Event 4: Art Science Undergraduate Society, Movement

This exhibition, titled Movement, was put together by UCLA art students who showcased their perceptions of kinetics in art.  I'll admit, going by myself to this was not my cup of tea, and I really felt out of place because it wasn't very welcoming (in my haste, I forgot to take a photo with someone there!).  But the pieces I saw were really well thought out, and I was impressed at how it was all student pieces.

Linear representation of hand motions

The pieces above connected really well to my cognitive psych class and how our eye works together to form and perceive movement - all in a complex manner but with very little thought on our part.  This piece reminded me of the robotics unit in that our muscles and movements are very controlled and established in a predetermined system, much as how robots are programmed to move.

Pencil illustration of the anatomy and physiology behind running

Interactive map to demonstrate different pathways between two halves of campus

Shi's "Crossroads: A Web of Paths" immediately drew my attention (and was interactive too!) from the colors and 3D aspects.  It instantly reminded me of our introduction lecture about the two cultures.  Shi acknowledged and pushed the boundary between the North vs. South campus divide, and it was fascinating to see their medium in working to bridge the gap in order to collaborate and share knowledge.  Here, you can see how a geographic divide can instantly create different group.  The perpetuation of such stereotypes regarding the two campuses  are dangerous, and Movement is one way to keep from falling in that line of thinking and allowing for intersecting pathways.

Overall, I felt as if this show really helped bring the class to full circle, especially with Shi's piece.  We started off with this awareness that the divide exists and may be detrimental to the growth of either or both art and science - and now we wrap up with the visual representation of how that may change, if merely by the crossing of paths.  This exhibit is no longer up, but I would have suggested people to come, if only to see first the yarns of movement and to add to Shi's piece.  I hope this show and the class overall has helped alleviate the divide in one way or another.  

Event 3: Vivan Sundaram, Making Strange: Gagawaka + Postmortem

First thing: I'm in love with this place.  Second thing: This may be UCLA's best kept secret spot ever. Or have I just been missing out?

Clearly not a model the way this piece was...
Can you guess what it's made out of?*

A bit of background for this exhibit: Sundaram combined two of his projects to bring Making Strange, which touches upon fashion with recycled or medical materials, like hospital gowns, x-ray film, and used tampons (I'll spare all of you the photos, but ladies, this is some empowering stuff especially when menstruation and tampon taxes are so taboo).  With different mannequins and wooden models, he portrays the stigmas of aging and the medical efforts that may or may not preserve life.

My favorite piece, "Liberty" made of fiberglass and rubber

I think exhibits like this help with both our appreciation of the world but for own creative works (like our final project).  Sundaram uses every day supplies in a way that portrays less of MedTech, but rather, utilizing MedTech in order to create the pieces.  The use of installation art and how it flows about the room was fascinating to experience.  It guides viewers through these empowering models and wraps up with some darker pieces of bodies in tombs and small artifacts.

Made of various medical supplies, like bandages and braces

Overall, this exhibit really struck me from the social issues Sundaram calls attention to.  Some of the wooden props evoked a lot of fear and anxiety - suggesting a darkness and end to life.  This made me realize how our class really did hone in on the intersections of science and art in a more technical manner and left the imagination and feeling aspect to our own devices.  While science itself is typically not emotional, art transforms the information in a way so that we can all empathize or connect to it in some way.  This exhibit is a great example of this.

I'll definitely be back soon...

I highly, highly suggest visiting (or not, so it'll forever be my secret place).  You get an experience as if you were at the Getty or LACMA right here at UCLA, and it is so empowering for women, especially.  But beyond that, the intersection of medicine, aging, art, and so much more are humbling and truly creative.

*red bra cups

Week 9 - Space + Art

"The Mountains of Eternal Light" by Miller -
how can you not resonate with this image?

Image of a comet from NASA

The creation of space art would not have been possible without the media attention and scientific discoveries that made space more accessible.  Professor Vesna described both mediums separately, detailing the advancement of telescopes that allowed us to see far away planets and the arms race that sensationalized the space exploration mission in the 20th century (Vesna).  However, without either aspect, we would not have seen the boom of science and art intersecting to bring the universe to the everyday person.

Because scientists may view art as a distraction to the advances of space now, “there used to be a much closer overlap between the imaginative source of science and art that was shared in the years before that caught so much of our imagination," (Foust).  From lecture, we discussed mostly the practicality of the space art, but along the way, I think the emotional and personal connection to space may have been forgotten.  Space art can be a medium to captivate audiences.  How else would this field have grown the way it has if people were not drawn to it?

