Fowler Museum: Singular Spaces Event Blog

My trip to the fowler

Singular Spaces is a photography exhibition that showcases the work of several self-taught Spanish artists. The various works of these artists are considered ‘art environments’ in terms of the scale and the way in which the pieces are integrated organically with previously existing sites around Spain. I felt this exhibition in particular helped show me an example of how science and technology can help spread art, but also demonstrates scientific approach to the curation and presentation of art. 

My picture of the exhibit description

The artist behind this exhibit, Jo Farb Hernández, studies ‘art environments’ and directs a gallery at San José University. The concept behind these ‘art environments’ is focused on finding inspiration in your surroundings and using what is available to create pieces of art. This approach is much like some of the science-art forms we’ve discussed this quarter in the sense that it requires an understanding of the surroundings in which the art is being built. The engineering, construction, and scientific research of the environment that is involved in the art installation is equally as important as the artistic side of the production.

Roof ornaments

The set of photographs on display at the Fowler museum showcased an interesting mix of various environments. The collection boasted everything from full buildings, to gardens and sculptures. I particularly enjoyed some of the constructions made on previously existing buildings. Creating some of these roof ornaments must have involved skills in engineering, particularly in making materials that are durable to sun and weather. For an interesting amalgamation of fascinating artistic pieces that juxtapose art and nature, I suggest looking in Singular Spaces to any other DESMA 9 students.

Fowler Museum: Making Strange Event Blog

For one of my event blogs this quarter, I attended the art exhibit at the UCLA Fowler Museum called Making Strange: Gagawaka + Postmortem by Vivan Sundaram. Sundara is a contemporary artist from Delhi, and is among India’s leading modern artists. His two pieces Gagawaka and Postmortem, both showcased side-by-side in this exhibit, are a commentary on fashion and the human body. While the work is undoubtedly creative, and I particularly appreciate the use of recycled materials and medical supplies in the creation of the ‘brand’ fashion articles, this exhibit didn’t resonate with me the same way others have this quarter. Although, I felt the second of the two pieces related to our discussion of anatomy and its relationship to art. 

Me at the exhibit

Gagawaka was a piece entirely comprised of sculptural garments that were all created as part of Sundaram’s fictional ‘brand’ called “strange”. The garments are all made of recycled material and medical supplies, implementing a combination of bandages, foam cups, x-ray film, and other odds and ends. I personally felt that these garments as an art piece didn’t convey any sort of strong message or commentary. While the description I read at the exhibit described a ‘subversive’ relationship to the fashion industry, I saw the garments more as a creative use of non-conventional materials rather than a strong commentary on the fashion industry. I did however, find the second of the two art pieces, Postmortem, to be more interesting and relevant.

Some of the postmortem models

Postmortem actually builds on Gagawaka, and is presented along side the garments within the exhibit. The second piece is made up of a collection of unsettling sculptures that are a combination of mannequins, wooden dolls, and anatomical models. These models supposedly question the fashion display of Gagawaka with commentary about the social issues surrounding aging and illness in the human body. I think the use of anatomical models, and slightly haunting depictions of the human body provided a more powerful and relevant commentary. In this sense, I appreciated the second of the two pieces more. I also felt the second piece related more to our material this quarter, and served as a good example of how the human body, and anatomy are often closely intertwined with art to generate powerful social commentary that more closely relates to each and every one of us. 

Hammer Museum: This Is The End Event Blog

Me in front of the exhibit

This Is The End, is a multimedia exhibit at the Hammer Museum featuring three videos each independently made by three international artists. Each of these videos was presented for a certain portion of the exhibit’s running time, and when I attended, Ed Atkin’s Even Pricks was the video being showcased. This 8 minute video loop is among the most interesting art pieces of seen in recent memory. Combining vivid CGI-driven imagery along with a dense, yet highly refined soundscape, the video creates a powerful and unsettling message. The short loop is filled with interruptions and abrupt transitions, yet utilizes the same kinds of images and themes throughout. There is a limited amount of dialogue, and there are a few messages that make an appearance several times in the form of huge 3D movie-trailer style title sequences.

