Extra Credit Event: Lauren Bon & Metabolic Studio, The Catch

A few weeks ago I visited Lauren Bon and Metabolic Studio's exhibit "The Catch" at the Hammer Museum.

The cover of the exhibit brochure

When I pulled open the large glass doors to the exhibit and stepped inside, the doors closed behind me and it felt rather eerie. It was very dark inside and strange sounds that I wouldn't necessarily quite call music sounded like they were echoing around me. These sounds were rather peaceful, as the sound of water often can be. Once I got over my brief fear of the dark, I began exploring the room. In the center of the room was what I thought was a large white sheet, draped in intricate patterns, hanging from the ceiling.

My first view of the exhibit

When I walked around the side of the fabric, it looked as if water was gently moving down the sheet. When I continued walking around, I saw a projector of light from the ceiling that made it look as though water was rippling down the fabric.

The projector

Here is a video I took as I walked slowly around the exhibit in which you can both see the exhibit itself and hear the sounds I described earlier.

After finishing my lap around the center of the exhibit, I looked at the description of the exhibit that was on the wall at the entrance. From this, I learned that the exhibit was categorized as a sound piece, in which the sounds heard echoing in the room were composed of different layers of sounds. These layers include sounds from a waterwheel combined with sound samples from a plate glass factory.

The description of the exhibit on the wall

The intention of this work was to create an intimate experience through sound, for what is typically an otherwise large structure with important civic ideas. Being alone in the room of the exhibit made me feel as though this goal was entirely successful. While the fabric itself was physically larger than me and the sounds surrounded me, it still felt like an experience that I was a part of. I even touched "the water" of the exhibit, connecting me to the exhibit on an even deeper sensory level.

Me touching the fabric 

I continued reading about the exhibit, and found that The Catch is actually a model of the larger scale installation that will be at Metabolic Studios. In the larger, more ambitious exhibit, Bending the River Back into the City, a 72 foot tunnel will divert water from the Los Angeles River and lead to a waterwheel that takes the water to a garden at the top of Metabolic Studio's building. Rather than being lost in the ocean, the tunnel and waterwheel will "catch" the water that will then be used to benefit LA's landscape.

A picture of the future waterwheel from the exhibit brochure

Bon, who originally trained as an architect, has always been interested in Los Angeles' connection to both land and water. I couldn't help but connect this to the current drought situation in LA at the moment, in which the rather drastic measure of water rationing is taking place. The current drought just makes Bon's work all the more important and necessary, to cause people to think about their impact on their environmental surroundings.

View of the rippling water

This exhibit truly demonstrates the third culture of the combination of art and science, as Bon uses this exhibit not just for a prelude to her larger project, but as a means to get a message across about important environmental issues. While this exhibit does not apply directly to concepts discussed in lecture, as we did not discuss environmental sciences and art, it did remind me of other concepts and projects we discussed that utilize either sound or other sensory modalities to express an idea or pose a larger concern. This exhibit specifically reminded me of Joe Davis' work with audio microscopes, in which light information is translated into sound, allowing you to hear living cells. While this was not used in Bon's work, I did see a connection in that the sounds of water and of the waterwheel used in the exhibit did in a way make one feel as though the water was alive, moving and flowing with a mind of its own.

Me at the Hammer Museum

As the exhibit is closed, I cannot encourage other students in this class to view it, however I do encourage you to follow the progress of Bon's larger work!

Event 3: Disneyland, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln

When I was at Disneyland last weekend, I was surprised to find a great deal of situations in which I felt the intersection of the arts and sciences was perfectly exemplified. From "imagineers" to "audio-animatronics," great artistic creativity combined with the fields of engineering and robotics culminates in a visual, tactile, auditory and kinetic experience for viewers.

My Disneyland tickets

 Disney Imagineers are the people behind every ride and attraction one encounters while at a Disneyland theme park. Imagineers are the group of engineers, artists, designers, writers, and architects who work together to create sensory experience of all sorts. Imagineers work with what Disney has termed Audio-Animatronics, a form of robotic engineering that is present in many of Disneyland's rides, shows and other attractions. 

A talking robot on the Star Trek ride

A (blurry) picture of audio-animatronics in the Winnie the Poo ride

One of the oldest Disneyland attractions is "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln," in which Abraham Lincoln comes to life through Audio-Animatronics. Outside of this attraction, a video clip explained a bit about what Audio-Animatronics really is. 

