Event 3 - Griffith Observatory

For my last event blog post, I visited the Griffith Observatory with a few friends. I have been there a few times before, and I thought it would be a great place to find a mixture of art and science, particularly art and space science, as discussed in the last lecture.

Figure 1. The entrance to Griffith Observatory.

While there are many amazing exhibits at the Observatory that show the topics of this course, I would like to focus on the pendulum for the purposes of this post. The Foucault Pendulum is one of the first things you see when you walk into the building. It is “one of the largest such devices in the world,” and contains a 240-pound bronze ball suspended by a 40-foot long cable (Griffith). The cable is mounted to the ceiling using a bearing that allows the cable to rotate freely. This means that the pendulum continuously swings in the same direction, while the Earth turns beneath it. To demonstrate this slow rotation of the Earth, the exhibit has several pegs set up along one side, which are sequentially knocked down as the Earth rotates.

Figure 2. The Foucault Pendulum at Griffith.
Photo credit: http://www.griffithobservatory.org/exhibits/centralrotunda_foucaultpendulum.html (because all of the pictures I tried to take of the pendulum did not come out).

To me, this is the COOLEST thing at the Observatory. It is a brilliant way to show something that is normally outside of our usual reference frame (aside from observing the movement of the sun) in a way that we can easily see. It was amazing to look at the pendulum on our way into the building, and then on the way out, see that more pegs have been knocked down. We stood around it and watched for a time, urging the ball to knock down more pegs, even though we knew that it all just depended on time.

Figure 3. Me and my crazy friends looking at the sun dial outside of Griffith.

Works Cited

"Foucault Pendulum." Griffith Observatory. Web. 7 June 2015.

"Foucault Pendulum in the Griffith Observatory Rotunda | Southern California Daily Photo." Southern California Daily Photo. 22 Feb. 2013. Web. 7 June 2015.

"Griffith Observatory." Official Site: Los Angeles, CA. Web. 7 June 2015.

"Griffith Observatory." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 7 June 2015.

"Pendulum." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 7 June 2015.

Event 2 - LACMA

Despite having lived in LA for more than seven years, I have never actually gotten the chance to visit LACMA, so when the museum appeared on the listing of events we could attend for this class, I jumped at the opportunity. As it turns out, LACMA actually has something they call the “Art + Technology Lab,” which “pair[s] artists with technology companies in Southern California” in order to support “artist experiments with emerging technology” (LACMA). Of course, this sounded like a perfect place to go for this event blog, so I made a trip there on May 31, 2015.

There were many inspiring and amazing displays, but given the word limitations for this blog, I will talk about one in particular: Newton Harrison’s Installation for Art and Technology. This display was part of LACMA’s original Art and Technology program from 1967-1971, and today’s display shows images of the installation process of the exhibit, as well as the finished product.

Figure 1. Harrison and Ray Goldstein from JPL work on the exhibit.

  Harrison worked with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a NASA-affiliated research center, to design and build an installation of Plexiglass tubes that show the effects of glow discharge. Glow discharge describes the “light effect that occurs when electrical current passes through gas, causing it to break down into plasma and glow in different colors” (LACMA). Glow discharge is essentially how the ubiquitous glowing neon signs in storefront windows work. This resulted in twelve-foot-high columns of continually fluctuating color and intensity. He also hid all of the supporting infrastructure (wiring, tubing, etc.) either under the floor or behind false walls so as not to distract viewers from the glow discharge columns.

Figure 2. Construction of the exhibit.

I believe that this display is a great example of the combination of art and technology that we have been discussing all quarter, particularly the Space + Art unit. It shows how simple chemical reactions can be made into beautiful and educational works of art.

Figure 3. The completed exhibit.

Works Cited

"Art Technology Lab." Art Technology Lab. Web. 6 June 2015.

"Art and Technology in the Archives at the Balch Art Research Library | Unframed." Art and Technology in the Archives at the Balch Art Research Library | Unframed. 7 July 2014. Web. 6 June 2015.

"Glow Discharge." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 6 June 2015.

Salsac, Lydie, and Thomas Nelis. "Glow Discharges." GlowDischarge.com. Web. 6 June 2015.

Scott, Gail R. "Newton Harrison." Media Arts and Technology Graduate Program. University of California, Santa Barbara. Web. 6 June 2015.

Event 1 - The Getty Center

I went to The Getty Center for UCLA’s College Night at The Getty this year, and took the opportunity to look around for inspiration for an event blog post for this class. First of all, it was a great event (free food—who doesn’t like free food?), and it was the perfect time to visit the Center.