After all, art is an avenue for "a glimpse back at the cutting-edge astronomy of yesteryear" (Grabianowski).  I enjoyed the take away that this medium allowed for the universe to be seen by more people beyond the scientists and astronauts working on the projects.  Throughout the course, we have seen this common theme - of art being used as a medium to bring the sciences to just about anyone.  While some may not understand the exact mathematical measurements of the universe for example, the photos and videos will hint at the immense enormity of space.

Depiction by astronaut and artist, Alan Bean,
who walked on the moon

However, beyond illustrating the reality of space through art, "many artists work closely with astronomers in creating scientifically accurate depictions of astronomical subjects, space artists have always felt free to interpret the wonders of astronomy and space exploration as they see fit" (Miller).  I saw this as a strength of space art, in that imagination and creativity are never limited to the constraints of what we discover.  The themes of space - the vastness and the unknown - are all things we can depict and recreate, with or without science.

Works Cited

Carroll, Michael.  "Space Art - Illustrating the Universe." Astronomy Today. Web. 29 May 2015. 

Foust, Jeff.  "When space and art intersect." The Space Review. 8 Sep. 2009.  Web. 29 May. 2015.

Grabianowski, Ed. "An Astounding History of Scientific Space Art from the Past 200 Years." io9 We Come From the Future. 20 Nov. 2014. Web. 29 May. 2015.

Miller, Roy. "The Art of Space, Envisioning the Universe (Op-Ed)." Space. 10 Nov. 2014. Web. 29 May. 2015.

Vesna, Victoria. "8 space pt1." Online video clip. Youtube. Youtube, 22 Apr. 2012. Web. 28 May. 2015.

Event 2: Robert Gero, Infinity Structures: Paradoxical Spaces

Poster for the exhibit

Unfortunately, I made it to the exhibit after hours with my friend, and so everyone was at the LASER symposium (also recommended, though I only was able to stay for three presentations - all very cool!) down the hall.  However, experiencing the room with the display with just another person made it very intimate and meaningful as we were transported into the themes of infinity and challenging paradoxes.

Photo in the middle of the exhibit!  Dark lighting, whoops

Our lecture in the Math+Art unit went in depth about the creation of zero, but we didn't touch base on infinity.  This exhibit supplemented that perfectly, as you got to experience infinity in Gero's interpretation.  It may be considered a "number" of sorts for some people, but the portrayal with a "stable exterior and an infinitely expanding interior" as described by Gero challenged the views of what infinity means or the interpretations you can draw from it.

Shifting lights and pillow display

What really struck me was the fragility of the pieces.  The white beams were made out of foam, and I was scared of accidentally bumping into one and knocking the whole thing down.  However, from afar, the structure looks so strong and solid - purposeful but with closer inspection, a bit unsteady.  It was difficult to really visualize the inner portions growing beyond that of the external, as it took a bit of imagination to really imagine that break down, similar to how we have to imagine and really take for face value the existence of atoms on a microlevel.

Powers of Ten (from lecture)

This helped with my understanding of our Space + Art unit too - space does not have to mean the outer space of the universe, but rather another form of understanding how it fills the voids around us on any level, be it micro or macro.  It reminded of of the Powers of Ten video (see above) as Gero presented this growing, infinity structure - while as we moved out in the powers of ten, you could almost feel the infinity in a moving, yet focused view of the man's hand.  

Another view of the Infinity Structures

This exhibit was really cool to experience in person - I would not miss out!  You can't experience it fully without hearing the soundscape in the background by Greif that contributes to the feeling of being infinite.  It's a surreal feeling that will overcome you, as I know I felt extra small within the space and in the world when I really embraced the gravity of the exhibit and what Gero wanted to demonstrate with the fluid space.

Event 1: Kathy High, Waste Matters: You Are My Future

Photo on site!  

The center display "The Bank of Abject Objects"

I almost didn't get to see Kathy High's exhibit, "Waste Matters: You Are My Future," but it was definitely an experience that I won't forget anytime soon.  To be honest, I didn't read the description of the event too carefully before going, so I dragged along an unsuspecting friend who had some interest in microbiology and medicine.

Little did we know how the exhibit would push the boundaries of acceptable discussion topics and friendship... I'm probably over-exaggerating, but the display in the very center of the room featured fecal matter preserved in honey representing High's research of fecal transplants and bacteria within our bodies!  The curator helped explain to us High's Crohn disease and how it influenced her art with aspects of immunology.  As this was my first exhibit I attended, it took awhile to adjust and put on the lens of someone studying both art and science in a critical manner, rather than a mere passerby shocked by the material.

