Event 3: LACMA

       I went to LACMA today and enjoyed almost all of the artworks. However, influenced by this class, I was more impressed by some specific artworks that are related to science.

Robert Philippi, Madchen (Girls)

Liebespaar and I

Robert Philippi, Liebespaar (Lovers)

      As soon as I walked in the first exhibition room and saw two Robert Philippi’s drawings, I found the connection between art and medical technology – MRI. In Liebespaar and Madchen, Philippi draws the muscle, ribs and joints under the skin of the figures. The body structure under the skin cannot be seen by naked eyes. Philippi is able to draw the bones because he is aware of the images produced by MRI. The medical technology is well incorporated in these two drawings.

Joseph Albers, Homage to the Square, 1951

Joseph Albers, Honage to the Square: Dissolving/Vanishing, 1951

Joseph Albers, Homage to the Square, 1957

Joseph Albers, Homage to the Square, 1951-55

       I also found coexistence of art and science in Joseph Albers’s paintings. In Homage to the Square (1951), Homage to the Square: Dissolving/Vanishing, Homage to the Square (1957) and Homage to the Square (1951-55), geometrical squares (math) are the only subject matters. As a result, this series of paintings is not only aesthetically pleasing but scientific as well.

Chris Burden, MetropolisⅡ, 2011

       The artwork amazed me the most is Chris Burden’s MetropolisⅡ. It is a kinetic sculpture that represents a fast paced modern city. The most interesting part to me is the speeding miniature cars which are slow when going up and fast when going down. Although I am not very good at physics, I can tell that this artwork involves energy transformation between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy. I also found out that MetropolisⅡ is only operated for one hour a time and has to rest for one hour after each time. I asked the docent of LACMA about this schedule. She told me that the cars need to be cooled down or else they would break apart due to friction. Not only the operation of this artwork depends on physics but the schedule of operation also depends on physics. As a result, no one could deny the relation between this artwork and science.

Hours of Operation

       Before taking this class, I simply thought the art world as a separated world. However, after realizing various connections between art and science in this class, I know how to appreciate many of the artworks better.

Event 2: "The Art of Our Time" at MoCA

       I went to “The Art of Our Time” at MoCA last weekend. Since all the artworks in this exhibition are post-1945, I could try to figure out how the contemporary artists merge the “two cultures.” (Snow)

       As soon as I walked in the gallery, I was amazed by John Chamberlain’s Red Beatts. The amazement comes not only from the large scale of the work, but also from Chamberlain’s idea to turn wreckage into art by science. Red Beatts is a freestanding sculpture made of salvaged automobile parts. According to the wall text, Chamberlain did not design the shape of this sculpture by preparatory sketches, and therefore piled up these automobile parts 

John Chamberlain's Red Beatts and I

improvisationally based on principles of science – gravity and balance. Since the shape and execution of this work are determined by the balance of physical forces, Red Beatts could be considered as an artwork of science in which the “two cultures” become one.

Chris Burden, Hell Gate, 1998-1999, detail

       Another artwork that makes me immediately connect it with science is Chris Burden’s Hell Gate. Hell Gate is a physical structure that models the steel girders and cross bracing of New York’s Hell Gate Bridge. As the wall text suggests that Hell Gate investigates “the origin of physical power”, viewers could speculate that Burden must master the knowledge of steel engineering and construction capacities in order to construct the complex physical structure. Therefore, Hell Gate successfully proves how science could be well incorporated in art.

Mark Grotjahn, Untitled (three-tiered perspective), 1997

       Additionally, Mark Grotjahn’s Untitled (three-tiered perspective) also shows the combination of art and science. In this painting, only one vanishing point exists. This one-point perspective obeys the mathematical theory of perspective drawing developed in Renaissace.

       I strongly recommend “The Art of Our Time” at MoCA. After visiting this exhibition, I not only knew more about the interest of contemporary artists, but also realized how art and science could naturally merge together.

