event #1
Leap Before You Look

In April, I visited the hammer museum where I attended the Leap Before You Look: Black Mountain College 1933-1957 exhibition. This exhibition really touched on many of the lectures covered in class but it was synonymous with the math and art lecture. Many of the works showed high levels of mathematics involved and these applications could be seen in the works themselves as light problem solving.

Me and the geodesic dome

This exhibit was very special because it displayed works from Black Mountain College- a small college aimed at liberal arts education. Upon further research, I found that a wide array of artists and even philosophers were quickly attracted to this school. Therefore, this exhibition had such works as the following: paintings, sculptures, drawings, weavings, and music. I was increasingly surprised at just how much math was involved in most of the works. It really opened my eyes on how flawlessly these works were created with the use of two completely different disciplines- math and art.

The geodesic dome from Black Mountain College

Black Mountain College was able to give its students room to be free with such disciplines and combine different cultures to create magnificent works of art. One of the works, which really caught my attention, was the mat which took about a quarter of the room. This mat was used for dancing performances, which was also commonly seen at Black Mountain College. Additionally, a geodesic dome was displayed which showed the presence of geometry in many of the works. I was beyond happy to attend this event because I was able to visit the hammer and relate the learning's from class to many of the works at the exhibition

.

Event #3
Maria Antonia Gonzalez

 Me at the lecture with art and activism displays behind me 

I recently attended Maria Antonia Gonzalez's lecture in regards to her works at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. This lecture was very fascinating to me because it focused on dealing with the big problems we face as a species and even on a more individual scale by combining humanities, arts, and sciences.

Dr. Gonzalez 

Dr. Gonzalez discussed the strengths of Biotech in agriculture and how art can be used as a form of activism. She mentioned the power that philosophy, art, and science have when combined together and this was seen when she discussed the powerful threat GMO's are making on the maize itself and even the surrounding populations. Transgenic corn has been seen as a very unhealthy crop to consume due to its relations with illness and cancer.

Furthermore, Dr. Gonzalez also went over using this art as a form of activism through exhibitions and workshops. She discussed the power these exhibitions and workshops have on the community due to their interactive qualities, which give the community a better understanding of such subjects. She also described how a community has the power to ignite change through their thinking and artistic propaganda. This lecture allowed students to see how influential the two cultures are together versus when they are standing alone.

Event #2
In Focus: Electric!

I've been able to experience many of the great museums in California since I was born and raised here; therefore I was beyond excited to attend event #2 at the famous Getty. I've been to the Getty numerous of times, but this museum holds a special place in my heart because it was the first museum I've ever attended. The Getty is one of the most visited hot spots in LA and that itself is a testament to how greatly known J. Paul Getty was and his works.

For this event, I attended the In Focus: Electric which touched many of the topics we covered including: robotics, art, and industrialization. This exhibit really highlighted how industrialization had such a large role in the relationship between the two cultures- Art and science. In fact industrialization has had such a large role in this unique relationship that we still witness and use it on a daily basis today. Inventions like photography, film and television were all a result of this unique trifecta. This unique bond is so strong that it is still prevalent today with the use of high tech cameras for photography-some of which were used for this exhibition.

Artificial illumination played a huge role in this exhibition. In Focus: Electric, thirty-nine photographs were exhibited which focused on key points in art and history. As stated before, this exhibition focuses a lot on artificial illumination and how artists used lighting to create magnificent works of art. Furthermore, the exhibition shows individuals how industrialization of electricity changed the lives of millions for the better.

Unit 9
Space and Art

http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2012/08/25/astronaut-neil-armstrong-true-life-superhero-and-first-man-on-the-moon-dies-at-82

(Neil Armstrong- first man to step foot on the moon) 

As a child nothing fascinated me more than the wonders of space, and as i grew, i became even more fascinated by the mysteriousness of space. The human race has only made a small step into space exploration. This curiosity has allowed humans to create rockets, send life to space, and even put man on the moon. The race to reach space -between Russia and the United States- was a huge motive behind putting man in space. Gargarin was the first man sent to space by Russia. Soon after, Neil Armstrong finished the race by landing on the moon on July 20, 1969. Even though humans have been able to accomplish such extraordinary feats, we continue this curiosity through missions such as Launch: 2020 which plan on putting a human on Mars. 

http://www.darkpolitricks.com/2012/08/watch-live-nasa-curiosity-rover-landing-on-mars/

(Drone landing on Mars) 

There is no question that art and space have a great deal in common and that in many ways they inspire one another. Space is a huge inspiration behind many works of art. Many paintings, sculptures, and even science projects are a result of the two subjects clashing. Works of art such as the Raygun Gothic Rocket ship allow artists to display their talents and imaginations while encompassing realistic elements to make it all the more better. Todays pop culture and media world allows only add to the audience's imagination through movies like Star Wars, Star Trek, and many other Sci-Fi big names. 

https://cnet2.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r/2015/11/19/a899c919-8f1d-446f-a74c-5615651677d9/thumbnail/770x433/69ca4fb7e716e784d36b08fed0dbe92f/star-wars-poster-1977.jpg

(Star Wars is the most successful American epic space opera)

Art in many ways can inspire space exploration by giving scientists ideas through encompassing many of the mythological aspects that are involved in art. Scientists and entrepreneurs like Elon Musk wish to accomplish great explorations like sending a human to Mars by 2026. Interestingly enough Elon Musk is a huge proponent of art and used various artistic elements to create Tesla - the most modern energy efficient car. Its very clear that Musk is an artistic entrepreneur and has envisioned the idea of putting a human on mars maybe somewhat inspired by his artistic personality.  

Sources: 

"Space Craft: 21 Works of Art Inspired by the Cosmos." Make: We are all makers,. Web. 29 May 2016. 

Vesna, Victoria. "8 Space Pt 1" YouTube. UC Online, 29 July 2013. Web. 29 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "8 Space Pt 2" YouTube. UC Online, 29 July 2013. Web. 29 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "8 Space Pt 3" YouTube. UC Online, 29 July 2013. Web. 29 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "Space pt 4" YouTube. UC Online, 29 July 2013. Web. 29 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "Space pt 5" YouTube. UC Online, 29 July 2013. Web. 29 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "Space pt 6" YouTube. UC Online, 29 July 2013. Web. 29 May 2016.

Unit 8
Nanotechnology and Art

I found this week's lecture to be very interesting because not only does nanotechnology relate to art but it also has profound effects in medicine and the tech industry. Dr. Gimzewski dives deeper into the subject and states its true potential, one that can potentially change the world. Nanotechnology is special in that its way too small to be seen with the naked eye, therefore individuals use technologies such as a microscope to see things at such a small level. This enables individuals to witness art at a nano scale level. 

https://labofnano.gmu.edu/

(nano tech disabling dangerous cells) 

As stated previously, nanotechnology has profound effects in medicine allowing treatment to go to a microscopic level. This new technology involves nanoparticles-many of which are- currently under development to be manufactured and used in today's medical world. These applications have the potential to plunge deeper and more precisely than ever before with the use of Nano-robots to repair damage at the cellular level. Richard Feynman, a Nobel prize winner coined the idea of "swallow the surgeon" which may allow for an army or Nano-robots to enter the blood vessel and essentially travel anywhere within the body to look around and treat damaged cells with drugs. 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/29/tech/mci-nanobots-eth/

(An army of nano-robots healing cellular walls at a microscopic level) 

Nanotechnology has also been successful in the nanotech industry, regarding computers. Microelectronics refers to the technology that has allowed for the advancement of 'Micro' technologies within computers and CPU's. With the use of nanotechnology, MIT researchers discovered how to use nanotech to drastically shrink computer chips, which in turn makes them cheaper and even more powerful. MIT researchers believe that if you can potentially speed the chip up while shrinking it, you will most certainly see a performance bump. One reason in which artists and scientists find nanotechnology so interesting is due to its absolute small size which is invisible to the human eye. Therefore, this new tech allows for a wide array of advancements in medicine, art, and the tech world. 

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/video/man-in-clean-room-holds-up-computer-cpu-microchip-stock-footage/105960799

(Intel's most powerful CPU created with the use of nanotechnology) 

Sources: 

Gimzewski, Jim,. Victoria Vesna. The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of fact & fiction in the construction of a new science. Web. 22 May 2016.   http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/publications/publications/02-03/JV_nano/JV_nano_artF5VG.htm

Gaudin, Sharon. MIT uses nanotech to shrink chips to 25nm. Computer World. Web . 22 May 2016. http://www.computerworld.com/article/2534680/computer-hardware/mit-uses-nanotech-to-shrink-chips-to-25nm.html

Gimzewski, Jim. "Nanotech Jim Pt 1." YouTube. UC Online, 21 May 2012. Web. 22 May 2016.

Gimzewski, Jim. "Nanotech Jim Pt 2." YouTube. UC Online, 21 May 2012. Web. 22 May 2016.

Gimzewski, Jim. "Nanotech Jim Pt 3." YouTube. UC Online, 21 May 2012. Web. 22 May 2016.

Gimzewski, Jim. "Nanotech Jim Pt 4." YouTube. UC Online, 21 May 2012. Web. 22 May 2016.

