Event 1: Dow Jones - A Solfége Economy

When I walked into Gareth Walsh’s exhibition, I was honestly extremely confused and at lost for words for what exactly the art was trying to portray.  It just seemed like a random sequence of people in suits reciting notes on three screens.  As I blankly stared at what seemed like nothing, Walsh begin to explain his piece and how it came to be.

Utilizing real time date, the three screens flash video clips of actors, portraying corporate executives, singing a variation of the notes do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do.  Each note was assigned a numerical value of increase or decrease which mirrored the way in which the stock market value was increasing or decreasing.  The first four keys were values below zero and the last four keys were values above zero.  Pitch also played a role in depicting the variation of the fluctuation. Essentially, Walsh displayed stock market fluctuations through musical notes.

According to Walsh, he received his inspiration from the economic recession of 2009.  This piece was created to try and make sense of all the madness during that time.  Walsh’s use of computer science to create a work of art that relays a message to its viewers ties in the main theme of this class of C.P. Snow’s idea of “The Third Culture.”

Works Cited:

"CNSI Special Lectures." CNSI UCLA. n.d. Web. 19 Nov 2013. <http://www1.cnsi.ucla.edu/events/event-category-view?category_id=174172>

"Dow Jones." Dow Jones. n.d. Web. 18 Nov 2013. <http://www.dowjones.com/>

"Gareth Walsh." garethwalsh.com. n.d. Web. 19 Nov 2013. <http://gareth-walsh.com/>

"Market Overview." CNN Money. n.d. Web. 19 Nov 2013. <http://money.cnn.com/data/markets/>

"Stocks Basics." Investopedia. n.d. Web. 18 Nov 2013. <http://www.investopedia.com/university/stocks/stocks3.asp>

Week 8: Neuroscience and Art

Art is often evaluated with the emotion it evokes from us or the way it makes us feel.  This association between art and feelings is bridged by the nervous system.  Therefore, the worlds of art and neuroscience become inseparable considering our thoughts and feelings are dictated by our brains.

Our brain is fundamentally controlled by neurons which send chemical signals through synapses to communicate with each other.  The pathways in which these signals travel determine how we think, act and feel.  By understanding these circuits, we are able to understand the basic principles of how the brain operates.  These pathways can be distinguished through brainbows.  Brainbows distinguish each neuron from each other by adding fluorescent color to specific proteins.  In this way, these brain circuits can be identified to promote scientific discovery while producing a beautiful image.

http://cbs.fas.harvard.edu/usr/connectome/brainbow/weissman_purkinje_sm.jpg

One way in which our brain interprets art is through lines.  Although things are not distinctly outlined in real life, we are able to perceive line drawings as reality.  Lines are not real, yet we think them to be. We are able to do so because the way in which we understand lines utilize the same neural process that allows us to perceive the edges of objects.

http://erinhillmyblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/kiosk-line-drawing.jpg

Artists who understand brain perception are able to make their art much more complex and dynamic.  An example of this is Leonard da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.  If you look directly at her eyes, she appears to be smiling; however if you look directly at her mouth, her smile fades.  This is due to the way your peripheral vision effects your perception.  Da Vinci intentionally blurred the lines of the mouth to create that mystery with her expression.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Mona_Lisa,_by_Leonardo_da_Vinci,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg/687px-Mona_Lisa,_by_Leonardo_da_Vinci,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg

Creative capability stems from the brain.  Without neuroscience, we would be unable to appreciate art the way we do now.  And the understanding of this advancing field will only help artists to push new boundaries and evoke new emotions from their viewers.

Works Cited:

"Brainbow." Center for Brain Science. Center for Brain Science at Harvard University, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://cbs.fas.harvard.edu/science/connectome-project/brainbow>.

"How Do Neurons Work?" University of Bristol. University of Bristol, 27 Sept. 2011. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. <http://www.bris.ac.uk/synaptic/basics/basics-2.html>.

Landau, Elizabeth. "What the Brain Draws From: Art and Neuroscience." CNN. Cable News Network, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. <http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/15/health/art-brain-mind/>.

Maria, Cara Santa. "Neuroscience & Art: Margaret Livingstone Explains How Artists Take Advantage Of Human Visual Processing (VIDEO)." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 07 Jan. 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/07/neuroscience-art-margaret-livingstone_n_2339429.html>.

Vesna, Victoria. “Conscious / Memory (Part 1).” Lecture. 19 Nov 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DLVQIwOn7o8>

Week 7: NanoTech and Art

Initially, I thought nanotechnology was something used primarily in the medical field and high-tech devices.  I had no clue that nanotechnology is all around us; I had only thought of nanotechnology art as something that uses cutting edge science (as seen in “Art in the Age of Nanotechnology”), not as something as simple as an athletic shoe or a golf club shaft.  I never would have thought that athletics and nanotechnology would be so interconnected—I soon found out that without nanotechnology, modern day athletics would be nowhere close to what it is today.