 

Reference:

Snow, C.P. Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. Reading. 1959. New York: Cambridge UP, 1961. Print

Vesna, Victoria. "Mathematics and Art." UCLA. Los Angeles, CA. 10 Apr 2016. Web.4 June 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being in Between." Leonardo 34.2 (2001): 121-25. Web.

Treibergs, Andrejs. "The Geometry of Perspective Drawing on the Computer." Department of Mathematics, University of Utah, n.d. Web. 4 June 2016.                         

Wall text, Red Beatts, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles

Wall text, Untitled (three-tired perspective), Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles

 

 

 

Week 9: Space + Art

I feel very happy to learn about space in the ninth week mainly due to two reasons. First, the discussion on space reminds me of all I have learnt from this class. Second, I really like the way space science and art inspire each other.

Space Craft

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite#/media/File:Soyuz_TMA-7_spacecraft2edit1.jpg>

I totally agree with Professor Vesna’s statement that space involves almost all of the topics we have covered this quarter, including technology, math and robotics. Through the development of technology, engineers were able to create the spacecrafts. Thanks to the calculations of mathematics, scientists could design the route for the spacecrafts to reach to or circulate the planet. Due to the applications of robotics, we could get photos of and valuable information about the planets, such as Mars, without sending people to space.

Mark Garlick, Black Hole

<https://www.google.com/search?q=mark+garlick&biw=1405&bih=764&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjDr4-5nYHNAhVM5mMKHfQkBs0Q_AUIBigB#imgrc=eRPQV92qaEUdqM%3A>

When the exploration of space inspires artists, such as
Mark Garlick, to create aesthetically beautiful and grand pictures of space, science fictions also inspire scientists to develop technology. (Garlick's pictures could be seen at his website, http://www.markgarlick.com/gallery.php) As Ben Bova, a writer of more than 120 works of science fact and fiction, said, “science fiction helps to inspire young readers, who then go science fiction become actual fact,” scientists sometimes appreciate the technology depicted in science fictions and then try to develop the technology in real life. For example, the first fictional depiction of a satellite is in The Brick Moon, a short story by Edward E. Hale, published in 1869, eighty eight years before the Soviet Union launched the world’s first artificial satellite, the Sputnik 1, in 1957.

The Brick Moon by Edward E. Hale

<https://www.google.com/search?biw=1405&bih=764&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=the+brick+moon&oq=the+brick+moon&gs_l.img>

It is hard to deny the close relations of space and art, not only because of the involvement of many aspects we covered in class and the mutual inspiration with art, but also because of the essence of space itself. To explore the space is to feel something so vast and unknown. Doesn’t it sound artistic?

References:

"Basic Plasma Science Facility at UCLA." BaPSF. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2016.

Goldsmith, Mike. Universe:Journey into Deep Space. N.p.: Kingfisher, 2012. Print.

Moskowitz, Clara. "Science Fiction Barely Ahead of Space Exploration Reality." Space.com. N.p., 18 May 2012. Web. 29 May 2016.

"NASA's Opportunity Mars Rover Breaks Driving Distance record." VentureBeat. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "Space and Art." UCLA. Los Angeles, CA. 20 May 2016. Web. 28 May 2016.

Week8: Nanotech + Art

Christa Somerer and Laurent Mignonneau, Nano-scape, 2002 (detail)

        Before studying about this week’s course materials, I know little about nanotech, a technology conducted at the nanoscale. I was surprised by the wide applications of technology. However, what impressed me more is how nanotech can change the way we perceive the world from “a pure visual culture to one based on sensing and connectivity.” (Vesna)



Boo Chapple, Transjuicer, 2010

         Some artists are inspired by nanotech and the new perception. For example, Christa Sommerer and Laurent Mignonneau embraced the perception based on sensing rather than that based on seeing. Nano-scape they created is “an interactive installation consisting of a table-like surface which is divided into four parts.” The “users” of this artwork will wear the magnetic rings and then slowly move them across the table’s surface. As a result, they will perceive the carrying magnetic repulsion which is called “a magnetic sculpture.” (Schlachetzki) This intuitive experience is to feel the nanoparticles which cannot be seen by the eyes and then mentally perceive images.

