Extra Credit Event

On Decemer 5th, I went to the CNSI building again for the Art and Science Gallery. It reminded me of the first event I visited which was the "Cardiac Dance: The Spirals of Life." The title for this gallery was called "What Comes to Mind: Memory Traces/Engrams from The Anatomy Lesson." It was ran by Joyce Cutler-Shaw. When I went into the room, the size of the room was less bigger than I thought. Nevertheless, I soon focused on Joyce's work which she combined two different photos together.

The interesting fact of her works was that she did not just put any photos together, but the photos that show her memory and personal life story in New York. She had been working on the human cycle (birth to death) and also produced art works. Some had skeleton and brain in her photos and the screen what projector was shooting on the wall.

Her representation of history and memory including the life and death cycle of human helped me review what I learned in Desma class. It was the lecture of neuroscience and art. I posted a photo of human brain with a butterfly on the brain as you can see underneath this paragraph. It was the work by Suzanne Anker who worked with Giovanni Frazzetto and began their amazing "neuroculture project." On the fMRI scans, they put butterfly and it shows how a butterfly has an identical print on a brain. They gave a great opportunity on combining two different and separated topics together.

I searched her name and found her other works like public projects, early works, alphabet of bones and other unique visual art works. I think she is a great artist who could think of unusual and unique style of work that nobody did not touch. At first, her works were serious and scary, I found a really deep meaning because she has found another way, the way that no one tried as I mentioned. It is a true talent for her and I enjoyed the time spending inside of the small gallery room of recalling my memory. I wondered how I would try putting my earlier photos together and what photos I would choose if I was Joyce.

Event 3 at Hammer museum

My friends and I used to make some jokes about Hammer museum that there would be so many different kinds of hammers displayed because of its name. However, after I visited this museum, Hammer museum became my favorite. Even though taking photos is not allowed here, I still enjoyed spending time at the museum with the free admission. The first reason why it became my favorite place is it was not boring on November 14th.

(The statue I found in front of the exhibition.

 If you look closely the statue is sticking out its tongue with popped eyes. )

The paintings I saw remind me of the materials I learned from the lecture videos and readings. We learned about robotics+art and space+art. What remained in my head is the pictures of space craft lighted with electricity. It was interesting how artists add lights and used electricity to their pictures. Most of the pictures displayed in the general museum are made of paints and other art supplies. The actual pictures in this museum was shining. I was sad I could not take a photo of it, but it's okay.

               

What captured my eyes was the art work by the British artist Mark Leckey. This exhibition was his first solo presentation in US. His presentation called "On Pleasure Bent" showed a picture of a man who dressed as a woman. He was wearing a dotted hat with a dotted dress (it is the photo underneath this paragraph). He tried to visualize his memory and his personal experience. His idea originated from the images of memory and personal pleasure, desires, and thoughts. It gives a great example on how culture shapes technology from past to present.

Following photos are the ones that made may day at Hammer museum.

by Mark Leckey

<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/15/mark-leckey_n_3750245.html>

(The photo contains the big, red banner of "End White Supremacy")

(Hammer museum had a table tennis set up. The dark green table and the red racket matched with the colorful curtains at the back. It was my favorite part of the museum.)

The last four photos were taken in front of the big, colorful, and unique wall inside the building. It looks like some kind of ancient building. It reminds me of a pyramid. It was an honor to explore such famous and beautiful art works. I did not expect a lot, but I gained knowledge about art works and I actually lost track of time looking around. Now, every time I pass Wilshire blvd, I recommend my friends to go visit the Hammer museum.

Event 2 at Fowler museum

On November 14th, I visited Fowler museum at UCLA, one of our UCLA's source of proud. At this time, Fowler had a program called "Fowler at Fifty" which was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the museum. They opened eight exhibitions and had thousands of art work collections.

 My favorite unit was where I could see the Maori section. I was in New Zealand when I was ten and had amazing experience with Maori traditions and its culture. Maori is the native group in NZ. I was glad to see so many familiar collections, for example, statues, cloaks, little dolls, accessories, and other ethnological collections.

(Maori art collections)

On the other hand, I saw Wunderkammer. It had eccentric and exotic collection which were unfamiliar  and new to me. It is divided into big three categories, naturalia (flora and fauna), artificialia (man-made objects), and mirabilia (about wondrous nature). These materials were popular to merchants around 16th century. Wunderkammer is made for the dedication to the origin of America. There were symbols and dolls made of wood to represent their spiritual contribution and ancient culture at that significant era. 

