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

Medicine + Technology + Art

Art meets Medicine
http://www.jeffreymlevinemd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Art_Medicine_Webinar1.jpg

This week's topic featured an in-depth look into the symbiotic relationship between art and the medical field. I found it extremely interesting that art and medicine had this relationship that I would have never thought existed beforehand. It makes perfect sense that to a great artist would need to understand and learn about the human body to hone his talents, but it's something I never really considered.

Human Anatomy
http://www.yogamagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Mountain-Pose-Anatomy-768x1024.jpg

Understanding the human anatomy is instrumental for artists in accurately representing humans in their work. From Vesalius's early anatomy, to Hagens' "Body World", and further to the development of X-rays, MRI machines, and CAT scans, technology in medicine has improved the depth and detail into which artists and medical professionals can look into and understand the human body. I found Hagen's "Body World" and the process of plastination to be extremely interesting and I loved how as a scientist he created such an artistic inspirational piece of work.

Extreme Body Modifications
http://i.i.cbsi.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim//2010/07/20/Subdermal_Implants_and_stretching.jpg

The real intersection of these two fields is in the advancements of body modifications. The image above is a very extreme example of the case, but body modifications gave artists the ability to express themselves physically in a revolutionary new way. Advancements in body modifications included things such as plastic surgery, prosthetics, prosthesis, and more. Learning about Orlan and how she creates her physical art was really inspirational for me. I immediately thought that she was trying to steal the beauty of the world, but instead she was choosing her modifications in a philosophical representation. Steven Hawking's ability to communicate and express himself due to machinery is an incredible technological miracle in of it's own.

"All is Full of Love"
http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/images/bjork-love05.jpg

I'd like to end with Bjork's "All is Full of Love" music video. I remember seeing this video in the early 2000's and it meant nothing to me at the time. After this week's lesson I re-watched it and saw a completely new meaning in it. The video features robots sensually kissing and touching each other, which is a pretty normal in 2013, but what surprised me was the video being released in 1999. I thought that the video was a foreshadowing of the future and the robots expressing these human-like features suggested that in the future cybernetics will be a very strong part of a human's normal life. Maybe I'm drawing at straws here, but I thought it was a very innovative idea, and as the future showed cybernetics are a huge part of today's world.

References:
1. Levine, Jeffrey M. Art Medicine Webinar 1. Digital image. Jeffrey M Levine MD. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013. <http://www.jeffreymlevinemd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Art_Medicine_Webinar1.jpg>.
2. Mountain Pose Anatomy. Digital image. Yoga Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013. <http://www.yogamagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Mountain-Pose-Anatomy-768x1024.jpg>.
3. Subdermal Implants and Stretching. Digital image. CBSI. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013. <http://i.i.cbsi.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim//2010/07/20/Subdermal_Implants_and_stretching.jpg>.
4. Bjork Love 05. Digital image. Cyber Punk Review. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013. <http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/images/bjork-love05.jpg>.
5. "Who Is Orlan?" Who Is Orlan? N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013. <http://oldsite.english.ucsb.edu/faculty/ecook/courses/eng114em/whoisorlan.htm>.

Robotics + Art

I'd like to start off by quoting Walter Benjamin in two ways. Firstly he said, "Even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be." Secondly Walter mentions that, "Mechanical reproduction of art changes the reaction of the masses toward art." Walter struck me on these two regard in realizing that, mass production and the internet has made art so readily available that it has over saturated our minds and lost it's quality amidst the unending quantity. 

Man Staring at Painting
http://farm1.staticflickr.com/41/113646283_d9fb9ae60b_o.jpg

Art used to be something that made you stop in your tracks and just stare in awe. Art is a medium of expression and it's supposed to make you think and admire. With the advance of technology and social media art has been very oversaturated as a medium.

Tumblr Feed
http://www.prophotonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/inspiration_03.jpg

Websites such as Facebook, Tumbler, and even your email has a feed type mechanism that constantly spews out hundreds of pieces of art every minute. Our advances in cameras, editing equipment, advanced lessons, lenses, brushes, and more has made art so easily available that anybody can express themselves (and have it look damn good at that)! This over-saturation is a bad thing, because it has depreciated our appreciation of art. Where before we would stop and stare at a painting, we now click a tiny heart or a "Like" button. Art has become a passing moment, a beautiful Instagram post, a cute Facebook post, or even quick text to a friend. The admiration and self-thought has been replaced by displaced interest and a bridge to social connectivity.