Here's a better photo of the playground piece with reference to the digestive system

This was a very visual representation of how medicine, technology, and art could be combined for such huge medical benefits and understanding of illnesses.  High's symbolism of how waste and bacteria - as gross as they may be - are so essential for life and being grounded to the earth in humility.  It was a very new way to interpret our unit on MedTech, and I was surprised at how artists like High could turn something we usually disregard or ignore as trivial into something empowering for herself and those with Crohn's disease who would benefit from greater awareness of how important the digestive tract is and the severity of the issue if it were impaired.

The curator taking photos of the letter High wrote to Bowie asking for his fecal matter for transplant

The biotech in the basis of High's exhibit brought to life the themes of functional waste.  I'd recommend this show if it was on display again - though it requires an open mind and at times, a very straight face.  It'll help challenge your ways of thinking - and I know it will help inspire my final project as it forced me to think critically of even the most minor of things we take for granted.

I loved her self-portrait!

Week 8 - NanoTech + Art

Vesna and Gimzewski's interactive butterfly morphology display 

Nanotechnology before this class to me was learning "nano" as a unit and how it was one of the smallest particles to be measured.  With Professor Gimzewski's lecture, my classes in chemistry definitely came to life, and I saw more of how the science concepts I learned was applied in real life - in many different areas including art and medicine!

It has definitely been further defined by Professor Vesna and Gimzewski with a new project that "allows visitors to experience nanotechnology by sensing it, even when they can't see it" (Lovgren).  From this, you can see how the advances of nanotechology are pioneering the future - and artists making it come to life for everyone else to perceive visually and spatially.  I appreciated how this modern, cutting edge research was made readily understandable to everyone, instead of it being specialized for scientists.

Orefescu's nanoart Flamingo representation

Orefescu is another artist who seeks to make this science open to all, as his “work loses the basic scientific information in the end, but with more than 70 percent of the people in the U.S. using products incorporating nanotechnology, [he] wants people to know about it and hopes art stirs their curiosity to find out more” (Feder).  Even though it may not be completely scientific or accurate, any amount of understanding and stimulation of curiosity to pursue more knowledge will only benefit our society.  A greater sense of how important this work is will have people embrace and appreciate the technology more in a medium that is more approachable.   

Krasek's piece "Quasicrystal Blossoms"

NanoArt is another field that allows "an unbelievably tiny world that only a small number of scientists have viewed." Artist Krasek incorporates that using "Fibonacci sequences, inward infinity and perceptual ambiguity," (Extraordinary Beauty of the NanoArt World: Photos) all concepts we have either covered or are closely connected.  While this nano level system is more often than not invisible to the human eye, these art productions make it beautiful while referencing the usefulness it has in our everyday life.  Clearly, art and science has come full circle, both within our class and within the realm of nanotech.

Works Cited

"Extraordinary Beauty of the NanoArt World: Photos." Discovery News. 12 Dec. 2012. Web. 22 May. 2015. 

Feder, Barnaby. "The Art of Nanotech." Bits. New York Times, 25 Jan. 2008. Web. 22 May. 2015.

Gimzewski, James. "Nanotech for Artists Part 5 - Dr. Gimzewski." Youtube. 21 May. 2012. Web. 21 May. 2015. 

Lovgren, Stefan. "Can Art Make Nanotechnology Easier to Understand?" National Geographic. 23 Dec. 2013. Web. 22 May. 2015.

"When Nanotechnology Meets Art."  Science and Religion. 20 Apr. 2011. Web. 22 May. 2015. 

Week 7 - Neuroscience + Art

Saunders huffing lighter fluid (self-portrait) featured by Luxton

Truthfully, this week's material stumped me in a new way - Professor Vesna opened with consciousness, dreams, and the idea of mind control, but then jumped right into neuroscience and even psychology concepts of nervous systems and visual cognition and perception.  And all that talk of LSD and cocaine - did I miss some terribly important transition or what?

Yet, this often unspoken topic of illicit drugs and the direct effects it has on people's neurochemical pathways and creativity had the clearest connections.  Here, we see direct manipualations of the brain mechanisms and how it influences and shapes and inspires artist's works.  For example, Huxley was a pioneer of art inspired or under the influence of mescaline and created works regarding his experiences (Vesna).  His book thrived with these recollections and the aesthetics.

Saunders under influence of Xanax (self-portrait) featured by Luxton

Bryan Saunders, in a similar manner, directly shaped his art by trying various drugs and creating a self-portrait of himself following each consumption of drug (Luxton).  Though at the expense of his own body and with some effects of brain damage, he created numerous works (two featured to the right) that illustrated the drastic effects of drugs on oneself and how it alters one's perspective.

However, that raises another question of how much art has been created purely due to the consumption of such drugs.  Fields raises a question about musicians who admitted to using drugs while creating their art: "Was the music they produced using a pharmacological crutch worth the silence of music unborn, which will never be heard because of their premature death?"