(The Indigenous America displayed in Wunderkammer section)

The reason why I was so impressed with these unfamiliar creations is because they represent and show how the old days or the past was like. We can imagine how America was like long time ago and how Native people wear their clothes, what they believed in, what they eat, and so on.

(These photos show how a woman and a man wore and decorate themselves)

Last of all, I was so happy that we are privileged to explore such events at our school. I have been busy attending classes without enjoying spending time to learn knowledge and moreover to get impressions on how people describe and depict their culture through the art. I hope more people visit Fowler museum to take a rest with precious art works and art pieces.

The end

Space + Art

I cannot believe it's already the last lecture and the last assignment. For this week, professor Vesna talked about the space and the art. "Powers of Ten" video shows how much we and the earth are tiny from the space. I knew the universe is so huge, but I realized again that the solar system or the milky way galaxy we know is just a little part of the while universe. The camera zooms out and zooms in by exploring the skin cells and galaxy with using the powers of ten. This video was a good start to introduce how the universe is so far away from us and about its amazingly unending distance.

We are familiar to the solar system and its planets' name through the science class, medias, and so on. Specifically, these planets got the name from the myth characters, for example, Venus, the second planet from the Sun is named after the Roman goddess of beauty and love. This fact tells how humans connect their ideas and thoughts to their discoveries on space.


I would like to focus on the part where human challenge their limit. One example is shown from the video called "The sputnik moment". It talks about how every American had a very normal life fifty years ago. The scientist and engineers tried something very new which was to shoot the space craft to the sky. the tension between soviet union and america was built regarding the issue of satellite. They rebuilt, put more money, and required better and more education to satisfy their job. Through this video we can tell how people drew attention of great accomplishment of sending the satellite to the space and brought competition between countries. The space became the way how people compete and show who was the better nation. It was the magical issue that nobody could not own. It is a great example how human challenges their limit.
The picture on the right is the first spacecraft made by Soviet. <http://thisdayintechhistory.com/04/03/first-spacecraft-to-orbit-moon/>

Moreover, human were fascinated by the gravity. Gravity is something that holds every substance in Earth. Kathleen Forde wrote an article called "Dancing on the ceiling: art a& zero gravity". With the idea of Italo Calvino, artists represented the works to explore the weightless status on Earth which is impossible in reality. I was interested by their idea of performing zero gravity or similar to it. In reality, it is not possible for us to live without thee gravity. However, the idea represented by the artists tried to define this uncontrollable force that they can never control. I would like to mention about Kulbi who spent time floating in the tank Xu Zhen who held her position upright in the air to look like the person who is in the actual space. These brilliant ideas showed how humans really do appreciate the chance to explore the unexplored space and explain through art.

 
Example of what Xu Zhen performed regarding gravity. <http://zerogravity.empac.rpi.edu/zhen/>




Citations
“Dancing on the Ceiling: Art & Zero Gravity at EMPAC.” Art & Education. N.p.. Web. 30 Nov 2012. <http://www.artandeducation.net/announcement/dancing-on-the-ceiling-art-zero-gravity-at-empac/>.

"Powers of Ten (1977)". Web. 26 Aug 2010. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0>.

"Powers of Ten" Web. 2010. <http://powersof10.com/>.

"8 Space Intro" Web. 29 Jul 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dPAmpBiVHY>

"8 Space Part 1" Web. 29 Jul 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZIqTR332l8>

"8 Space Part 2" Web. 29 Jul 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLZMDpoP-u0>

Neuroscience + art

For this week, professor Vesna talks about the mind, brain, and memory. She adds how machines work or made with consciousness. What is mean by being conscious? What is brain? To answer this question, people chronically studied and looked for the discoveries of brain system. Franz Joseph Gall is known for illustrating phrenology which individuality, personality, and human behavior depend on the mental function. It can be translated to mind and knowledge.

one example of neuroculture "the brain hat"

While I was glad that I found some fact that I know (it was the brain divided into organs), it was my first time to see the combination of two different professionals' work.
Suzanne Anker, the artist and Giovanni Frazzetto, the neuroscientist began the "neuroculture project". They were both interested in the relationship between art and neuroscience and interconnect their idea to the human's daily life. On the fMRI scans, they show butterfly having identical print on the brain. Such great and artistic activities help us how brain and synapses work.
The article "Neuroculture" also describe how individuality works regarding the neuroscience. The knowledge we know may not be only seen in labs or science-related field, but also in public and in human culture. The transformation of neuroscience can be found in films, medias, advertisements, literature, art, and other practical approach with easy access. One thing I learned through the article and the "neuroculture project" is that the idea of neuroscience is so unique and full of inspiration that people can present their imagination on connecting a person to a culture through visual art.