The advancements made the nanotechnology field over the last fifty years has made it possible for Kobe Bryant to jump higher and for Tiger Woods to hit the golf ball longer and straighter.  Yes, it is true that they would probably still be one of the best athletes in their sports, but it is doubtful that they would be able to compete at the same level they do now.  

http://lakerholicz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/kobe-bryant-top-5-dunks.jpg

For a shoe to be effective, it needs to have a good balance between durability and comfort.  That balance is generally seen in the sole of a shoe—more comfortable shoes have softer soles that absorb more shock, but don’t last as long, while harder soles are generally less comfortable, but last a lot longer.  Nanotechnology allows the rubber soles of athletic shoes to include the perfect balance of both hardness and softness without sacrificing the look of the shoe.  The mixture of hard and soft components in the sole takes place on the molecular level, allowing shoe designers to be as creative as they want.   The result is a visually appealing shoe that is durable, stable, and aesthetically pleasing.  

http://tommytoy.typepad.com/.a/6a0133f3a4072c970b0167622927fc970b-550wi

Nanotechnology also plays an important role in the technological structure of the golf club, particularly in the design of the shaft.  In golf, there are two types of shafts—steel and graphite.  Steel shafts sacrifice some distance, but allow for more control of the golf ball in a shot, while graphite shafts increase distance, but sacrifice control.  Nanotechnology now allows golf companies like Graffaloy to create graphite shafts that also feature steel shaft characteristics.  They are able to take the positive features of both shafts and fuse them together to create a better performing shaft.  

http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/2443424-3x2-340x227.jpg

Because nanotechnology occurs on such a microscopic level, it is being used on a number of different levels, from medicine and electronics, to even sports.  In the case of athletics, nanotechnology is making the game a whole lot easier for athletes, and even eventually change the way sports will be played in the future.  

Works Cited:

"Art in the Age of Nanotechnology." Artabase. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.artabase.net/exhibition/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology>.

Forman, Ethan. "The next Big Small Thing." UMass Lowell. N.p., 3 Aug. 2007. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.uml.edu/News/news-articles/2002-05/article342.aspx>.

Halley, Jim. "Nanotechnology Drives Golf to New Lengths." USA Today. USA Today, 16 Aug. 2005. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/golf/2005-08-16-nanotechnology_x.htm>.

"Nanotechnology in Sports Equipment: The Game Changer." Nanowerk. Nanowerk, 27 May 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=30661.php>.

"Top 8 Myths of Gold Swing." Golf News. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://golfnews.homestead.com/nanotechnology_golf_shaft.html>.

Week 6: BioTech and Art

The world of bioart recently facilitated by advancements in biotechnology has created both a new medium to express art and a new platform in which artists can comment on science and its practices.  Just as new frontiers of technology which manipulate living organisms, Bioart is often subject to scrutiny from the public eye due to debates of its ethics. 

Bioart has has increased the avenues with which art can be explored.  At first, I did not really understand the difference between what scientists and artists were utilizing biotechnology for.  It just seemed to me that artists were using this technology in a somewhat frivolous way; however, after doing some research, I know realize that bioart is just another way artists are pushing the envelope of expression.  It also acts as another bridge that can connect the worlds of art and science given that artists have to have a background in science to produce this form of art.  An example of bioart can be seen in Hunter O’Reilly’s Living Drawings which use glowing bacteria to produce an image.

http://www.huntercole.org/artgallery/livingbacterialdrawings/images/plantembryo1m.JPG

Adam Brandej’s Genpets collection showcase a small creature in a package which resembles a toy.  The creature is made out of latex and is strapped to a heart monitor.  It’s limbs are bound, and the wrists and ankles are slightly inflamed to show the animal has been struggling against the restraints.  There is a website connected with the Genpets display that makes it seem like genetically engineered pets are available for purchase.  This showcase offers commentary on the consequences of biotechnology and genetic engineering.

http://www.genpets.com/images/Genpet_feature.jpg

Although people seem hesitant to the possibilities of biotechnology, many examples can be seen in our own popular culture.  For instance, the popular Marvel superhero, Spider-Man, receives his powers through genetic mutation from a spider bite.  With the social acceptance of fictional characters like Spider-Man, it leads me to believe that studies and research will continue to make strides in the biotechnology field.

http://paranerds.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/spiderman.jpg

Works Cited:

DaSilva, Edgar. "Art, Biotechnology and the Culture of Peace." Electronic Journal of Biotechnology. N.p., 15 Aug. 2004. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. <http://www.ejbiotechnology.info/content/vol7/issue2/full/8/>.

Gkoutziouli, Katerina. "Art and Biotechnology: When Art Looks into Science |." The Rest Is Art. N.p., 26 Oct. 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. <http://therestisart.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/art-and-biotechnology-when-art-looks-into-science/>.

"Spider-Man." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Nov. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man>.

Vesna, Victoria, narr. “BioTech Art Lectures I-V.” N.p., . web. 5 Nov 2012.

Weir, Kirsten. "Biotechnology on Display." The Scientist. N.p., 9 Mar. 2007. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. <http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/24834/title/Biotechnology-on-display/>.