Gimzewski, Jim. "Nanotech Jim Pt 5." YouTube. UC Online, 21 May 2012. Web. 22 May 2016.

Gimzewski, Jim. "Nanotech Jim Pt 6." YouTube. UC Online, 21 May 2012. Web. 22 May 2016.

Unit 7
Neuroscience and Art

Neuroscience is a huge part of the curriculum in my studies as a psychology major. Neuroscience is more focused on the nervous system and the brain, whereas psychology is more focused on specific behaviors that can have unconventional and sometimes even predictable affects on the brain. Concepts such as perception and interpretation play a major role in both psychology and neuroscience. These complex inner workings of the mind are perfectly bound together in a flawless artistic manner.

Brain waves

http://psychandneuro.duke.edu/uploads/media_items/imgcog-neuro1.960.360.c.jpg

I personally could not agree more on the fact that the human brain is the most powerful organ in the body. And this, in many ways, not only allows human beings to witness and understand art, but in many forms this understanding is an art. I personally found this to be very interesting so i did some further research on it. The question that struck me with this research was why do humans find the works of Van Gogh, Picasso, and Dali so intriguingly beautiful. Questions like how did Pablo Picasso's "Les Femmes d'Alger (Version O)" sell for more than 179 million dollars struck me very strongly. 

 Pablo Picasso's "Les Femmes d'Alger (Version O)" 

<http://www.artnet.com/magazine_pre2000/features/decker/decker11-4-9.asp>

Upon further research I found that our minds know exactly when and if there's a clear representation of familiar aspects of everyday life. This allows us to relate ourselves on a deeper level with art and even allow us to interpreting meanings from the arbitrary. Our brains are also designed to scan and look for human like qualities in art. Take a painting for example, the brain scans it within seconds and tries to find faces even out of discrete patches of color and this can trigger emotional responses. These findings- although surprising- allowed me to understand this unique relationship between the mind and art more respectively.

Human mind making facial recognition from art

http://tarnoffartcenter.org/the-ams-community-gallery/brain-art-exchanges-discussions-and-art-critiques/

Sources: 

Vesna, Victoria. "Neuroscience pt1. "UC online. YouTube, 17 May. 2012. Web. 15 May. 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "Neuroscience pt2. "UC online. YouTube, 17 May. 2012. Web. 15 May. 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "Neuroscience pt3. "UC online. YouTube, 17 May. 2012. Web. 15 May. 2016.

Landau, Elizabeth. "What the brain draws from: Art and neuroscience." CNN., 15 Sep 2012. Web. 15 May. 2016.

Miles, Kathleen. "How Art Is Crucial To Understanding The Human Mind." Huffpost . Web. 15 May. 2016.

Unit 6
Biotech and Art




This week's lecture focused on biotechnologies and its unique relationship with art. However, this relationship is not a new one and in fact it dates back hundreds of years to when farmers and animal breeders used artificial selection to modify their desired plant or animal species. Artificial selection is the intentional reproduction of individuals in species of populations that have desirable traits.

http://nikisperou.com/images/3.NikiChimeraSeries.JPG

Living tissue 

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/images/lines/le_dogs2.gif

artificial selection

Kelty makes a great point regarding science and its domestication in the common household. The Bulletproof Skin project is a great example of this idea because it was planned and started in a normal house. This bioart project caught the eyes of many because it does exactly what the name states it does- block bullets. This reinforced laboratory created human skin is mixed with one of nature’s most powerful substances- spider silk. The results were so amazing that the modified skin was able to stop bullets.

http://1vze7o2h8a2b2tyahl3i0t68.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/03181-220x300.jpg
(Bullet proof skin made from living tissue and natural substances found in nature)

Although i find the mix between biotechnology and art fascinating, there's something about it that also scares me. The fact that life is used arbitrarily without consent or even the moral issues of containing/manipulating life leaves me questioning it. At the same time, I strongly believe that the altering of DNA and living tissues lies at the central core of biotechnology; It has allowed for a positive amplification of medicine, research, and general biology.

Sources: 

Kelty, Chris. "meanings of participation: Outlaw Biology?." Outlaws, Hackers, Victorian Gentlemen, Web. 8 May. 2016.

Pasko, Jessica M. "Bio-artists use science to create art" USA today. Web. 8 May. 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "5 Bioart Pt1" YouTube. UC online, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 08 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "5 Bioart Pt2" YouTube. UC online, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 08 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "5 Bioart Pt3" YouTube. UC online, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 08 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. "5 Bioart Pt5" YouTube. UC online, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 08 May 2016.