Event Blog #2: LASER

Presentation Room 

Shortly after the Joyce Cutler Shaw gallery ended, the LASER presentation began right across the hall. Coming in I honestly thought they were going to be shooting a giant laser into space. I'm not sure why. To my surprise I was able to attend a presentation by scientists and doctors in fields I didn't even think existed.

Robert Bilder

The first project that was presented was the Big C Project by Robert Bilder. Robert studied the biology of creativity, a field I had never even heard of before. He studied birds to see how they create songs, because this diversity could be tracked mathematically and linked to the growth of their brains. He wanted to see if there was a difference between Big C which referred to creative genius vs. Little C which referred to everyday acts of creativity. His research was very new to me, and I didn't think it was possible to scientifically track something as unique as creativity. His work really blew me away.

Professor Vesna introducing Ping Ho

The next presenter I want to highlight is Ping Ho who is the founding director of Healing and the Arts. She is a doctor who studied healing through creativity, something which at first I thought to be a complete myth. Her research showed that by applying creative medecine to cancer patients she was able to significantly lower stress, pain, and increase resistance to a disease. They say that positive thinking and hobbies are the most important thing when healing, but Ping Ho took this saying and made it into a science.

Crumpled Piece of Paper

At the end of Ping Ho's presentation she gave everyone a piece of paper and pencil and told us to use the paper to show what "stress" is. Most people in the room crumpled up the paper while I took the liberty of writing all over it, then crumpling it up, ripping it into tiny pieces, and throwing it in the air. That's when Ping Ho told us, "That's how you deal with stress." Such a simple experiment made so much to sense to me. It was probably the highlight of my night.

Professor Vesna's Refreshments

Thank you for the refreshments professor!


Citations:
1. Robert Bilder. Digital image. Health Sciences. UCLA, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2013. <http://people.healthsciences.ucla.edu/institution/photo?personnel_id=10128>.
2. Crumpled Paper. Digital image. LA Weekly. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2013. <http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/20070429-crumpled-paper.jpg>.

Event Blog #1: Joyce Cutler Shaw

Me at the gallery.

I wasn't expecting much out of this exhibit, but as I entered the gallery I immediately knew I was wrong. Joyce Cutler Shaw's gallery had two unique and unbelievable photography projects. The first detailed her life while the other human anatomy. I especially loved Joyce herself, who was an incredibly kind woman who was open to any questions I asked.

Joyce's Life Story

The first side of the gallery featured distinct photographs positioned in front of Joyce's face. Each photograph represented an important memory from her from life growing up. She had note cards for each photograph which detailed the scene very specifically. She talked about her life in New York, her financial struggles with her mother, and specifically how each scene was an important memory in her life. The positioning of the photograph in front of her face made me feel like I was looking through a window into her soul.

Human Anatomy

The second gallery was a bit more confusing than the first. I had to personally talk to Joyce to understand what she was trying to convey. This gallery, like the other, featured a photo placed in front of Joyce's face, but rather than moments from her life, these images had scientific images of fetus's, skeletons, and other human body structures. Joyce explained to me that this gallery detailed her work and knowledge of human anatomy and the life of human beings. It was simple in theory yet very complex in it's presentation.

Gallery Title

Before this event I've honestly never seen art/photography presented in this way before. I especially loved how she used the medium of photography to show the progression of human anatomy. It was very unique and something that I didn't quite understand, but by talking to Joyce I was able to fully grasp the extent of her work. I had a great conversation with her about her past and future projects and will definitely keep a look out for any future galleries.

Space + Art

Copernicus
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Copernicus.jpg

Last week we learned about nanotechnology and art and today we raised the scale by the trillions and began to explore space and art. It all began with man, Copernicus, who created the first model of the solar system with the sun as the center. You could call him the Father of Modern Astronomy. His contributions were honored to a huge degree in the astronomical community in several ways including: his face on Polish money, a crater on the moon named after him, his name on satellites, and more! His work opened the door to the universe.

Sputnik
http://seattletimes.com/ABPub/2008/07/01/2008027721.jpg

I want to jump to the Cold War, because I found it really interesting how astronomy was used as a tool beyond science and art. After Russia had countered the U.S. and developed it's own atomic bomb the Cold War began. Russia made an interesting move and created the first ever satellite, Sputnik, which was not bigger than a beach ball. This flying beach ball had two interesting features which were a very loud beeping noise and a surface which reflected light from over 157 miles away, so the U.S. people saw it and heard it all the time. It was really interesting that such a small device had enough impact to cause mass-paranoia in the United States.