On the left is called "Between a Thing and a Thought" by Susan Aldworth(2001)

On the right is fMRI Butterfly by Suzanne Anker(2008)

I was also surprised to see the part where it showed about the nerve and building blocks.
I could not believe one discovery on sea sponges that share about 70 percent of genes with humans. Moreover, visionary ideas were also found a new way to make "brainbow" where you can see randomly distributed rainbow color within each, distinctive unit. It was so colorful and pretty.

an example of "brainbow"

97% of dream disappears and also we experience rapid eye movement while we sleep. I think being unconsciousness can be similar as dreaming. The unconscious idea was first found by Freud Sigmund. He with the other neuroscientists began the collaboration work of various way to show how human has unconscious or conscious mind.
Another article wrote by Jung mentions about what Holderlin said, "Where danger is, arises salvation also". People in this world are looking for such opportunities to learn the relationship of opposite formation for example, inside and outside, conscious and unconscious, and so on. They will not stop to navigate and explore the miraculous interaction of art and neuroscience. I learned the motivation of artists who are willing to respond to the massive and huge filed of neuroscience to communicate with the world.




Images
http://pharmakon.me/2012/10/29/art-inspired-by-cadaver-cross-sections-neuroculture-continues-to-transpire/

http://www.npr.org/2013/03/31/175858397/somewhere-over-the-brainbow-the-journey-to-map-the-human-brain

http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v10/n11/fig_tab/nrn2736_F2.html


Citations
Vesna, Victoria. “Conscious / Memory (Part 1).” Lecture. 16 Nov 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DLVQIwOn7o8>

Vesna, Victoria. Lecture. “Conscious / Memory (Part 2).” 16 Nov 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Xlg5wXHWZNI>

Vesna, Victoria. Lecture. “Conscious / Memory (Part 3).” 16 Nov 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=E5EX75xoBJ0>

Cohan, Mark. Lecture. 16 Nov 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eDq8uTROeXU>

Giovani Frazzetto and Suznne Anker. "Neuroscience". Volume 10. November 2009. Web.

Carl Jung. "The Spiritual Problem of Modern Man". Web.

Nanotech + Art

This time, Dr. Gimzewski begins his lecture by showing the chemistry view and the scale of how nanotechnology is defined. I remembered "nano-" as something small and tiny from my physics class during high school year. This term is used when dealing with molecule and atomic scale. What captured my sight was Drexler's vision engineering with atoms and molecules. Although Smalley had a debate against Drexler's idea, I was so surprised by the moving or vibrating model-animation regarding nanotechnology.

Drexler's moving model animation

<http://www.e-flux.com/journal/notes-on-the-inorganic-part-i-accelerations/>

Dr. Gimzewski introduced many fabulous and interesting things about nanotechnology like different color dots of quantum, nanoshells used as cancer therapy. Especially, the third video was about nanoparticles (generally sized between 100 and 1 nanometer(s)). By changing the size, the nanoparticles can have different and changed properties. Lotus leaf effect is when the water drops do not get soaked in the leaf. It is due to the surface and we call it as a hydrophobic phenomena. Therefore, non-wetting lotus can have uncontaminated and clean leaf. This idea led and affected today's daily products.The company began to think of producing fabrics, self cleaning fabrics and self cleaning glass and even self cleaning concrete. Japanese train (Shinkansen) is one example that has been coated and became the self cleaning-train using this idea. The rain will be washed away.

locus leaf example

<http://www.ecofriend.com/10-ways-nanotechnology-promises-shape-green-future.html>

how "structure" makes the water drop stays on the surface

<http://www.fineshinetech.com/tech/index_tech_06.htm>

The article called the "art in the age of nanotechnology" has many fascinating pictures to explore the art and nanotechnology collaboration. Boo Chapple's work was the first thing that captured my sight who made the audio speaker using the bone by the vibration of a bone to make a sound that can be actually heard.
Another example I decided to put on my blog was the blue morpho which was one picture of a butterfly with blue color wings on it. However this color is not just from the color, but from the structure. There is no component that makes the "colored" wings. It is because of the nanophotonics. You will see structures which look like Christmas trees. The light reflected from the Christmas tree-structure causes the wings to form the color. These discoveries became the reasons how science is explained through art and design. I also saw unique and beautiful self-organized shapes and structures found in nature.

how Christmas tree looking structure gives the butterfly a color

<http://www.photobiology.info/Ball.html>

Nanotech sounds like it is related to the filed of science, but Dr. Gimzewski mentioned how people are using many products that are nanomaterials in the last lecture video. Especially cosmetics and sunscreens. Nano system is also willing to generate in food and agriculture in the future to avoid pollution. Many nano-food productions are easy to found in markets. I agree with the Professor Vesna that the concept of nanotechnology is important because this new system of combination of art and nanotechnology is getting re-invented through our daily lives like the paradigm shifts patterns. 

Citations

“Art in the Age of Nanotechnology.” Artabase. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://www.artabase.net/exhibition/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology>.

"Nature's Fantastical Palette: Color from Structure" Philip Ball. Web. 30 May 2012.
<http://www.photobiology.info/Ball.html>

Gimzewski, Jim, and Victoria Vesna. The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact & Fiction in the Construction of a New Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/publications/publications/02-03/JV_nano/JV_nano_artF5VG.htm>.

"Nanotech Jim pt1". Gimzewski. 21 May. 2012. Lecture Video. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7jM6-iqzzE>

BioTech + Art

I was impressed by his quote where he mentioned “… All of our dreams are going to come true. So we will have to have the right kinds of dreams. That is why science needs artists like me” (Lecture Part I). After reading this quote, I was looking forward to seeing how artists and scientist together define the relationship between biotechnology and art.

James Watson was introduced to use animals on bio art studies for example using live cells. The lecture video shows the glowing mammals. Osamu Shimomura was the one who worked with green fluorescent protein by injecting the jellyfish gene to mice. Furthermore, this study helped detecting the activity of spreading cancer cells to nerve cells and brain. Transgenic art and genetic engineering are used for inventing unique and odd types of mammals and especially Alba, a glowing rabbit, became GFP Bunny that was famous for being an example of a transgenic artwork. Alba is a cute and cuddly house pet, but when only the UV light is turned on, it shows its glowing ear, body, paws, and even its whiskers.

(Alba, the glowing rabbit)

http://www.conncoll.edu/ccacad/zimmer/GFP-ww/cooluses8.html

The part I of lecture video shows how such glowing rabbit represent the strange and unfamiliar form of so-called “a disconcerting vision of future of a science fiction pet”. At this point, we should think about how art and life inventions are affecting each other through interspecies communication and dialogue by using artwork and technology with creativity. “Meanings of Participation: Outlaw Biology?” article also talks about how “creativity breeds creativity.” As a human being, we have the control over such innovations and new expansion of creative ideas.

(Example of Orlan's idea)

Moreover, I was fascinated by the idea of Orlan from the lecture part IV. Her idea was to use her body and the procedures of plastic surgery to show "carnal art". Her transformation presents the different color pieces from biotechnological symbols and also hybridization of different culture breeding. Orlan’s idea plus “The third ear” gave me a new shock to the concept of combination of art and biotechnology. I could not imagine how these kinds of job were produced and introduced in communities.

(Connecticut Yankee delphinium plant)

http://www.tastygardener.com/delphinium/

On the other hand, among these artworks, I was interested in how the artists work with nature. People studied not only animals’ genetics and technology expand in human lives, but also focused on the breeding of Connecticut Yankee delphinium plant. I was indifferent about how nature can be the branch of art and biotechnology experiment, but I would like to visit one of the flow exhibitions.

Citation & Sources

Eduardo Kac. "GFP Bunny". Dobrila, Peter T. and Kostic, Aleksandra (eds.), Eduardo Kac: Telepresence, Biotelematics, and Transgenic Art (Maribor, Slovenia: Kibla, 2000), pp. 101-13. Web. <http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor>

Animal Biotechnology. University of California Television. Jul 25, 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCIvAuwaf-o>

Vesna, Victoria. Lecture I-V.  DESMA 9. Web. 17 May. 2012

Kelty, Chris. “Meanings of Participation: Outlaw Biology?”. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.

Levy, Ellen K.. “Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications.” Web. 2 Nov 2012.