Action trailer-style title sequence

With it’s use of loud explosive sounds and graphics, along with over-the-top CGI visuals, at times Even Pricks looks like an action movie trailer. As Anne Ellegood and her colleagues put it in their essay about the work, “Though it is a completed artwork, Even Pricks is a preview of itself, made in anticipation of itself, which again seems to thwart the seductive promises of such image-making technologies.” Even Pricks uses it’s stylized imagery and sound to provide commentary on physical and psychological depression. I found Atkin’s approach to utilizing action-trailer style sounds and images, along with some recurring gestures and symbols to be particularly effective as a means of commenting on a medical disorder from an artistic perspective. 

Recurring CGI thumb image

One of the most frequently recurring images in the video is a thumb poking up out of a hairy, CGI arm and hand. This arm seems to float in and out of the frame, juxtaposed over a series of different images that seem to reference the repetitive activities of daily life. Yet the thumb doesn’t seem to interact with the scene other than touch certain things. The ‘thumbs-up’ gesture that tends to suggest a positive attitude is warped and played with here. Rather than suggesting a mood or commenting on the visual scene itself, the thumb simply floats around, and becomes subject to a number of unsettling visual distortions and transformations. To me, this comments on the detached aspect of depression, and how those who suffer from it seem only to interact with the surface of what surrounds them without emotionally grappling to anything. To me, this video is a prime example of how art and technology can be used in tandem to portray the effects of a medical disorder. 

Week 9: Space + Art

Cosmos by Carl Sagan

Our view of the night sky, and the stars, planets, and galaxies that fill it, have always been a source of awe-inspiring inspiration. Before we knew anything about space, artists provided their interpretation of what ‘space’ was through their work. As we’ve discovered more about our place in the universe, society culture and art have all been radically affected. In our lectures this week, Professor Vesna put an emphasis on the importance of the space race in American society during the mid 20th century, as well as the ways in which it has changed our society in the long run. 

The International Space Station

“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere.” - Carl Sagan. This is such a relevant quote that helps explain the relationship that humans have with space. It is the close relationship between the imagination of space and what we may discover in its endless void, and the development of science bringing imagination to fruition. NASA’s space station is a perfect example of something that was imagined in the space fantasy of countless authors, and in films/series like Star Wars and Star Trek, but is now a reality. 

The final frontier

In his statement on spaceart.org artist Annick Bureaud states: “It is artists and their work that reveal to me the essence of space for human beings in the twentieth century, as well as my place in the cosmos.” I think this sentiment is something most of us can relate to. It is a combination of our imaginations, and what has become reality as a product of all the sciences we’ve discussed in this course, that can help us discover our place in the cosmos. Space represents the unknown, and because of this can tell us so much about ourselves. There is no limit to what we can discover, and to what we can imagine. I think this is why our relationship with the cosmos is so important. It always motivates us to learn more, and it keeps us humble. 

References:

"An Eames Office Website." Powers of Ten Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 June 2015.

"Leonardo Space Art Project Visioneers." Leonardo Space Art Project Visioneers. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 June 2015.

NASA. NASA, n.d. Web. 05 June 2015.

Sagan, Carl. Cosmos. New York: Random House, 1980. Print.

Sagan, Carl. Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space. New York: Random House, 1994. Print.

Week 8: Nanotech + Art

Quantum Dot display technology

This week's unit demonstrated not only the countless ways in which nanotechnology already affects our daily lives, but also the ways in which it could improve our lives. I found it particularly interesting that nanotechnology applies to all of the concepts and fields we’ve discussed in previous units, everything from medicine, and neuroscience, to mathematics and robotics. As Dr. Gimzewski discussed in his lectures, nanoparticles could revolutionize medicine because of their ability to selectively penetrate and target certain cells and chemical receptors in the body. I found the ‘quantum dots’ he discussed to be particularly fascinating. Not only could these revolutionize the fabrication of cosmetics, and reduce the use of harmful chemicals in those products, but they could also change the way in which we mix and create colors in an art context. Quantum dots are already being implemented in the newest kinds of TV’s and displays and could potentially allow us to tap into a new level of manipulation of color for painters, photographers, or any kind of artist who works with an electronic display in the creation of their work. 