Before robot Lincoln was on stage, a video told the story of Lincoln's history

As described in the video clip, Audio-Animatronics allows robots to move and make sounds. They are able to stand up and sit down, but are unable to walk around. The robot's movements and vocalizations are pre-recorded, so it does not respond to external stimuli like many of the robots we discussed during previous lectures. 

The beginning of the show

In "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln," viewers watch and listen as a robot Mr. Lincoln says excerpts from some of his most famous speeches. He sits and stands, looks left and right, opens, closes and moves his mouth as appropriate, and even gestures with his hands, all very fluidly.  

Audio-animatronic Lincoln sitting down before the speech began

As was discussed in lecture, scientists and artists are continuously trying to create robots that "seem" human. Through this fluidity of movement, Disney's Audio-Animatronic Abraham Lincoln did in fact "seem" human for the brief few moments that he was standing and speaking in front of the audience. 

Lincoln stood up very fluidly, for the remainder of the speech

This ability to convince the audience of human-like characteristics may have also come from the robot's impeccable visual comparison to the real President. The animatronics team and artists used Lincoln's real face mask as a model for the face of the robot. The robot Lincoln's voice, the pre-recorded voice of an actor, was full of emotion and character.  While this attraction did skip over some important concepts of modern day robotics, including the ability to attend to external stimuli, it was incredible to see robotics in real life. This was my first experience seeing any robot like this, and after learning about robotics and art during this course, it was incredible to have this kind of first hand experience.  

Here is a short video clip during Lincoln's speech:

If you ever happen to be at Disneyland, I highly recommend checking out this attraction, as it perfectly exemplifies so many of the concepts of arts and science that have been discussed in lecture. 

Also, here's proof of me at Disneyland! 

Event 2: Fowler Museum, Making Strange: Gagawaka + PostMortem

When I walked into the "Making Strange" exhibit,  I didn't even have time to read the explanation of the exhibit on the wall before noticing the mannequins dressed in what I first thought was somewhat futuristic-style clothing.

"Silver foil Suit" made of foil medicine wrappers,
that I first thought was some sort of futuristic clothing

I first walked over to a mannequin wearing a bright red dress that I thought had a beautiful colored fabric intricately sewn together to create an interesting folding pattern. 

"Diva R-E-D" made from red bras

It was not until I looked to the bottom of the dress that I noticed the title of the piece printed on the floor next to the mannequin.  Underneath the title was a description of the material used to create the dress.  When I saw it, I was slightly shocked that I hadn't noticed what it was made out of, as it read "padded bras." My first impression of the dress had been that it was a beautiful color, intricately woven, and something one might see on a runway, and it was made out of bras... how did I not notice? I looked around to some of the other pieces and knew I was in for a few surprises. 

Description next to the mannequin

To learn a bit more about the exhibit before continuing to explore, I watched a brief film in which the artist Vivan Sundaram spoke about the exhibit. Here I learned that "Making Strange" had two components, Gagawaka and PostMortem. Gagawaka consisted of the mannequins dressed in what Sundaram described as "trash" that was a starting point of creativity. He explained that he was interested in the "anti-aesthetic" of using trash to create art. I found this term, "anti-aesthetic" interesting, since I thought many of the pieces the mannequins were wearing were in fact quite aesthetically appealing with an uncommon beauty.

My view of the video in which Sundaram described his work

I continued walking around the exhibit and noticed a common theme of clothing made out of medical supplies. I saw "Poisoned Robe," a dress-like design made primarily from surgical caps. 

"Poisoned Robe" made of surgical caps

There was also "Immunity Cover," made only from surgical masks. 

Me next to "Immunity Cover" made of surgical masks

One of my personal favorite pieces was titled "Snake Shell" and was made entirely out of x-ray film. 

"Snake Shell" made of x-ray film

The use of common medical equipment to create dresses and outfits represented a unique connection with the medical world, and it's application in art. I found it interesting that some of the pieces were created from materials that are usually found on doctors who are about to perform surgery in which they will be cutting into a person's body to focus on what is inside of them. Yet, in these pieces, the materials are not only on the outside of the mannequin, but intentionally being used to cover the mannequin as to not see what is inside of it. 

The dialogue between the inside and outside of one's body continued when I observed Postmortem, in which medical educational tools were strategically placed inside partially dressed, hollow mannequins.

"Spine," fiberglass mannequin with anatomy sample spine inside

This reminded me of the exhibit "Body Worlds" discussed in lecture, in which preserved bodies were on display.  I was also reminded of Professor Vesna's discussion of some artist's extreme interest in cadavers and human dissection, and how many artists focused on anatomical drawings of the human body. 

Some of the medical tools on display

Throughout the entire exhibit, I was struck by the interplay of scientific knowledge and creativity, as well as the breaking down of barriers between the inside and outside of the body. I was fascinated that half of the exhibit focused on covering up the body, while the other half looked inside the body. The experience of having both Gagawaka and Postmortem presented together allowed me to appreciate the artist's questioning of concepts of the interior and exterior. The way Sundaram combined medical knowledge and tools with intriguing pieces of art, impeccably combined the arts and sciences to create a thought-provoking exhibit. I highly recommend viewing this exhibit if you have not already! 

Week 9: Space & Art

This week’s discussion of space exploration and art was a truly perfect way to sum up this quarter’s discussion of the intersection of art and science and their continued influence on one another. From this week’s topics, I was particularly struck by the influence of science fiction writing on real scientific advances in human space travel and exploration. It is incredible to think that one person’s creative, innovative ideas portrayed in a popular novel greatly impact the scientific community to such an enormous extent. The Space Elevator may be the perfect example of the intersection of art and science, as an artist first came up with this idea, and scientists are working to make it a reality.

Artist's rendering of Space Elevator
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast07sep_1/

Arthur Clarke, an engineer, humanist and futuristic science fiction writer, wrote the novel “The Fountains of Paradise” in 1976. Set in the twenty second century, Clarke most notably described a Space Elevator that would ultimately connect earth to space. Ultimately, the elevator would consist of an orbital tower that rises from the ground of earth and connects to a geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometers into space. The elevator could serve as a passage not only for supplies into space, but as a means of travel for human beings as well.

http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/50745/600full-
the-fountains-of-paradise-cover.jpg

http://swh.schoolworkhelper.netdna-cdn.com/
wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Arthur-Clarke.jpg?c71720

While the Space Elevator was first introduced as science fiction, it may not stay that way for long, as scientists are truly considering using this idea of an elevator into space as a type of mass transit system. After a conference with scientists and engineers, David Smitherman of NASA compiled plans for the elevator, confident that it may become reality.

This depiction of the elevator clearly describes the layout
http://cdn.gajitz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/illustration-and-climber.jpg

The new technology involved in the Space Elevator would make use of the nanotechnology, nanotubes, that was discussed in lecture last week. A ribbon made out of carbon nanotubes would stretch from earth to space, and a counterweight would spin around the earth to keep the ribbon straight and allow robotic lifters to move up and down the ribbon, to and from earth.

Nanotube
http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/encyclopedia_images/_CNTUBE.GIF

While we may be years away from actually seeing the Space Elevator in progress, it is still incredible to realize that the idea for this new and innovative technology came from a science fiction novel. With the concept as an imaginative creation of an artist, and the real application as the combination of scientists and engineers using robotics and nanotechnology, the Space Elevator clearly demonstrates just how extraordinary art and science can be when combined. 

Works Cited

“About Sir Arthur.” The Arthur C Clarke Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2015. <http://www.clarkefoundation.org/sample-page/>.

“Audacious & Outrageous: Space Elevators.” NASA Science. NASA, n.d. Web. 30 May 2015. <http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast07sep_1/>.

Bonsor, Kevin. “How Spae Elevators Will Work.” HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, n.d. Web. 30 May 2015. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/space-elevator.htm>.

“Space Elevator (Orbital Tower) by Arthur C. Clarke from the Fountains of Paradise.” Technovelgy. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2015. <http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=720>.

“The Fountains of Paradise.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 30 May 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fountains_of_Paradise>.

Vesna, Victoria. “Space Exploration and Art.” Cole UC online. Youtube, 29 May 2015. Lecture.

Week 8: Nanotechnology & Art

The world of nanotechnology is a world unseen, yet its powers are endless. From atomic bombs to reorganizing dirt into food to treating cancer, the potential of this new and innovative technology is extremely vast. Nanotechnology allows us to look inside objects and living entities and understand how things happen from the inside out. It becomes possible to re-examine existing paradigms and consider alternative solutions to difficult problems.  After reading about Nanoessence, I was immediately entranced by the re-examination of the concepts of life and death in an artistic, enticing presentation using nanotechnology.

http://aatitec.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Nanotechnology-.jpg

In Paul Thomas and Kevin Raxworthy’s Nanoessence, one’s own mortality is explored at the nano level. The atomic structures of both living and dead skin cells were compared to allow the viewer to engage with the question of what life really is. The viewer physically interacts with Nanoessence using only their breath, which intentionally provokes a biblical connotation.

https://art.base.co/event/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology

For this project, a HaCat skin cell was analyzed with an Atomic Force Microscope. HaCat cells were used because they are immortal, meaning that they can endlessly continue cloning themselves.  A layered topographic view of the cells was then displayed to represent the “essence of life.”

Atomic Force Microscope
http://www.phy.mtu.edu/nue/images/atomicforce/AtomicForceMicroscope.jpg

http://johncurtingallery.curtin.edu.au/local/images/2009/nano/Paul%20Thomas%20Picture%209.png

Raxworthy created an algorithm that used the moisture from the viewer’s breath to activate sensors that allow “the essence of life to grow.” The viewer also hears sounds that were created from the vibrations of the Atomic Force Microscope. As this may be hard to image (I could not feasibly create an image of the essence of life growing in my mind) the video below of the project in progress may make this idea more clear.

 http://visiblespace.com/blog/?page_id=122

Nanoessence allows the viewer to experience the exploration of life in a way I never knew was possible. The idea of using one’s breath to control how life is viewed truly connects the viewer to the project at a level I have never witnessed. The use of nanotechnology in this project is what brought it to life, and my fascination with this project allowed me to deeply appreciate all that the intersection of science and art has to offer.

Works cited

"Art in the Age of Nanotechnology." Art.base. John Curtin Gallery, n.d. Web. 22 May 2015. <https://art.base.co/event/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology>.

Gimzewski, James. “Introduction to Nanotechnology for Artists.” Cole UC online. Youtube, 22 May 2015. Lecture.

Mai, Wenjie. "Fundamental Theory of Atomic Force Microscopy." Professor Zhong L. Wang's Nano Research Group. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2015. <http://www.nanoscience.gatech.edu/zlwang/research/afm.html>.

"Paul Thomas and Kevin Raxworthy: Nanoessence." Cornell. N.p., 10 Oct. 2014. Web. 22 May 2015. <http://events.cornell.edu/event/paul_thomas_and_kevin_raxworthy_nanoessence>.

Thomas, Paul. "Nanoessence." Visiblespace. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2015. <http://visiblespace.com/blog/?page_id=122>.

Week 7: Neuroscience & Art

As a developmental psychology minor, the majority of my time is spent either interacting with children or learning about how children develop and grow. A large portion of my education in this field has been about the brain development that takes place immediately after a baby is born, and in their first few years when children begin learning about the world around them. As synaptic connections are formed and lost, a child’s brain becomes full of neuronal connections that ultimately influence their ability to learn language, visually perceive the world around them, engage in higher level thinking, and much more. I found this week’s discussion of Brainbow to be fascinating, as these neural connections can truly be visualized to understand how synaptic pathways in the brain are formed.

https://littlesearcher.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/lichtmanlivet_hippocampus5x71.jpg

Neurons in the brain communicate through synapses, which are created both before birth and in the years after. Following puberty, however, some of these synapses are lost during the process of synaptic pruning. Known as an “experience-dependent” process, synaptic pruning depends strictly on an individual’s experiences. A true example of the "use it or lose it" phenomenon, synapses that are no longer used to transmit information between neurons are lost. Synaptic pruning can be exemplified in language acquisition, such that if a child is exposed to a language in their first few months of life, synaptic connections form in the brain that allow a child to differentiate between sounds of that particular language. If, however, that child never hears that language again, those synapses are pruned during or after puberty, making it far more difficult for the child to differentiate between sounds. 

https://psychneuro.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/childs-brain1.jpg