When I arrived, I fully expected to be wandering the rooms looking for a display that I could relate to the class, but instead, I found myself captivated by the area outside of the Center: the gardens and the building architecture. Not only is The Getty a place to display art, it is also a work of art in and of itself.

Architecture is something I mentioned in my very first blog post for this class. To me, it seems to be the perfect representation of the mutually beneficial relationship between art and science. The Getty buildings are a great example of this. They are amazing to look at, and yet are also perfectly suited to their purposes, as buildings and as display spaces.

Figure 1. Some of the amazing architecture at The Getty Center.

I was also fascinated by the gardens outside of the buildings. In my previous visits to the Center, I never had the chance to walk around outside. This time, however, I was able to see the amazing plant sculptures and the waterfall. Again, I see these as more examples of architecture, and the marriage of art and science.

Figure 2. The waterfall in the gardens at The Getty Center.

Take, for example, the sculpture photographed below. This looks to made of welded pieces of rebar covered with plants. Achieving the symmetry of the towers must have taken exacting calculations, and the result is quite stunning.

Figure 3. The bougainvillea arbors at The Getty Center. 

Works Cited

"Architecture, Art or Science?" Architecture, Art or Science? Web. 6 June 2015.

"Gardens | Getty Center." The J. Paul Getty in Los Angeles. Web. 6 June 2015.

Moore, Charles W. "Architecture: Art and Science." Journal of Architectural Education 19.4 (1965): 53-56. Print.

Panek, Richard. "Art and Science: A Universe Apart?" The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 Feb. 1999. Web. 6 June 2015.

"The Getty." The Getty. Web. 6 June 2015.

Unit Nine - Space + Art

This week’s topic is much closer to my typical area of interest than the past couple of weeks. As a student in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department, I have had some exposure to space technology. What really struck me about the discussion about the launch of Sputnik and the Space Race was how far the technology has come in just a few decades. In 1957, news of the launch of Sputnik was huge, and changed the world. Now, satellite technology has progressed so much that even students can design and build small satellites. Take for example, UCLA’s own nano-satellite program, ELFIN (Electron Losses and Fields Investigation). This satellite is being developed using input from students and faculty at UCLA, and is just one example of how far satellite technology has progressed over the years.

Figure 1. UCLA's ELFIN satellite.

Something else I decided to do a little more research on for this week was Buckyballs, which Professor Vesna mentioned in her lecture. The name caught my attention because of the magnetic toy of the same name. Buckyball, or buckminsterfullerene, is a cage-like, spherical structure made of carbon atoms. It is an extremely stable molecule with potential future applications in medicine and other fields. Toy Buckyballs are made of extremely strong magnets and can be used to make structures similar to buckminsterfullerenes. These little magnetic balls have been used to make extraordinary structures, and I believe they are a good representation of how science and art can be used together for the expression of creativity as well as for education.

Figure 2. Buckminsterfullerene.

Figure 3. Buckyballs magnetic toys.

Works Cited

"Buckminsterfullerene." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 27 May 2015.

"Carbon Nanotubes & Buckyballs." Carbon Nanotubes & Buckyballs. UW MRSEC Education Group, 20 May 2015. Web. 27 May 2015.

Garber, Steve. "Sputnik." Sputnik. NASA History, 10 Oct. 2007. Web. 27 May 2015.

"Mission." ELFIN. 3 Apr. 2015. Web. 27 May 2015.

"Buckyballs." Buckyballs. Web. 27 May 2015.

Unit Eight - NanoTech + Art

My first thought when I read the title of this week’s topic was of sci-fi. Nanoscience is a popular topic for science fiction novels and movies. One of my favorite books that focuses on nanoscience is “Prey,” by Michael Crichton. This book details the adventures of a group of scientists who have created nano-scale robots that operate with hive-mind intelligence. Interestingly, this story reads as a cautionary tale against the dangers of scientific and technological advances. After comparing the book and this week’s lecture, there were quite a few differences to note, and I realized that science and technology, specifically in the context of nanotechnology, have many costs that come along with the benefits. The example of tiny robots impersonating people and taking over factories may be an extreme example of a con, but it serves the purpose of fostering awareness of the fact that developments can lead to consequences as well as positive effects for society.

Figure 1. "Prey," by Michael Crichton.

My other point in talking about books and movies such “Prey” is that just the fact that nanotechnology appears in these popular sources shows just how much science and art influence each other. I know I’ve said this pretty much every week this quarter, but taking this class makes everyday examples of this melding even more clear. Science inspires art, and vice versa, as artists envision ideas that scientists figure out how to carry out. A simple example of this that moves beyond movies and literature is how nanoscience is used to conserve works of art (Baglioni).