Laika
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Laika.jpg

The Russians next move to test out how well people would survive in Space was putting a stray dog Laika in the aircraft and monitoring her activity as the satellite hit space. The battery in the satellite ran out 6 days later and all life support systems failed killing Laika. I didn't like this bit, because although it was necessary it was still animal cruelty and I thought they could have found a better way.

Universe
http://d1jqu7g1y74ds1.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/hartley2lores.jpg

Who knows what's in store for the future. We've been building more advanced rockets, shooting laser beams from the sky, and almost discovering alien life forms on annual basis. Who knows what the world of space has in store for us, but we have a whole lot left to explore.

Sources:
1. Copernicus. Digital image. WikiMedia. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Copernicus.jpg>.
2. Sputnik. Digital image. Seattle Times. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://seattletimes.com/ABPub/2008/07/01/2008027721.jpg>.
3. Laika. Digital image. WikiMedia. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Laika.jpg>.
4. Universe. Digital image. Cloud Front. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://d1jqu7g1y74ds1.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/hartley2lores.jpg>.
5. Newman, Phil. "Laika, the First Dog in Space." Laika, the First Dog in Space. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. <http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/space_level2/laika.html>.

Nanotechnology + Art

Nanotechnology
http://nanogloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/nanotechnology.jpg

When they say "the world is a small place" I think, "the world is becoming a smaller place." As trends would show, technology has kept getting smaller and smaller. 25 years ago a cell phone was the size of small computer speaker, and now we have phones that fit in the palm of our hands. The people I learned about this week changed the world and helped us make a smooth transition into the digital age.

At a Microscopic Level
http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/gold-nanotech-2.jpg

How did they change the world? How could it be done? These guys were working on a molecular level, a level we couldn't even see with a microscope at the time. As Feynman realized technology at the nanolevel changes the laws of physics. Surface tension beats gravity, and the very nature of the nanoscale objects can be used to create new effects. Not only were they working in a realm they couldn't see, but it was a realm with entirely new laws.

Earliest Atom Imagery
http://blogs.knoxnews.com/munger/atomsphotos.jpg

The projects I learned about this week seemed like they came from a Sci-Fi movie. There was a Ford assembly plant at a molecular level, a form of carbon unknown to man, atom imagery and manipulation, and more. They even discovered nanoparticles in sewage sludge. Just to reiterate my point. They couldn't see the particles, they didn't know the laws, and they embarked on impossible-sounding projects. I'm not sure if the people we learned about this week were artists or wizards, but their immense creativity and scientific knowledge shaped the portable world of today.

Nanoparticles in Sewer Sludge
http://www.ethlife.ethz.ch/archive_articles/080715-nano_in_klaeranlage/klaerschlamm-l.jpg?hires

Sources:
1. Nanotechnology. Digital image. Nano Glass. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. <http://nanogloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/nanotechnology.jpg>.
2. Gold Nano-Tech. Digital image. DDMCDN. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. <http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/gold-nanotech-2.jpg>.
3. Atoms Photos. Digital image. Knox News. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. <http://blogs.knoxnews.com/munger/atomsphotos.jpg>.
4. Nano In Klaeranlage. Digital image. Eth Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. <http://www.ethlife.ethz.ch/archive_articles/080715-nano_in_klaeranlage/klaerschlamm-l.jpg?hires>.
5. Bonsor, Kevin. "How Nanotechnology Works." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. <http://www.howstuffworks.com/nanotechnology.htm>.

Neuroscience + Art

Neuroscience + Art
http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/uploadedImages/Departments/Anatomy/Content/Education/Human_Brain_PSEUDO2.jpg

I had no idea artists could combine neuroscience and and art in such creative ways. The projects I learned about this week were beautiful on both a visual and psychological level. Most importantly, the projects these artists put together helped diagnose people in the long run, so they were helping out the world as well.

Franz Gall
http://image1.findagrave.com/photos/2008/110/7773_120870652743.jpg

I want to start off with Ramon Chall and Franz Gall who were one of the first people to break down and understand the brain. Gall invented the process of phrenology which tried to understand the brain by breaking down the shape of the skull. He compared the different shapes to those of animals to understand the tendencies and psychological actions of humans such as feelings, religion, and more. They laid the foundation for neuroscience to be explored.