Cathedral of St.Mary the Crowned stained glass window

         Additionally, Boo Chapple was also interested in the play between micro technological interventions and the macro social context. In her work, Transjuicer, she turns the femurs of cows into audio speakers based on the piezoelectric qualities of bone. Therefore, Transjuicer successfully amplifies the nano-sized atomic properties and turns what cannot be seen to what can be hear.

         Although nanotechnology is relatively new, nano-sized materials have actually been employed by people since the medieval ages. For example, the stained glass windows of medieval churches were made by alternate-sized gold and silver particles to achieve the bright and vivid colors. Nowadays, scientists and engineers increasingly use materials at nanoscale to enjoy the enhanced properties such as lighter weight and higher strength.

         Due to the broadening of our perception and the improvement of the properties of materials, I cannot appraise the nanotech more.

 

References:

Vesna, Victoria, and Jim Gimzewski. "The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact & Fiction in the Construction of a New Science." The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact &amp; Fiction in the Construction of a New Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2016.

Schlachetzki, Sarah M. "From Disenchantment to Re-enchantment." Fusing Lab and Gallery: Device Art in Japan and International Nano Art. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag, 2012. N. pag. Web.

Gimzewski, Jim. Nanotech and Art Lecture. Web. 22. May 2016.      

"Realtime Issue No.96." RealTime Arts. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2016.           

"What Is Nanotechnology?" Nano. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016.

Week 7: Neuroscience + Art

                   Although the brain, where the human creativity comes from, still remains a mystery to most of the people, a “neuroculture” has already emerged and neuroscience is penetrating to all aspects of human life according to Giovanni Frazzetto and Suzanne Anker. For example, some artists, influenced by the culture of neuroscience, are trying to explore and interpret the brain better to make more creative artworks.

Bryan Lewis Saunders, Self-Portraits
<https://www.google.com/search?q=bryan+lewis+saunders+drug+portraits&biw=1429&bih=790&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_0YOH-d3MAhVS6WMKHYTlBzUQsAQIKQ#imgrc=8UMiHckWK2YwLM%3A>

Alex Grey, Sophia, 1989
<http://alexgrey.com/art/paintings/sacred-mirrors/sophia/>

As Roman Cajal says, the field of neuroscience breeds artists who seek creativity and the mysterious. Bryan Lewis Saunders is one of those artists bred by neuroscience. After exploring tragedy, social problems, sleep and personality assessment, he then started to explore drugs. In his experiment, he had a different legal or illegal drug every day and then drew a self-portrait under the influence of the drug. Additionally, Alex Grey, who is famous for sacred and visionary paintings of glowing anatomical human bodies, is another artist who uses drugs to increase his creativity. Grey admits that Kahlua and LSD helped change his works as a “spiritual awakening”.

Universal Pictures, poster of A Beautiful Mind
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Beautiful_Mind_(film)#/media/File:A_Beautiful_Mind_Poster.jpg>

As well as drugs, neurological disorders have also been brought to the artworks. For example, A Beautiful Mind directed by Ron Howard is based on the life of a schizophrenic Nobel Prize winner. Additionally, in Spider directed by David Cronenberg, Dennis Cleg has just been released form a mental institution and begins to recreate his memory in his new room. These two films are only the tip of an iceberg. Many movies, TV shows, and novels are about characters with mental problems and a large number of them enjoyed acclaim by the critics.

poster of Spider
<https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1e/Spider_film.jpg>

Drugs and neurological disorders truly affected some artists and enabled them to make great artworks. However, there also exist some drawbacks of using drugs and neurological disorders. Take Saunders as an example. Taking drugs every day negatively affects human bodies and Saunders writes on his website that “within weeks, I became lethargic and suffered mild brain damage.” Moreover, as mental disorders have been interpreted artistically in movies and novels, the public may sometimes be misled to misunderstand neurological disorders. As every coin has two sides, it’s our role to accept the positive side of “neuroculture” and discard the negative side of it.