Figure 2. Nanoscience is used for art conservation.

Figure 3. Image made with atoms by IBM as part of nanotechnology research.

Works Cited

Baglioni, Piero. Nanoscience for the Conservation of Works of Art. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013. Print.

Crichton, Michael. Prey: Novel. New York: Harper Collins, 2002. Print.

Lovgren, Stefan. "Can Art Make Nanotechnology Easier to Understand?" National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 23 Dec. 2003. Web. 23 May 2015.

"Prey (novel)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 23 May 2015.

"Nanotechnology." National Geographic Education. Web. 23 May 2015.

Unit Seven - NeuroSci + Art

When I first saw this week’s topic, I immediately thought of optical illusions. I think optical illusions are a perfect example of how art works within and outside of the boundaries of the brain to alter perception. Take, for example, the illusion below, created by Nobuyuki Kayahara. Is she spinning clockwise or counterclockwise? Even if you only see her spinning in one direction at first, it is possible to get yourself to see it the other way, as well. This illusion uses the idea of bistable perception, which means that a 2-D figure can be seen from two different perspectives, due to the way our brains try to make up for the missing third dimension (Cherry).

Figure 1. Spinning dancer illusion.

Another way in which art is used to alter the perception of the mind is through the meditative creation of art, such as mandalas. These sand creations are used in Tibetan Buddhism for meditation, healing, purification, and healing. In clinical studies, mandalas have actually been shown to improve health by boosting the immune system, reducing stress and pain, and promoting sleep, among other benefits (Lane). This is most likely due to the meditation involved in creating mandalas, which has been shown to have a real effect on the brain.

Figure 2. Mandala.

And finally for this week, I’d also like to talk a little about the relationship between art and mental disorders. Art is a unique way of expressing what is going on in the brain, as can be seen in the images below. The first image is a painting by Louis Wain during his “normal,” healthy period. The second image is by the same artist, but during the fifth stage of a mental disorder. You can see through his art how the disorder greatly affected his brain, and his perception of the world.

Figure 3. Normal period.

Figure 4. Stage five.

Works Cited

"Brain Tricks." The Wall Street Journal, 20 Nov. 2010. Web. 16 May 2015.

Cardoso, Silvia Helena. "Neuroscience Art Gallery: Art by Psychotics. Louis Wain." Neuroscience Art Gallery: Art by Psychotics. Louis Wain. Web. 16 May 2015.

Cherry, Kendra. "Spinning Dancer Illusion - The Silhouette Illusion." About Education. Web. 16 May 2015.

Lane, Carin. "Mandalas May Boost Benefits of Meditation." Times Union. 29 Dec. 2012. Web. 16 May 2015.

Malchiodi, Cathy. "Cool Art Therapy Intervention #6: Mandala Drawing." Psychology Today. 17 Mar. 2010. Web. 16 May 2015.

Martinez-Conde, Susana, and Stephen L. Macknik. "Art as Visual Research: 12 Examples of Kinetic Illusions in Op Art." Scientific American Global RSS. 18 Nov. 2008. Web. 16 May 2015.

"Tibetan Healing Mandala - The Mandala." Tibetan Healing Mandala - The Mandala. Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Web. 16 May 2015.

Unit Six - BioTech + Art

I found it interesting that Professor Vesna mentioned body modification in this week’s lecture, as I wrote a bit about it in last week’s blog post for MedTech + Art. What is fascinating about the topic in light of this week’s line of thinking is that idea of going even farther than just sub-dermal implants, piercings, and tattoos, into playing with genetics. So far, most biotechnological art has dealt with bacteria, plants, or animals, but I would not be surprised to find it moving into human genetics in the future, once legal obstacles have been surmounted. In answer to one of the questions posed by Ruth West, no, I do not think there are limits to human creativity, although I do believe that there should be limits to what is actually carried out, based on ethical and moral standards.

Figure 1. Painting made with bacteria.

This week seems to be a good week to connect to another class I am currently taking, MCDB 50, which deals with the ethics and politics of human stem cell research. In the context of this topic, I will give my answer to another one of Ruth West’s questions: that of whether the restrictions for scientists and artists should be the same or different. I think that human embryonic stem cell research should be used solely for scientific research purposes, to develop treatments that can save people’s lives. I do not think it would be morally justifiable for artists to use these stem cells (which, it should be noted, require the destruction of human embryos to derive) for non-therapeutic purposes. In other words, there is a need for separate standards in some cases.

Figure 2. A prototype of bioreactor-grown tissue in the form of a jacket.

That said, I do believe that there is a value to the use of biotechnology for art, as I believe that in working together, bio-technologists and artists can build of the knowledge of each other and in doing so, advance both the field, and other aspects of society, at a much faster rate. Unlike scientists, artists are not limited by “some greater medical or biological necessity” (Miranda).

Figure 3. Bioart project that uses DNA to 3D print faces.

Works Cited:

"Bio Art & Design Awards." Bio Art Design Awards. Web. 11 May 2015.

"From the Laboratory to the Studio: Interdisciplinary Practices in Bio Art." School of Visual Arts | SVA | New York City. Web. 11 May 2015. .

Ghose, Tia. "Bio-Art: 3D-Printed Faces Reconstructed from Stray DNA." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 16 Mar. 2015. Web. 11 May 2015.

Miranda, Carolina. "Weird Science: Biotechnology as Art Form." ARTnews. 18 Mar. 2013. Web. 11 May 2015.

Solon, Olivia. "Bioart: The Ethics and Aesthetics of Using Living Tissue as a Medium." Wired.com. 

Conde Nast Digital, 28 July 2011. Web. 11 May 2015.

Unit Four - MedTech + Art

At the beginning of the quarter, I actually had the opportunity to visit a Bodies exhibit in Las Vegas, similar to the one Professor Vesna spoke about in her lecture this week. I found the exhibit quite fascinating, and what really intrigued me was the plastination process used to preserve and display the bodies. It seems to me that it takes a significant amount of medical knowledge to complete this task, but it also takes creativity. The design and creation of the displays can take years and results in a piece that is instructive and engrossing. The plastination process used for these types of exhibits is described in the video below.

BODY WORLDS The plastination process.

Another topic in this week’s lecture that I enjoyed learning about was the Human Genome Project. I remember learning a bit about the project and its potential impact on medicine and biotechnology in high school.

There is actually an immersive exhibit based on the project, called “Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code,” which is the result of a partnership between the Smithsonian and the National Human Genome Research Institute. This exhibit works to bring some aspects of genomic science to the public through informative and interactive displays involving the human genome (Rothstein).

Part of the Genome exhibit.

Now on to a slightly different topic from this week: plastic surgery. The lecture about plastic surgery was actually what really helped me to grasp the concept of the connections between medical technology and art. Plastic surgery is becoming increasingly popular as a way for people to change their appearance to suit their personal ideals. What’s interesting is that this really shows just how different every person’s idea of beauty is. There are people who use plastic surgery to attempt to either conform to popular notions of beauty or duplicate celebrities’ features, as well as those who use it for extreme body modification. Many of those involved in these procedures, which can include piercings as well as plastic surgery, refer to themselves as “body modification artists” (Youn).

An example of body modification.

Works Cited

“BODY WORLDS The Plastination Process." YouTube. YouTube. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.

Genome: Unlocking Life's Code. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://unlockinglifescode.org/>.

Rothstein, Edward. "The ABC’s of Your DNA." The New York Times. The New York Times, 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.

“The Human Genome Project." Genetics Home Reference. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/hgp?show=all>.

Youn, Anthony. "Body Modification -- or Mutilation? - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 7 Nov. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.

Unit Three - Robotics + Art

The topic that really captured my attention in lecture this week was the mention of automata and their role in the development of modern robots. Early examples of automata, which are typically mechanical devices and toys driven by clockwork, can be seen in Greek mythology, as well in texts from ancient China. These machines are not only incredible feats of engineering, but can also be looked at as works of art, and in fact, even today, the art of creating automata is becoming increasingly popular, as can be seen in the video below.

"CBS Sunday Morning - Lost Art of Automatons Alive Again"

One of my favorite examples of an older automaton is ‘The Writer,’ built in the 18^th century by Jaquet Droz. This automaton uses an intricate series of clockwork and cams to write out programmed letters, all disguised in the body of a life-like doll. The origins of modern robots can easily be seen in ‘The Writer,’ with its use of automation to complete a task, in this case, writing.

"'The Writer' Automaton"

In the movie Hugo, the main character finds a broken automaton similar to ‘The Writer’ and sets out on a mission to repair it, believing that it holds a secret message.

"Hugo" Movie Poster

I believe that the idea behind Benjamin’s comments on the reproduction of art also applies to automata. Many years ago, automata were created by clock makers as a way to show off their skills (CBS), and many of these creations are now displayed in museums around the world. It would not be very difficult, mechanically speaking, to mass-produce copies of these devices to be sold to museum-goers as souvenirs, but, as Walter Benjamin says, “mechanical reproduction of art changes the reaction of the masses toward art." Copies of these automata would lose some of the charm and creativity that makes the originals so fascinating.

