Week 9: Space and Art

This week in lecture, we learned about how space can be intertwined with art.  Space exploration is something that has been a very important topic to many countries for a long time.  The space race in the middle of the 20th century was something that was one of the most pivotal events of the time period.  The possibilities of what exist in space, as well as what we have discovered so far, is something that has interested me for a long time.  

In the lecture, we learned about how humans were not the first people to explore space.  Before sending humans, we sent animals such as dogs and monkeys to space to run tests and make sure that people and animals were able to survive.  

Films have been an important way to illustrate space and the many possibilities that are out there.  Movies such as Interstellar, Gravity, Star Wars, and other popular movies have played a large role in giving the general public an idea as to the countless possibilities space has to offer, as well as what we have learned from space exploration so far.  Overall, there is a great connection between space and art, as expressed through painting, cinematography, and music.  

Beitenu, Likud. "Pigs Jews Monkeys in Space!" Annes Opinions. N.p., 19 Jan. 2013. Web. 29 May 2016.

Boucher, Mark. "Space and Art." - NASA Watch. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2016.

Foust, Jeff. "When Space and Art Intersect." The Space Review:. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2016.

"Outerspace." Outerspace. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2016.

"Space." Space. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2016.

This week in lecture we learned about nanotechnology and art.  This week’s topic is interesting due to the fact that that with nanotechnology we cannot see the art with the naked eye.  Nanotechnology involves technology that is on a molecular level, therefore we cannot see it without this technology.  This technology has the potential to change the world scientifically as well as socially.  It is amazing to know that nanotechnology surrounds us as is involved in much of what we do, but we cannot see it due to its small size.

In Dr. Gimzewski’s lecture we learned about how nanotechnology was first conceptualized in 1959.  He talks about Richard Feynman, and his lecture on science at the atomic levels.  Feynman discusses how much potential there is within nanoparticles.  One of the most amazing things from his lecture was his point on writing pages from the Encyclopedia Britannica on a pinhead.  He not only proved that writing 25,000 pages of the Encyclopedia Britannica was possible, but that it was possible to write 260,000,000 pages.  He was able to prove his point that at a molecular level, the possibilities with art and science are endless, which really opened my eyes to how nanotechnology and art can go together.

Feder, Barnaby J. "The Art of Nanotech." Bits The Art of Nanotech Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2016.

Gemzewski, Jim. "Nanotech for Artists." UConline.edu. University of California. Web. 24 May 2015. <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/63226/wiki/unit-8-view?module_item_id=970451>.

Lilley, Maiken. "The Art of Nanotech." PBS. PBS, 18 Nov. 2010. Web. 22 May 2016.

Lovgren, Stefan. "Can Art Make Nanotechnology Easier to Understand?" National Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 22 May 2016.

"NanoArt 21." NanoArt 21. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2016.

"Nanotechnology Now." Nanotechnology Art Gallery. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2016.

Week 7: Neuroscience and Art

This week, Professor Vesna spoke in her lecture about how neuroscience and art can be connected.  Before this week’s lecture, I did not know much about neuroscience at all, let alone how it could be related to art in any way.  Two of the main people Professor Vesna mentioned in her lecture were Santiago Rámon y Cajal as well as Franz Joseph Gall.  Franz Joseph Gall is the person who first came up with the idea on cerebral functions to certain areas of the brain.  Also, he came up with phrenology, which helped derive beliefs about personalities based on skull shape.  Santiago Ramon y Cajal, on the other hand, was influential due to the fact that he is believed to be the the pioneer in regards to neruo anatomy.  For his studies, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1906.  

Another part of the lecture I thought was interesting was Professor Vesna’s lesson on dreams.  I thought it was very interesting that 95% of what we dream is forgotten.  Two of the main figures in the unconscious were Freud and Jung, with Jung being seen as Freud’s protege.  However, as time went on, the two became more and more distant due to their disagreements.  One of their most prominent disagreements was religion.  Jung thought religion was extremely important, while Freud believed it was a fallacy.

