinum. From one asteroid, we could extract platinum worth more than a 100 billion dollars! If it happens, it has been predicted to cause  a race for control of the global economy.

Asteroid Materials

References:

"Bonestell - Home." Bonnets' - Home. Web. 31 May 2015.

Forde, Kathleen. "Dancing on the Ceiling: Art & Zero Gravity." Dancing on the Ceiling. Web. 31 May 2015. 

Pt1 1280x720. Dr. Victoria Vesna. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 29 July. 2013. Web. 31 May. 2015.

Pt2 1280x720. Dr. Victoria Vesna. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 29 July. 2013. Web. 31 May. 2015.

"Space Elevator:" Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 31 May 2015.

Space pt5. Dr. Victoria Vesna. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 30 May. 2012. Web. 31 May. 2015.

"Space Race: International Implications." Kairos of American Propaganda. Web. 31 May 2015.

"Triton World: High Value Asteroid Materials from W3." Triton World. Web. 31 May 2015.

Week 8 | Nanotech + Art

This week's concepts, taught by Dr. Gimzewski, tied in several topics regarding the third culture that we have learned so far in this class. I had known that nano tech involved the study of atomic and supra-molecular matter, but I was surprised to learn the diversity of its applications and its relationship with art.

Left: Roman Lycurgus Cup; Right: Gold Nanoparticles in Water Solution

What amused me the most was Feynman's realization that nano scale objects can be used to create new effects. This means that, as we shrink to the nanoscale, the laws of physics can change. Specific properties of nano particles can change from opaque to transparent, stable to combustible, and inert to catalytic. The Roman Lycurgus cup, for example, is red from its nano sized gold particles.

Quantum Corrals

I think that the emergence of microscopes allowed for nano tech to become a form of visual art. This is how we began to aesthetically study the interplay of atomic nano structures and shape. Scanning Tunneling Microscopes (STM) can be used to create a ring of atoms called a quantum corral by manipulating individual iron atoms on a copper surface. The electron's standing waves create all kinds of patterns, which change depending on shape of structure. In addition, artists Paul Thomas and Kevin Raxworthy use an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) to analyze a single skin cell and to explore comparisons of life and death at a nano level.

DNA Origami 

Nano tech also ties in with the themes of of bio tech, med tech, and art. For example, biomedical scientists are interested in the nano structures of gecko feet because perfect replication can lead to many uses of adhesives in bio medicine. Nano medicine, like Abraxane can also help reduce toxicity of cancer treatments by changing properties of particles, such as solubility. Finally, Paul Rothemund has developed technology to fold DNA strands and create "DNA origami," in which complementary strands can assemble into a nano sized box!

References:

"Art in the Age of Nanotechnology." Art.base. John Curtin Gallery. Web. 23 May 2015.  

"DNA Folding, in Detail." Paul Rothemund:. Web. 23 May 2015.  

"Nanoparticles Are All Around Us." 25 Mar. 2013. Web. 23 May 2015.  

Nanotech Jim pt 1. James Gimzewski. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 21 May. 2012. Web 23 May. 2015. 

Nanotech Jim pt 2. James Gimzewski. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 21 May. 2012. Web 23 May. 2015.

Nanotech Jim pt 3. James Gimzewski. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 21 May. 2012. Web 23 May. 2015.

Nanotech Jim pt 4. James Gimzewski. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 21 May. 2012. Web 23 May. 2015.

"University of Wisconsin-Madison Materials Research Science and Engineering Center Interdisciplinary Education Group." Probe Microscopes. Web. 23 May 2015.  

Week 7 | Neuroscience + Art

  

                       

Xanax

Nitrous Oxide

Hash       

This week's material reminded me of an article I read a while ago about an artist named Bryan Saunders, who created self portraits under the influence of different drugs. His purpose was to search for experiences that would "profoundly" affect his self perception. The art of understanding how our minds and perception work was something I never really thought much of until now. The fact that people can dream or experience surreal-like and varying perceptions in a way that is inexplainable is so fascinating, and I feel that this week's resources gave me some insight into this.

Project MKUltra Victim

After Timothy Leary's contribution to "counter culture" in the 60's with LSD, all kinds of people joined to study pharmaceutical mind control via Project MKUltra. It is surprising that LSD was given to many without knowledge or consent. In the end LSD was concluded to have varying effects on different people. I think self perception is so artistic because everyone's memories affect their perception and imagination in different ways. It is said that people dream of things they subconsciously think about/ remember, and shown by the results of Project MKUltra, this even causes varying pharmaceutical experiences.

Phrenological Phacts

This leads to an interesting thing that I learned about memory. One being that smell and taste produce uniquely intense memories. I have definitely had a moment when I smelled an old perfume and was stimulated intensely of the days I would wear it. It was also really interesting to learn from Mark Cohen that our brains adapt extremely quickly after inverted perception. This was proven via an experiment using inverted goggles. Cohen also spoke about Franz Gall's creation of phrenology and how Gall believed that studying the bumps of our heads could even lead us to recognize criminals easily.  I think that the continuation of art and neuroscience could eventually lead to us to find simple definitive methods of analyzing the complex brain of certain profiles.

Resources:

Neuroscience pt 3. Dr. Victoria Vesna. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 16 May. 2012. Web. 17 May. 2015.

