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.