 

Source:

Cotter, Holland, New York Times, Alex Grey Tibet House review, October 4, 2002

"Dave Bayer: Professor of Mathematics". Barnard College, Columbia University. Retrieved May 8, 2011.

Miller, David Ian. "LSD Helped Forge Alex Grey's Spiritual, Artistic and Love Lives." SFGate. N.p., 24 Mar. 2008. Web. 16 May 2016

Short, April M. "30 Self-Portraits Drawn While the Artist Was Under the Influence of 30 Drugs." Alternet. Alternet, 04 Apr. 2014. Web. 16 May 2016.

"Spider (2002): Reviews". Metacritic. CBS. Retrieved 2007-09-22.

Week 6 : Biotech + Art

After leaning some artworks that were created with biotech, I realize that there are some artists wasting high costs to use biotech to change their natural bodies or even design the bodies. I am shocked and do not really appreciate them. I am not the only one who feel uncomfortable about this combination of biotech and art. William Kearns, a medical geneticist, claimed that he is totally against it, and Mark Hughes, one of the inventors of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, called this non-therapeutic use “ridiculous and irresponsible.”

Portrait of Stelarc's 3rd Ear

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stelarc#/media/File:Portrait-of-Stelacr%27s-3rd-Ear-by-Shaun-Gladwell.gif

Stelarc is the famous artist who uses biotech to extend the capacities of the human body. In 2007, he implants an “ear” beneath the skin on his left forearm and his collaborator, Nina Sellars, photographed his body modification. Stelarc also once performed with a robotic third arm. In Stelarc’s opinion, the human body is obsolete and needed to be modified. I cannot agree with this idea. There are kids born with three legs or soldiers going back home without arms. They all wish they could have the “normal human bodies”. However, there is also a “creative” artist, who takes up the resources that could be used to treat disabled people.

Stelarc with his Robotic Third Arm

Additionally, I feel uncomfortable about the “designer babies”. To create a “designer baby”, doctors first screen the embryos and then use implantation or gene therapy to create desired traits in a child. I feel that the “designer babies” are more like idealized products than human babies. Moreover, the destruction of unwanted embryos seems unethical to me.

Designer Baby

https://www.google.com/search?q=designed+babies&biw=1405&bih=764&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjX-vq-kczMAhVJx2MKHQpaAXQQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=1ZwC4GGobGHbtM%3A

I understand that some artists are eager to be creative and they want to work in the fields that no one worked in before. However, in my opinion, there should be a boundary that the artists cannot cross. It’s not ethical to me for an artist to take up the therapeutic resources or for an artist to turn babies into products.

Source:
Johnson, Priya. "Pros and Cons of Designer Babies." Buzzle. Buzzle.com, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
Gautam. "A Baby Please. Blond, Freckles -- Hold the Colic".The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
"Designer Babies: A Right to Choose?" Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
"Performer gets third ear for art" BBC News. Last Updated: Thursday, 11 October 2007, 14:49 GMT 15:49 UK

Desma Event 1: Getty Museum

    
    On Sunday of week 4, April 24, 2016. I visited the Getty Museum as my first event for class. I have been to Getty Museum several times before. However, this is my first time to think about the meanings of science and art as I have been learned.

    I was trying to find interaction between the two cultures in everything I saw. Firstly, something I saw interesting in the structure of Getty Museum was that there are many square windows. The angle structure of buildings are symmetry no matter where you observe. This is evident that it represent some geometric design. I can observe the shapes that involves the Golden Ratio from many perspectives.

    
    Another point I like the most is the exhibition called “In Focus: Electric!” . There are many photographs of “artificial illumination”. This exhibition is to show how artists have incorporated technological progress in their work. It illustrates the thoughts of C.P Snow and shows that the real beauty is the combination of the two cultures. Unfortunately inside gallery no photos were allowed.

   

    The Getty is absolutely a wonderful place to see how artists use science and art to create many fascinating artwork. I would also recommend this event for my classmates.


 



    Other cool paintings: