Event Blog #3: Hammer museum

For one of my events, I visited the Hammer Museum, where I watched Ed Atkin's short film Even Pricks. His film is part of the Hammer Museum's "This is the End" exhibit, which featured other films by fellow artists Loretta Fahrenholz and Tommy Hartung. Going into the film screening, I read that the artists used unusual narrative techniques to illustrate themes related to unhappiness and strangeness. 

After watching Even Pricks once, I was extremely confused. In fact, after watching it over and over again (luckily, it's only eight minutes long), I was still really confused! Atkin's storytelling is definitely unconventional. Instead of a plot, Atkins bombards the viewer with a series of pastel, saturated images of every day objects. The most frequently recurring object was a hand with the thumb sticking out. At first, the thumb was pointing up, representing happiness, but as the film progressed, the thumb changed positions and shapes. In one notable segment, the thumb deflated like a balloon would, leaving just the skin to dangle over the rest of the hand. It reminded me of when someone is putting on a persona for the public eye, but comes home and just completely relaxes. In other images, the thumb was rotated sideways, pressing into belly buttons, ears, and eyes. This reminded me of our biotech unit. Even though Atkins didn’t’ manipulate physical human bodies for Even Pricks, he manipulated the images on screen to inspire discomfort and curiosity from his audience.

The only face that is shown in Even Pricks is that of a chimpanzee. It speaks to the viewers, although most of the speech is seemingly random quotes. I interpreted this as Atkins stripping down humans to emotions, and elevating monkeys to talking, cognizant beings. I’m not really sure what he means by this, but perhaps he’s bringing up the question of what it means to be fully cognizant, especially in the face of depression.

Event #2: Google I/O

Last Thursday and Friday, I had the opportunity to attend Google I/O, which is Google's annual conference for developers and designers. As part of the conference, I saw several new products and launches, learn more about new tools that I can use as a software engineer, and attend workshops on design for tech. There was one product discussed in the keynote that I thought was particularly relevant to the course: Google Now on Tap.

Now on Tap is a more advanced version of Google Now, which is an automated mobile assistant brings users relevant information like appointment reminders, traffic information and navigation to frequently visited locations, sports scores from favorite teams, and more. Now on Tap will extend this functionality, with the goal of surfacing the exact information a user is searching for without the user having to actually type in a search query. To accomplish this, Google utilizes artificial neural networks that are several layers deep. Like biological neural networks, these networks can take in several different inputs to reach a single output. The deeper the networks, the more powerful they are, which is why Google Now is so useful.

Listening to the speakers talk about these neural networks reminded me of our Neuroscience + Art unit. Computer scientists are able to use the research of neuroscientists to create these machines that behave very much as if they had human brains. I can press a button on my phone, ask it a question, and receive an answer, as if we were having a conversation. As Google's neural networks get deeper, and its knowledge graph gets larger, these machines will become smarter and more human-like. At some point, we'll have to really re-evaluate what it means to be alive and cognisant. Perhaps this will be a future paradigm shift!

The following video contains the entire keynote speech. To watch from when Google Now on Tap was announced, start at 48:26!

The following are some pictures I took at I/O!

They served us carbonated strawberries at the after party!

Every so often, they make different themed Android figurines.

This mini exhibit was really cool! They set up a bunch of phones/tablets of different sizes and put an Android character on each one. Each character played an instrument, so it was like an orchestra/choir of Androids.

Week 9: Space + Art

    For most of us, outer space is an abstract concept that we don't get to experience firsthand. Since the space age, when we made huge strides (and went to the moon!), the public's curiosity about space has piqued. Subsequently, space in pop culture and art has become more prevalent (Kennedy). That piques our curiosity, which explains the prevalence of space in pop culture and art. In the past decade, there have been several movies about space, including Christopher Nolan's Interstellar and Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity. Interstellar in particular delved into the possibilities of traveling through time and space, as well as other forms of life and other dimensions. To keep the film (mostly) scientifically accurate, producers and special effect artists relied on physicist Kip Thorne's input and calculations (Tate).

The graphic above depicts the timeline of Interstellar (Gundogdo).

    Many artists have been inspired by outer space. One notable example is the late Robert Rauschenberg, who witnessed the Apollo 11 launch. Having been invited by NASA to commemorate the occasion, Rauschenberg also enjoyed access to official NASA buildings, documents, and personnel, all of which inspired his artwork for years. His famed portfolio Stoned Moon, which consists of 34 lithographs, contrasted the warm landscape of Florida with the industrial feel of NASA's astronauts, machinery, and buildings (SFMOMA).

Stoned Moon Drawing (Rauschenberg)

    Another interesting artist I found is Nahum, a Mexico City native who is currently based in London. He describes himself as "an artist, musician, and curator" who "explores outer space and conjuring" (Nahum). His work and performances seek to explore the magical feel that is associated with outer space. In one particularly intriguing performance, he hypnotized 15 people and sent them to the moon, at least in their minds. He came up with the idea for the performance when realizing that only a tiny fraction of the world really has the privilege to explore outer space. In another work, he and some other artists brought several cameras onboard zero-gravity parabolic flights to experience  creativity in a simulation of outer space (Maldonado).

Nahum's Lunatic performance, in which he hypnotized audience members and convinced them they were on the moon (Lunatic_Nahum).

Works Cited

Gundogdo, Dogan Can. Interstellar Timeline. Digital image. IGN. Ziff Davis, LLC, 11 Nov. 2014. Web. 26 May 2015.

Kennedy, Randy. "When the Space Age Blasted Off, Pop Culture Followed."The New York Times. The New York Times, 24 Sept. 2007. Web. 26 May 2015.

Lunatic_Nahum. Digital image. Hyperallergic RSS. Hyperallergic Media, Inc, 12 Mar. 2015. Web. 26 May 2015.

Maldonado, Devon Van Houten. "Conjuring Art Between Magic and Outer Space." Hyperallergic RSS. Hyperallergic Media, Inc, 12 Mar. 2015. Web. 26 May 2015.

Nahum. "Nahum - Artist, Musician & Curator." Nahum - Artist, Musician & Curator. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2015.

Rauschenberg, Robert. Stoned Moon. Digital image. Rauschenberg. Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, n.d. Web. 26 May 2015.

"SFMOMA | SFMOMA | Explore Modern Art | Our Collection | Robert Rauschenberg | Brake (Stoned Moon)." San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, n.d. Web. 26 May 2015.

Tate, Karl. "The Science of Interstellar Explained (Infographic)." Space. Purch, 7 Nov. 2014. Web. 26 May 2015.

Week 8: Nanotechnology and Art

Nanotechnology is the study and application of materials on a scale so miniscule that the human eye can't see. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter, so humans must use imagination when envisioning nanoparticles. Even though nanotechnology is an extremely new and relatively unexplored field, the term "nanotechnology" was first coined in the early 1970's by Norio Taniguchi, a Japanese engineer who foresaw a shift from the micrometer scale to nanometer scale (Gimzewski). 

Elements often behave differently on a nanoscale than they do on larger scales. Materials that small have a higher surface are to volume ratio, so the interactions with surrounding materials become more significant (Nanotechnology). 

Since ancient times, artists have been utilizing nanocomposites, a subset of nanotechnology. Nanocomposite materials are composed of nanoscale particles of different elements that have been fused together to create a bulk composite material with more useful properties. For example, the Lycurgus cup (dated AD 400, from the Roman empire) is made of glass infused with a gold and silver alloy. When light is reflected off the cup, it appears green, but when light passes through it, it appears red (Daw).

Lycurgus Cup - AD 400.

Today, researchers are finding novel ways to apply nanotechnology. Jung Hee Kim, of University of Illinoi at Urbana-Champaign, uses silver nanoparticles to create an ink that conducts electricity. Wires can literally be drawn onto various surfaces (Yirka). The picture below depicts an array of LEDs mounted on a piece of paper and connected by hand-drawn lines of the silver ink. Current goes through the lines, or wires, to light up the LEDs. 

LEDs connected by silver ink. (Han)

Artists are also incorporating nanotechnology into their work. Cris Orfescu is a nanoscientist and artist who uses chemical processes to create nano-sized sculptures and landscapes, then uses a scanning electron microscope to create digital images of his work. He hopes that his "NanoArt" will pique the public's interest in nanotechnology, which will lead to them furthering their understanding and knowledge of modern day applications of nanotechnology (Orfescu). 

Examples of NanoArt by Cris Orfescu

Works Cited

Daw, Rosamund. "Nanotechnology Is Ancient History." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 18 May 2015.

Gimzewski, Jim, and Victoria Vesna. "The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact & Fiction in the Construction of a New Science." The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact & Fiction in the Construction of a New Science. N.p., May 2003. Web. 18 May 2015.

Han, Bok Yeop. LEDs connected by silver ink. Digital image. Phys.org. Phys.org, 28 June 2011. Web. 18 May 2015.

Lycurgus Cup - AD 400. Digital image. The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 18 May 2015. 

Nanotechnology - Big Things from a Small World. Arlington, VA: National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, n.d. PDF.

Orfescu, Cris. Examples of NanoArt. Digital image. Studio19. Studio19, n.d. Web. 18 May 2015.

Orfescu, Cris. "NanoArt   INTERNATIONAL." NanoArt 21. EMarketing21, n.d. Web. 18 May 2015.

Yirka, Bob. "Researchers Create Rollerball-pen Ink to Draw Circuits."Researchers Create Rollerball-pen Ink to Draw Circuits. Phys.org, 28 June 2011. Web. 18 May 2015.

Week 7: Neuroscience + Art

Grasping the concept of the mind is difficult, and researchers in fields like psychology and neuroscience are constantly trying to understand how people's minds work. At USC last year, neuroscientists were able to construct a map of neuron "communication highways" in the brain, which included not only the geography of these paths, but the interactions between different paths that are crucial to brain functions (Thomas). To do this, they used a technique called diffusion tensor imaging, resulting in the following map: 

Despite the amount of research we've collected on the brain, there is still so much we don't know. Since our minds are so closely connected to our identities, neuroscience has become integrated into pop culture, forming a "neuroculture" (Neuroscience-pt1.mov). Artist Suzanne Anker and neuroscientist Giovanni Frazzetto, who have published articles about neuroculture, believe that neuroscience is actually influencing societal values, as people try to understand what gives us individuality and purpose in life (Frazzetto). Many times, people seek to understand so they can alter their behavior on a neurobiological level. This idea, which really took off in the sixties, is dependent on how much of the brain we can manipulate (Bell).

The film Memento revolves around Leonard, a man who has short-term memory loss as a result of a brain injury. Without the ability to make new memories, he has to continuously take notes on his whereabouts and actions to prevent becoming lost in his own life. The movie definitely brings up the connection between one's mind and one's purpose in life. If someone forgets every action or event in his life, is there still a purpose to his life?

Memento Trailer

One TV show that tries to educate the public on the brain is Brain Games (which airs on National Geographic). Each episode has a different topic, like "Laws of Attraction" or "Power of Persuasion", and neuroscientists come on set to explain the topic through interactive activities (Brain Games). The show seems to be really entertaining, and I think it's a great way to bring neuroscience to the public. 

Brain Games - Laws of Attraction

Notably, it keeps everything factual, which isn't always the case in films or fictional TV shows. As neuroculture becomes more prevalent, people will learn more about their minds and individuality. If the truth is stretched for entertainment purposes, though, the knowledge that the public picks up might be skewed as well. It's important to maintain that balance between creative freedom and factual accuracy, but that's tough to do.

Works Cited

Bell, Vaughan. "The History of the Birth of Neuroculture." Mind Hacks. N.p., 09 Mar. 2013. Web. 17 May 2015.

"Brain Games." National Geographic Channel. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2015.

"Brain Games - Laws of Attraction. YouTube. N.p., 25 Mar. 2008. Web. 17 May 2015.

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

Memento Trailer. YouTube. N.p., 25 Mar. 2008. Web. 17 May 2015.

Neuroscience-pt1.mov. Dir. Victoria Vesna. YouTube. N.p., 17 May 2012. Web. 17 May 2015.

Thomas, Ben. "Brain-Wide Map of "Neural Highways" Is First of Its Kind."Scientific American Global RSS. Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2014. Web. 17 May 2015.

Van Horn, John D. Scaffold2. Digital image. Scientific American Global RSS. Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2014. Web. 17 May 2015.

Week 6: Biotech + Art

Prior to this unit, I always associated experiments on living cells to be a strictly biological/scientific endeavor. However, I discovered several examples of artists using living matter as a medium for artwork. 

One notable example is the Australian duo Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr, who go by the moniker Tissue Culture and Art Project, or TC&A for short. They've used animal cell cultures to make miniature wings, dolls, and lab-grown meat, to name a few (Miranda). Most notably, they cultured mice cells and integrated them with a biodegradable polymer matrix to create a tiny, leather-like coat. 

Victimless Leather

In Australia, art and science lab SymbioticA created a "Semi Living Artist", consisting of a "brain", which consists of cultured fetal rat brain cells, and a "body", which is a robotic arm. Using an internet connection, the brain sends impulses to the body to create 2-D drawings in real time (Delgado). 

