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.