Brainbows
http://cbs.fas.harvard.edu/usr/connectome/brainbow/brainbow7.jpg

Santiago Ramon y Cajal founded neuron anatomy and discovered you could read out the connection patterns between neurons by looking at their shape. It seemed like such a simple thought for scientists yet he was the one who put it together. My favorite project though was Brainbows in which fluorescent proteins were used to show and flag specific neurons in the brain. This unbelievable project helped scientists understand the different neural connections in the brain and treat psychological disorders because of it.

Consciousness
http://www.costaricantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/consciousness.jpg

This week started us off with a question. Where does consciousness come from? While most would point to the sky and speak about religion, these scientists and artists teamed up to truly answer that question and understand human consciousness. Their ideas and projects influenced a generation to come, and helped lay the foundation for understanding and treating people.

Sources:
1. Human Brain Pseudo 2. Digital image. UIOWA. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/uploadedImages/Departments/Anatomy/Content/Education/Human_Brain_PSEUDO2.jpg>.
2. Franz Gall. Digital image. Find A Grave. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://image1.findagrave.com/photos/2008/110/7773_120870652743.jpg>.
3. Brainbow 7. Digital image. Harvard EDU. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://cbs.fas.harvard.edu/usr/connectome/brainbow/brainbow7.jpg>.
4. Consciousness. Digital image. Costa Rican Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.costaricantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/consciousness.jpg>.
5. The History of Phrenology. LHOON, 05 Mar. 1998. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <The History of Phrenology>.

Biotechnology + Art

Joe Davis
http://trialx.com/curetalk/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2011/04/gcelebrities/Joe_Davis-2.jp

This week's topic showed me a world completely unknown to me. It all started with Joe Davis who was one of the earliest pioneers of bio-art. I found it unbelievable that he created a device that could translate light into sound to study micro-organisms. His sheer creativity allowed scientists to understand and identify micro-organisms in a completely new way.

Microvenus
http://www.viewingspace.com/genetics_culture/images_genetics_culture/gc_wk_03/davis_j/microvenus.gif

Joe's micro-Venus project was both revolutionary and very far-reaching. I really liked how he chose the micro-Venus symbol stating that space was filled with men's phallic symbols and that women are the creators. He wanted to bring a gender balance to space itself through the use of bio-art. If that's not a revolutionary vision then I don't know what is.

Eduardo Kac's Fluorescent Bunny
http://www.ekac.org/albagreen.jpeg

Other scientists like such as Eduardo Kac and the scientists from the Symbiotica project, created art and processes that would teach and influence the world in many ways. Eduardo's discovery of the fluorescent GFP gene would further help doctors in identifying the movements and effects of medications on cancer cells and other treatments. Symbiotica created an entire curriculum for individuals who wanted to understand bio-art leading to projects such as the modified butterflies by Martha de Mendez. These scientists used their art to influence more than just culture, but life itself.

Orlan's Blanket
http://www.creative-mapping.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/o-Biopsy-8.jpg

My favorite piece was Orlan's blanket which used diamond-shaped patches of skin which were created to be different colors in a petri dish as a symbol of cultural cross-breeding. The way she presented the project truly blew me away. All the artists in this week lecture truly took their work to the highest social level. They presented such ethically, socially, and culturally controversial material that the world had to stand up and take notice. They changed the world.

Citations:
1. Joe Davis 2. Digital image. TrialX. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2013. <http://trialx.com/curetalk/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2011/04/gcelebrities/Joe_Davis-2.jp>.
2. Microvenus. Digital image. Viewing Space. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2013. <http://www.viewingspace.com/genetics_culture/images_genetics_culture/gc_wk_03/davis_j/microvenus.gif>.
3. Albagreen. Digital image. EKAC. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2013. <http://www.ekac.org/albagreen.jpeg>.
4. Biopsy 8. Digital image. Creative-Mapping. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2013. <http://www.creative-mapping.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/o-Biopsy-8.jpg>.
5. "Joe Davis: Genetics and Culture." Joe Davis: Genetics and Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2013. <http://www.viewingspace.com/genetics_culture/pages_genetics_culture/gc_w03/davis_joe.htm>.
6. "BIO ART." BIO ART. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2013. <http://www.ekac.org/transgenicindex.html>.

Nick Lerman DESMA 9 Midterm

Hey everyone!

Just posting my midterm that was due today. I created a digital application website that helped connect artists around the world. Let me know what you think!

Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1xvri26m015w0kt/NICK_LERMAN_DESMA9_MIDTERM.pdf