Robotic arm of "Semi Living Artist"

These works of art force us to make the distinction between living matter and life, if there is one. While I am personally uncomfortable with using a living animal as a medium for art, I'm fine with using live cells as a medium. Many of the artists who do incorporate biotechnology actually have an ethical motivation for using living matter in their work, though. In making "Victimless Leather", TC&A intended to bring up the moral implications of manipulating and animals for producing leather and other aesthetic reasons, and to demonstrate a possibility of producing a similar result without actually killing animals (Victimless). By creating the "Semi Living Artist", SymbioticA aimed to explore what it means to be a thinking entity, and if the ability to think is equivalent to life itself (MEART).

These works of art certainly bring up compelling points, which naturally follow as artists push the boundaries of bio-art. Human creativity is limitless, and in some cases, should be kept in check for ethical reasons. In the lecture videos, Professor Vesna discussed how Alba, a transgenic rabbit, was made to glow when illuminated with a certain wavelength of light (5 Bioart Pt1). 

Alba

 This experiment was undertaken for scientific research. If it had been done for solely aesthetic reasons, though, I think that would have been unethical, because the only reasons behind it would be superficial, instead of helping us learn about the genome. Perhaps artists who have access to biotech should be subject to the same ethical review that scientists face when designing biotech experiments. In that case, we will have to decide if the permissions that research labs and artists receive should differ, and if so, by how much.

Works Cited

5 Bioart Pt1 1280x720. Victoria Vesna. YouTube. UCLA, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 09 May 2015.

Alba. Digital image. GFP - Green Fluorescent Protein. Connecticut College, n.d. Web. 9 May 2015.

Delgado, Rick. "How Artists Are Blending Biotechnology And Art."MakeUseOf. N.p., 08 May 2015. Web. 09 May 2015.

MEART—The Semi Living Artist, SymbioticA, The Art & Science Collaborative Research Lab, The Bakery, ARTRAGE Complex, Northbridge, Dec 20, 2005

Miranda, Carolina A. "Weird Science: Biotechnology as Art Form." ARTnews. ARTnews Ltd., 18 Mar. 2013. Web. 09 May 2015.

Robotic arm of "Semi Living Artist". Digital image. MakeUseOf. N.p., 8 May 2015. Web. 9 May 2015.

"Victimless Leather." Victimless Leather. The Tissue Culture and Art Project, n.d. Web. 09 May 2015.

Victimless Leather. Digital image. MakeUseOf. N.p., 8 May 2015. Web. 9 May 2015.

Event #1: College Night @ the Getty Center!

My friends and I at College Night at the Getty Center!

On Monday, April 27^th, I attended College Night at the Getty Center! The Getty Center is a museum in Brentwood that shows several art exhibits for free, and College Night was a specific event geared towards college students. In addition to the regular exhibits, there was free food, live music, selfie booths, and live drawing of models.

Out of all the exhibits, the one I enjoyed the most was Painting Set Free, which featured the works of the late British painter, J. M. W. Turner. His artwork differed from the other paintings I saw at the Getty. Whereas most of the other paintings were very detailed and focused, Turner's artwork was often hazy, with only certain elements outlined. 

Venice: An Imaginary View of the Arsenale by J.M.W. Turner

The haziness of his artwork made understanding perspective even more important. In the painting above, the slant of the lines delineating the buildings on the left and right of the river appear to converge in the distance, giving the perspective that the wall in the back is farther away from the viewer than the river. 

Regulus, by J. M. W. Turner

As my friends and I walked around the exhibit, we experienced opportunities for divergent thinking! With artwork, there is usually no "right" interpretation. The Getty Center has plaques explaining the artists' intentions beside each painting, but my friends and I would always try to analyze and guess the meaning before reading the plaque. I thought the painting above had the most interesting interpretation. When I saw it, I thought it depicted the people of a city witnessing the descent of some supernatural being from heaven. My friend interpreted it as the divide between the people of the sea and people from the city. The plaque explained the painting as the return of Regulus, a Roman general who failed to negotiate for peace, and was subsequently punished by having his eyelids cut off. The bright light in the picture represents the sunlight blinding him.

These two paintings were just a sample of Turner's artwork, but overall I really enjoyed his exhibit and College Night in general. It was awesome to see how artists employed angles to establish perspective, and it was really fun to come up with different interpretations of the artwork with my friends.

Works Cited

"J. M. W. Turner: Painting Set Free." Getty Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2015.

Turner, J. M. W. Regulus. Digital image. Tate. N.p., Sept. 2004. Web. 4 May 2015.

Turner, J. M. W. Venice: An Imaginary View of the Arsenale. Digital image. Tate. N.p., Sept. 2004. Web. 4 May 2015.

Vesna, Victoria. Mathematics - Zero Perspective Golden Mean. UCLA, 9 Apr. 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.