Some of the applications of nanotech

In their paper on nanoscience, Gimzewski and Vesna propose an interesting idea about nanoscience and its relationship to other fields: “Nanoscience not only requires input from practically every scientific discipline, but it also needs direct and intense collaboration with the humanities and the arts.” (Gimzewski & Vesna 2003). Nanoscience is definitely rooted in the discoveries of physics, chemistry, and most other forms of physical sciences that predate its inception. But I think this statment is suggesting a need for collaboration with arts because this is how nanoscience will be directed in its application. While chemistry and physics may help us learn about how to develop new nanoparticles, or offer clues to some of their functions, it is the arts and culture of humanity that will help us find the best ways in which these technologies can be applied. 

Nanoscience can be seen as an amalgamation of many scientific fields focused purely on scale. Dr. Gimzewski’s lecture showed us many ways in which manipulating the scale of different elements and compounds can completely change their properties. I find it interesting that scale is also a pivotal component in art. This offers a strong parallel between what nanoscience is focused on achieving and what artists have been manipulating in their creations for thousands of years. The earliest examples of nanotechnology in the Roman’s use of gold nanoparticles is a great example of this. It is inspiring both artistically and intellectually just how significant the manipulation of scale can be.

Nanoscience is focused on scale

References: 

Alexis, Frank, et al. "New frontiers in nanotechnology for cancer treatment." Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations. Vol. 26. No. 1. Elsevier, 2008.

Dabbousi, B. O., et al. "(CdSe) ZnS core-shell quantum dots: synthesis and characterization of a size series of highly luminescent nanocrystallites." The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 101.46 (1997): 9463-9475.

Gimzewski, Jim, and Victoria Vesna. "The Nanoneme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact and Fiction in the Construction of a New Science." Technoetic Arts Technoetic Arts 1.1 (2003): 7-24. Web.

"What Are Quantum Dots, and Why Do I Want Them in My TV?" Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.

Wiechers, Johann W. "Cosmetics & Toiletries." Skin Penetration by Quantum Dots. N.p., 9 Dec. 2008. Web. 27 May 2015.

Week 7: Neuroscience + Art

Mental imaging is important for any artist

The ability to mentally visualize is one of our brain’s most important functions. Humans all have the ability to mentally represent things they’ve interacted with in the world before, or even create entirely unique mental representations of nonexistent things. This brain function, one that is readily researched in the field of neuroscience, represents the source of art. While our bodies are ultimately allow us to physically produce art (ie. paint, or play an instrument), our minds our where all art originates. To this end, neuroscience and art share a close relationship. As stated by Frazzetto and Anker in their Neuroculture article: “Certainly, the circulation of concepts and theories about brain function and the mind in the public domain and their representation in artistic creations is not a recent phenomenon.” (Frazzetto & Anker, 2009). Given that the brain is a principle tool for any artist, neuroscience has fueled a deeper understanding of the artistic process, and its underlying mechanisms. 

Mind, body, and spirit

The separation of mind and body is a particularly fascinating idea that has fueled countless artistic creations. The separation from reality and what can happen within the mind is another important source of artistic creativity. As Jung puts it in his paper: “The upheaval of our world and the upheaval of our consciousness are one and the same.” (Jung, 2014). This statement highlights the fact that in fact, our “reality” is dictated by our perception and our minds. So ultimately, even though it may feel as though things happening inside our minds may not reflect reality, our mental experience IS our reality.