Works Cited

Addams, Robert. "Automata History." Automata. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. <http://www.mechanical-toys.com/History page.htm>.

Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. 1936. Print.

"CBS Sunday Morning - Lost Art of Automatons Alive Again." YouTube. YouTube, 29 Jan. 2012. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.

"Hugo (film)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_(film)>.

"'The Writer' Automaton." YouTube. YouTube, 17 Apr. 2014. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.

Unit Two - Math + Art

My first two years of college, I lived in the dorms with my friend, who was majoring in music. Throughout those two years, she had to take a Music Theory class, part of which involved analyzing music from the perspective of mathematics. Prior to listening in on her group study sessions, I had never realized just how closely related music and math are. This week’s lecture and readings served to open my mind up even more to the relationship between different forms of art and mathematics.

Figure 1. A spectrogram of a violin waveform, showing how math can be related to music.

I especially enjoyed the portion of the lecture that dealt with perspective in art. I have never had much skill with drawing, but the one technique that always helped me whenever I attempted it was to use geometric shapes and the concepts of perspective as discussed in lecture. The ability to use concrete mathematical formulas to create completely unique works of art is truly amazing, and really serves to show just how well the two subjects can blend together. Returning to the discussion of the two cultures from last week, I believe that this is another example of why art and science should not be completely separated.

Figure 2. An example of a painting where the concept of perspective can be seen in everything from the squares on the floor to the shrinking of the arches in the background.

One of my other favorite examples of the combination of math and art is in the use of fractals, which was mentioned in lecture. Fractals can be described mathematically, and are seen everywhere in nature, as well as in art. Hearing a bit about fractals in lecture inspired me to do a little more research into where they can be observed in nature.

Figure 3. One of my favorite examples of fractals in nature: the inside of a nautilus shell.

Additionally, I found the discussion of the fourth dimension Henderson’s Geometry in Modern Art to be particularly interesting, as I have always been somewhat fascinated by the idea of a fourth dimension. It was enlightening to read about it from the perspective of art rather than just math, which is what I have always been more familiar and more comfortable with.

I believe that part of the beauty of math is that it can be used to describe certain aspects of art, as well as the world around us.

Works Cited

"14 Amazing Fractals Found in Nature." MNN. 24 Apr. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.

Henderson, Linda. "The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art: Conclusion." Leonardo 17.3 (1984): 205-10. J Stor. The MIT Press. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0024-094X(1984)17:32.0.CO;2-1>.

"Music and Mathematics." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.

Raphael. The School of Athens. Digital image. Op-art.co.uk. Web.

"Spirals." Fractal Foundation Online Course. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.

Unit One - Two Cultures

As a senior in high school, while applying for college and trying to determine my future major, the first step I took was to eliminate those subjects which I did not feel I was suited to; namely, any sort of art, literature, or language. This essentially left me with math and science, and so I chose to pursue engineering. Looking back, I can clearly see the influence of the two cultures described by C. P. Snow in his lecture; I was convinced that I would have to choose one or the other.

Even now, at UCLA, I can still see the two cultures in the separation of the school into North Campus and South Campus, each with their own associated stereotypes. I feel like I’m in a different world when I have classes in the other section of campus, because I spend the majority of my time in South Campus.

Fig. 1. The division between UCLA's North and South Campuses is evident in this competition put on by The UCLA Fund.

After reading Snow’s lecture, I began to realize just how divided our world is. Not just North and South Campus at UCLA, but also our mindsets.

Again, going back to when I was filling out college applications, I knew that all the universities were looking for what they termed “well-rounded” students, yet I had no idea what that really meant. I assumed that it meant they were looking for students who participated in extracurricular activities or volunteer work outside of school, but I never considered the idea that it could mean more than that. In light of what I have learned from this first unit, I can see that the term well-rounded can really be seen as a reference to the third culture, a culture that is not segregated between art and science, but instead involves knowledge, understanding, and respect for both. This realization can help with learning to communicate more effectively with people from all different backgrounds and interests. It can also help us to understand the necessity of both art and science in the continuing advancement of the world.

Fig. 2. A UCLA graduate student demonstrates the use of both art and science as a software artist.

Fig. 3. Architecture can be seen as an example of the benefits of combining art and science.

Works Cited

Barrabash. Deviantart. 2009. Web. 4 April 2015.

Emerson, Owen. Daily Bruin. 24 February 2015. Web. 4 April 2015.

Snow, C.P. “Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.” Cambridge University, New York. 1959.

The UCLA Fund. 22 May 2013. Web. 4 April 2015

Wilkinsin, Chris. “Bridging Art and Science.” WilkinsonEyre.Architects. 2001. Web. 4 April 2015.