Neuroscience- Mark Cohen. Dr. Victoria Vesna. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 16 May. 2012. Web. 17 May. 2015.

 "Phrenology Chart." Phrenology Chart. Web. 16 May 2015.  

"Project MKUltra." Sometimes Interesting. 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 May 2015. 

"Swann’s Hypothesis." The New York Times. The New York Times, 3 Nov. 2007. Web. 16 May 2015. 

"Under the Influence." Bryan Lewis Saunders. Web. 17 May 2015. 

Week 6 | Biotech + Art

I find the use of transgenics, mutilation, or selective breeding as an artistic technique a bit eery because they have such powerful forces on life. I believe that in theory, art has no limitations but, ultimately, there should be limits to human creativity, especially when it comes to biotechnology and art. Using life as a medium only seems right if it has an important purpose or helps in research, and even then, there should be restrictions.

Osamu Shimomura and Eduardo Kac, for example,  both studied the GFP gene but in very different ways. Shimomura was more interested in the scientific aspect and wanted to explore how this luminous green gene could be used to trace drug effectiveness and even be applied to anti cancer genes. Kac, on the other hand, used GFP in a more artistic/ symbolic manner and created Alba, the green fluorescent bunny. Kac wanted to raise questions about how society constructs the idea of difference. I find that Alba produces more controversy than actually spreading Kac's purpose, and in this way the work almost seems unnecessary.

I did not agree with Kac's work, but I found Kathy High's work to be the type that biotech art should be. She took some transgenic mice under her care and to exercise empathy with them. She believes that we have a real kinship with these mice, yet they are still "forgotten workers". This is a powerful message because these mice really are "disposable" in the laboratories.

My favorite artist this week would have to be Natalie Jeremijenko. She mixes art with technology for social and environmental issues. She also creates health solutions for environmental concerns that are brought to her, one in which she is working to build small toxin absorbing plant gardens throughout the city of New York in between asphalt.

References

5 Bioart pt1.mov. Dr. Victoria Vesna. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 18 Sep. 2013. Web. 8 May. 2015.

5 Bioart pt3.mov. Dr. Victoria Vesna. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 17 May. 2012. Web. 8 May. 2015.

 "GFP BUNNY." GFP BUNNY. Web. 8 May 2015.  

"Green Fluorescent Protein." Biotechnology. 14 Feb. 2014. Web. 8 May 2015.  

High, Kathy. "Rat Care." Embracing Animal. Web. 8 May 2015.  

"Seed Presents: Revolutionary Minds: Natalie Jeremijenko." Natalie Jeremijenko. Web. 8 May 2015.  

Event 1 | Kathy High: Waste Matters

About a week ago, I had the honor to visit a very interesting exhibit and meet the most down-to-earth artist. Kathy High is an interdisciplinary artist who is involved in the two cultures we have learned in class. Her works connect art to biology/ecology and aim to consider the social, political, and ethical aspects of bioscience. Her exhibit Waste Matters: You Are My Future was a peculiar and intriguing collaboration of art and science. It was both personal and educational, and I left with a few insights.

With Kathy High and her Photograph as David Bowie

As a patient with Crohn's disease, Kathy uses her knowledge in autoimmune disorders to explore the immune system and research in microbiota. The exhibit included photographs of herself as her idol David Bowie, which were finished with a humorous and personal letter to Bowie asking for his poop. I actually did not know about fecal transplantation until this exhibit! Fecal transplantation allows donors fecal matter to be placed in recipient via endoscopy procedures to replace good bacteria.

The most important pieces, I would say, would be her "Bank of Abject Objects," which were home-made stool bank prototypes with honey as the preservative. She told me she was planning to switch to raw honey and that the shape of the glass was designed to turn and mix the preservative.

Bank of Abject Objects

"The Re-mediator Series" were sketches for gut-to-soil bioremediation sculptures. These drafts symbolize the immune system as "autopoeisis" or self-maintenance.  As she said, this broccoli/intestine bench, for example, could be a prototype of benches that suck up toxins from the soil.

One of "The Re-mediator Series"

Overall, I truly enjoyed Kathy's exhibit and would recommend it to those who want to see real life examples of art and biology interaction. This experience helped me understand less obvious concepts of how medicine and technology influences art. In class, we mainly learned about it in terms of anatomy, but Kathy's works helped me think about other ways medical issues can be raised via art. For instance, I never knew much about Crohn's disease nor about research in microbiota until this exhibit. I realize that art can bring great awareness to the sciences and that itself is two cultures working together. For my project, I am now thinking of ways my invention can also help educate a certain medical or scientific issue via artistic expression.


References:

High, Kathy. "Kathy High." Waste Matters: You Are My Future. UCLA CNSI Art|Sci Gallery 5th Floor, Los Angeles. 16 Apr. 2015. Speech.

"Kathy High: Visual/media Artist, Independent Curator, Educator." Kathy High: New Media Artist: About. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://kathyhigh.com/about.html>.

Medicine pt2.mov. Dr. Victoria Vesna. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 21 Apr. 2012. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.

"The Fecal Transplant Foundation." The Fecal Transplant Foundation. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://thefecaltransplantfoundation.org/what-is-fecal-transplant/>.

TwoCultures part 3. Dr. Victoria Vesna. Youtube. Uconlineprogram, 2 Apr. 2012. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.