Huang, Mengfei. "The Neuroscience of Creativity." Comic Art, Creativity and the Law (n.d.): 7-11. Stanford. Web. 15 May 2016.

Laden, Tanja M. "Gallery: Neuroscience Meets Visual Art." Flavorwire Gallery Neuroscience Meets VisualArt Comments. N.p., 21 Sept. 2011. Web. 15 May 2016.

Landau, Elizabeth. "What the Brain Draws From: Art and Neuroscience." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 15 May 2016.

"Liminar Investigations of Memory and Brain Organization." Sissa. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2016.

Rogowski, Kelli. "News." Links between Arts, Learning, and Neuroscience Examined in New NEA Report. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2016.

Society for Neuroscience. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. “5 BioArt pt4” Lecture. YouTube. Uconlineprogram, 17 May. 2015. Web. 3 May. 2016.

"Vintage Clip Art - Phrenology Head in Color - The Graphics Fairy." The Graphics Fairy. N.p., 24 June 2011. Web. 15 May 2016.

Biotech + Art

In this week's lecture, we learned about how biotechnology and art can be related and work together.  Before this week’s lecture, I really had no knowledge about anything dealing with biotechnology.  Professor Vesna provided examples about changes that can be made to living things, in DNA and other areas, that can alter the organism completely.  One of the examples we learned about in the lecture was the fluorescent protein GFP, which causes things such as jellyfish to glow.  This protein was added to an albino rabbit named Alba by a scientist and artist named Eduardo Kac.  The result of the protein being added to the rabbit caused the animal to glow under a UV light through its eyes and all throughout its body.

Another part of the lesson that I thought was interesting had to do with the vampire wars, which was organized by Kathy High.  She draws blood from various people, and has the white blood cells from the different bloods compete for dominance over the others.  I thought that this was very interesting because at first it sounds crazy, but it turns out she is doing it for art so it got me thinking about how art can be expanded over countless areas.  A science experiment about the dominance of white blood cells to me would not have been art, but after going over lecture, it became clear to me how wide of a range art can span.

"Bioart: Melding Biotech and Art." SXSW Schedule 2015. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2016.

Delgado, Rick. "How Artists Are Blending Biotechnology And Art." MakeUseOf. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2016.

Hoyt, Dale. "Edwardo Kac Flunks the Rabbit Test by Dale Hoyt." Edwardo Kac Flunks the Rabbit Test by Dale Hoyt. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2016.

"Kathy High." - Department of the Arts. Arts RPI, n.d. Web. 08 May 2016.

Miranda, Carolina A. "Weird Science: Biotechnology as Art Form." ARTnews. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2016.

ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n.d. Web. 08 May 2016.

"Ultra Close-up Ring Light (UCRL) - GFP Transgenic Rats." Ultra Close-up Ring Light (UCRL) - GFP Transgenic Rats. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. “5 BioArt pt4” Lecture. YouTube. Uconlineprogram, 17 May. 2015. Web. 3 May. 2016. 

Event 1: Hammer Museum

After visiting the Leap Before You Look: Black Mountain College (1933-1957) exhibit in the Hammer Museum, I gained a lot of insight as to how this school worked and show it was very influential in the arts.  As it was my first time at the Hammer Museum, I had no idea what to expect when visiting.  

Black Mountain College was created in 1933, and was a liberal arts school located in North Carolina that focused on expression through art.  It was interesting to see how each piece of art played an important role in the advancement and growth of art in the post-war era.  These pieces went along with what we have learned in the class this year, and it was intriguing to see how these artists used these methods without necessarily even being taught these things.  Students used the trial and error method to create pieces of art that had not been seen before, and some of the most important artists of their era came from this school.  Overall, I would definitely recommend this exhibit to anyone who is taking this class or plans on taking this class, as well as anyone who is interested in learning about how art has grown and developed over time.  Also, the Hammer Museum is a cool place to go because of the spinning chairs located on the second floor.

Phtoto proof that I went to the museum (I'm on the left)

More proof I went (still me on the left)