The left right brain stereotype is a fallacy

I found Neuroaesthetics to be a particularly intriguing field of research in the material we discussed this week. I think it is important for any artist to consider the brain as their main tool for creation, and understand the mechanisms behind what it is they are doing. Understanding the way in which our thoughts connect, and we learn new skills, on a neurological level, can help make the creative process more seamless. For instance, it is a common misconception that somehow ‘artistic’ people have a stronger ‘right brain’ and. In fact, neuroscience research has shown that both sides of the brain are equally important for any creative process and that right vs left brain comparison is a hoax. Ultimately, I believe being more in touch with what’s going on in your mind makes you more in touch with what it is you’re creating. 

References:

Brooks, Katherine. "Study Says Making Art Is Good For Your Brain, And We Say You Should Listen." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.

Drake, John M. "Ecology, Cognition and Landscape: Linking Natural and Social Systems . Landscape Series, Volume 11. By Almo Farina . Dordrecht (The Netherlands) and New York: Springer. $129.00. Xi + 169 P.; Ill.; Index. ISBN: 978-90-481-3137-2 (hc); 978-90-481-3138-9 (eb). 2010." The Quarterly Review of Biology 87.1 (2012): 55-56. Web.

Frazzetto, Giovanni, and Suzanne Anker. "Neuroculture." Nature Reviews Neuroscience Nat Rev Neurosci 10.11 (2009): 815-21. Web.

"History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian." History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.

"The Spiritual Problem of Modern Man." Collected Works of C.G. Jung, Volume 10: Civilization in Transition (2014): n. pag. Web.

Week 6: Biotechnology and Art

Vacanti mouse

Mice genetically modified to have glowing cells

BioArt is a growing, and fascinating field, full of controversy. On one hand, while biotech, and vast amount of nature that surrounds us can be put together to create some incredible pieces of art, the manipulation of nature makes it a controversial field. I believe that in this sort of art, we should restrict ourselves to using our own bodies, and organisms we’ve engineered for art purposes. I believe that using other organisms as canvases, especially when it harms that organisms basic life or reproductive functions, and isn’t providing any important discoveries within science, is wrong. I think our tendency to meddle with nature is what has put us in this precarious situation with our own climate, and has endangered countless other species with which we share this planet. In his writing, Levy makes an interesting point that we should include organisms beyond ourselves in our ‘politics’: “Sociologist Bruno Latour (2004: 53–91) suggests that we revise our social structures to allow for a ‘political ecology’ that will encompass both humans and nonhumans. In light of the recognition that we share so much of our genetic background with other species, bioartists such as Kathy High and Adam Zaretsky challenge our sense of human uniqueness through exhibitions that explore less known aspects of animal behavior and culture.” (Levy). I believe the work of artists like these, that involves increasing awareness of our place in a greater ecology, and our relationship with the nature around us, is the most impactful. I think High's Embracing Animal and Blood Wars projects are particularly noteworthy.   

Kathy High's Embracing Animal Project

The combination of art and science in BioArt is unique in its relationship to nature, especially compared to previous art + science interactions we’ve explored previously. I believe this is true because it is the only medium in which the biotechnology used in this art form is implemented directly on the organisms that surround us. Unlike robotics or mathematics which involve manipulating circuits and numbers, BioArt often involves manipulating life. I think Levy makes an important point about biotechnology based art: “Life-forms produced through genetic engineering are necessarily a mix of nature and culture.” (Levy). I think it’s important to be aware of the way in which our culture interacts with nature. In this sense, I don’t believe biotechnology should be used simply as a creative outlet in the same way music, math, or painting can be used. I think we should be pay attention to our relationship with nature, and create art that focuses on furthering our understanding of this relationship.

References: 

"Blood Wars." Blood Wars. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2015.

Byerley, Anne, and Derrick Chong. "Biotech aesthetics: Exploring the practice of bio art." Culture and Organization ahead-of-print (2013): 1-21.

"Embracinganimal.com." Embracinganimal.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2015.

Levy, Ellen K. "Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications." (2007).

Vacanti Mouse." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2015.