Jamison suggests mania of mental illnesses drives art

This alludes to the art created by those who didn't take drugs, even for mental illnesses.  The mania driven in the neurochemistry produced art quite unseen.  Many talented writers throughout history were plagued by different disorders of the mind and often succumbed to unfortunate ends due to the lack of treatment.  Yet, leading up to this, the musicians, writers, painters, and such create beautiful works driven by the highs of their disorders or as coping mechanisms.

So, we see that "The creative work of an artist who overcomes their mental illness–often by turning to art and literature to help them cope–is an inspirational personal triumph. But the creative work of a person who induces mental imbalance pharmacologically is the product of a drug" (Fields).  Clearly, manipulations of neuroscience through drugs or alternate brain wirings as seen in mental disorders add more depth and perspective to art that otherwise would not so clearly defined and illustrated.  Do we judge differently based on how that art was created or the background pathway it took?

Works Cited

Anthony, Robert. "Artist Creates Self-Portraits On Different Drugs, And The Results Are Insane." Elite Daily.  31 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 May 2015.

Fields, Douglas. "Creativity, Madness and Drugs." Scientific American.  22 Nov. 2013. Web. 15 May 2015.

Luxton, Rebecca. "A Man Got High on 52 Different Drugs Then Drew These Trippy Self-Portraits." Ryot News + Action.  Ryot, 2014. Web. 15 May 2015.

"The Influence of Drugs in Art History." Huffington Post. 20 Apr. 2011.  Web. 15 May 2015.

Vesna, Victoria. "Neuroscience pt. 2." Online video clip. Youtube. Youtube, 29 Apr. 2012. Web. 14 May 2015.

Week 6 - BioTech + Art

Stelarc's performance piece, Ping Body

Human creativity is what pushes our society forward, in terms of the beauty and technology that comes forth from the artists and scientists.  Although scientists are called the experimenters in labs and test trials, artists themselves also have the leeway to experiment with different techniques, much to some debate about controversial acts to humans and animals.  The question is, to what extent may artists push the boundaries, who don't already have ethical laws to follow?

Scientist Haldane self-experimenting in a deep-sea diving chamber

Stelarc, known for his attachment of a third ear on his arm,  formed the Ping Body project "in which he wired himself to the internet — quite literally — by attaching electrodes to various muscles, which could then be activated by remote users" (Dayal).  Stelarc's messages of global connections through the internet and the feelings of human connection through technological interfaces captures the fusion of biotech and art.  Because his experiments are on his own body and is supported by his own free will, I personally am hesitant to refer his work to some of the ethical dilemmas present in artists' manipulations of the body, genes, and animals.

What ethical implications exist for wearable technology?

However, scientists themselves have discussed an idea called "self-experimentation" (Carisa).   While more prevalent before the establishment of ethical review boards, scientists are limited based on a set of rules.  Often, they are not allowed to include themselves as subjects to their experiments, though there are many instances where the scientist, or performer, is placed within the experiment itself though it may devalue the data (Haris).

This does not take into consideration experiments and art forms that extend beyond just the artists' own life and body.  Miranda talks about works that carry "emotional reactions that biotechnology can inspire, especially in the wake of 9/11."  Considering how such art does not create quite as physical benefits that scientists generate for the medical or defense fields, it raises the questions of what can be done in respect to the life forms around us and the consequences they may carry.

Though there may not be answers now, these are all relevant questions that artists must consider before proceeding with their artist expression and manipulations of life.  Professor Vesna, through the varying examples that explore the many realms of ethicality and societal acceptance of art, hinted that such bioart must be taken beyond face value.  Society must also take a more active role in determining and pondering the ethical implications, even more so than they already do for scientists, of artists who challenge the norms and express themselves in biotechnological mechanisms.

Works Cited

Cunningham, Carisa. "Scientists discuss experiments on self." HARVARD GAZETTE ARCHIVES. Harvard University Gazette. Web. 9 May 2015.

Dayal, Greeta. "For Extreme Artist Stelarc, Body Mods Hint at Humans’ Possible Future." Wired. Wired, 2 May 2012. Web. 9 May 2015.

Haris, Eleanor. "Eight scientists who became their own guinea pigs." NewScientist, 11. Mar. 2009. Web. 9 May 2015.

Miranda, Carolina. "WEIRD SCIENCE: BIOTECHNOLOGY AS ART FORM." Art News, 18 Mar. 2013. Web. 9 May 2015.

Kershen, Drew. "The Concept Of Natural: Implications For Biotechnology Regulation." AgBioWorld. Web. 9 May 2015.