Walter Benjamin
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Books/Pix/pictures/2012/4/26/1335450968248/Walter-Benjamin-008.jpg

As I stated at the beginning of my post, Walter Benjamin mentioned two very important things that stuck with me. Mechanically reproduced artwork lacks the original's part in time and space and this reproduction changes the reaction of it's audience. Has what I described above not mimicked just that? The advance and spread of art to the world has definitely ruined the place and lasting appeal of individual works and instead creating a fleeting attraction to it that's forgotten after the click of the "Like" button. I'd like to part with a question to my readers. When is the last time you saw a work of art online and been drawn to it so much that you spent the day looking for it's name or the name of it's artist?

Banksy was the first artist I discovered through social media.
http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Banksy_Napalm_HR_400k.jpg

Citations:

Man Staring at Painting. Digital image. Flickr. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://farm1.staticflickr.com/41/113646283_d9fb9ae60b_o.jpg>.
Inspiration 03. Digital image. Pro Photo Nut. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.prophotonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/inspiration_03.jpg>.
Walter Benjamin 008. Digital image. Guim. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Books/Pix/pictures/2012/4/26/1335450968248/Walter-Benjamin-008.jpg>.
Banksy Napalm. Digital image. The Gnomon Workshop. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Banksy_Napalm_HR_400k.jpg>.
Benjamin, Walter, and J. A. Underwood. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. London: Penguin, 2008. Print.

Math + Art DESMA 9 Blog Topic

Art meets Mathematical Proportion
http://www.bridgesmathart.org/art-exhibits/jmm09/McBurney1.jpg.jpg

This week's topic called Math + Art was about how the development of mathematics has influenced a variety of artists including painters, architects, writers, and more to create their works of art. I found this topic really interesting, because honestly before this day I didn't even think about some of these things. I would have never thought that math had such a huge influence in art, but it went hand in hand.

It Started With This Number
http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/files/2011/07/130_zero.jpg

It all started with the number zero which was created in Mesopotamia, but at the time only defined as an empty space. Zero as a number appeared from mathematician Brahmagupta who created the rules of the number zero. With the development of arithmetic and the number zero as we moved further in time the Greek and Italian people began to work on the theory of perspective and the vanishing point.

Vitruvian Man
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Da_Vinci_Vitruve_Luc_Viatour.jpg

The Golden ratio was created by the Greeks and used to create structures such as the Egyptian pyramids and the Parthenon in Athens. Even the famous Mona Lisa is using the golden ratio in its image. The Vitruvian Man could be considered the perfect collaboration/example of art and science. It's supposed to be the perfect proportion of a human man. I found "Flatland" by Edward Abbott to be a very interesting story and felt like in a way it described an early artist's view on the progression of mathematics and art. The artist painted the world as an expression of shapes and lines and the square discovered that there were so many more dimensions and shapes than he previously comprehended, but he wasn't allowed to share his ideas and was imprisoned for trying. I felt like a lot artists had avante-garde ideas that were very unappreciated in their times only to be called genius a few centuries later. Mathematics working together with art? Who would have thought a correlation even existed?

Pete Mondrian, The Founder of Modern Art
http://art-educ4kids.weebly.com/uploads/8/9/6/9/8969100/3265711_orig.jpg

These ideas of mathematics and proportion influenced a generation of artists for years to come. Piet Mondrian a very famous painter in 1942 used mathematics and logic to create art showing that anything could be created using basic geometric shapes. Charles Jeanneret used the golden ratio, the Fibonacci numbers, and proportions of the human body to make his architecture better pieces of structural art. In even more recent works, Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, a literary piece of art, was based on the proportional and mathematical work of Leonardo Da Vinci as well as the Fibonacci numbers.The long-running television show Numb3rs was based on a genius using mathematics to solve crimes.

The juxtaposition of art and math was something that never previously occurred to me and it makes me wonder what other connections I've failed to make. This week's class really opened up my mind into the world of art, and I'm definitely going to be looking at future art pieces with a mathematically inclined eye. 

Citations:

Abbott, Edwin Abbott. Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1963. Print.

Da Vinci Vitruve Luc Viatour. Digital image. Wikimedia. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Da_Vinci_Vitruve_Luc_Viatour.jpg>.

Zero. Digital image. Indiana Public Media. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/files/2011/07/130_zero.jpg>.

Piet Mondrian 3265711. Digital image. Art Education 4 Kids. Weebly, n.d. Web. <http://art-educ4kids.weebly.com/uploads/8/9/6/9/8969100/3265711_orig.jpg>.

McBurney 1. Digital image. Bridges Math Art. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.bridgesmathart.org/art-exhibits/jmm09/McBurney1.jpg.jpg>.