The Brainbow technique directly applies to early brain development, in that it allows scientists and researchers to view individual neuronal pathways in the brain in a visually beautiful way. Each neuron can be distinguished from other neurons with colorful fluorescent proteins that are used to flag particular neurons with different colors. The colors used are derivatives of green fluorescent proteins, that allow for the bright, colorful illumination of neural connections in the brain. This mapping method allows scientists to trace the pathways of neurons that connect different brain regions, allowing the visualization of complete neuronal circuits.

http://i.imgur.com/cGtwE.jpg

https://artscolab.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/tamily-weissman.png

I am interested in the applications of Brainbow in developmental psychology and neurobiology. An area of great interest to many researchers, educators and parents is what should be done during early childhood to promote and encourage beneficial outcomes for children. If Brainbow is used to study early brain development, it may allow us to better understand exactly how neural connections form in a developing child, leading to a greater understanding of how a child’s environment may ultimately influence later outcomes. 

Works Cited

"Brainbow." Center for Brain Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. <http://cbs.fas.harvard.edu/science/connectome-project/brainbow>.

Cai, Dawen, Kimberly Cohen, Tuanlian Luo, Jeffrey Lichtman, and Joshua Sanes. "Improved Tools for the Brainbow Toolbox." Nature (2013): n. pag. Print. 

Galvan, Adriana. UCLA. Sept. 2014. Lecture.

"The 100 Colours of the Brainbow." Neurophilosophy. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. <http://scienceblogs.com/neurophilosophy/2007/10/31/the-100-colours-of-the-brainbow/>.

Vesna, Victoria. “Neuroscience and Art.” Cole UC online. Youtube, 15 May 2015. Lecture.

Week 6: Biotechnology & Art

When I was in high school I was sick with a bacterial infection that baffled doctors, as it was resistant to a variety of different antibiotics. I spent a year going to many doctors, trying to determine exactly what was wrong and figuring out how to treat it. Eventually one of the antibiotics worked and I was almost immediately cured, but since then I have been extremely interested in how the human body fights off infection. This is why I found Kathy High’s Blood Wars to be extremely enticing.

http://kathyhigh.com/project-blood-wars.html

http://kathyhigh.com/project-blood-wars.html

High considers Blood Wars an art project that studies the biological reactions of human white blood cells. White blood cells are virtually central to the body’s immune system. White blood cells, also called leukocytes, defend the body against infection, disease, foreign material and cellular debris. In a healthy body, once infectious agents becomes present, leukocytes attack and protect by either producing antibodies to fight off disease, or by surrounding and engulfing the undesirable, dangerous germ.

http://www.optibacprobiotics.co.uk

During Blood Wars, this is the exact process that takes place. Before the “war,” blood samples are taken from a variety of participants. White blood cells are separated out of the sample and then stained for the purposes of identification of the participant. Two different people’s white blood cells are then put together in a petri dish where, as Professor Vesna explained, they each fight for dominance. The “deul” can be viewed under a microsope, where cellular changes are photographed. Set up in a manner that resembles a tournament, the winning cells go on to the next round to fight another participant.

http://www.lifelabs.com/Lifelabs_BC/Patients/LabTest.asp

While Blood Wars is intentionally ironic, it does provoke interesting and necessary questions about traits that can be inherited through the blood, and informs its audience about a variety of processes that often unknowingly occur within the body.  It allows viewers to contemplate their own physiology, as well as the power of the human immune system in both health and disease. It is incredible not only to see a process that normally goes unseen, but to recognize and understand how exactly our own body is able to keep us safe. 

If you are interested in learning more about Blood Wars, I recommend watching the video below, or going to Kathy High's website!

                             
   http://kathyhigh.com/project-blood-wars.html

Works Cited

"About the Project." Blood Wars. Vampire Study Group, n.d. Web. 4 May 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fvampirestudygroup.com%2Fbloodwars%2F>.

"Blood." The Human Heart. The Franklin Institute, n.d. Web. 04 May 2015. <http://learn.fi.edu/learn/heart/blood/white.html>.

High, Kathy. "Blood Wars." Kathy High: Visual/media Artist, Independent Curator, Educator. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fkathyhigh.com%2Fproject-blood-wars.html>.

"Immune System." Immune System. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, n.d. Web. 04 May 2015. <http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/immunesystem/Pages/default.aspx>.

Vesna, Victoria. “Biotechnology and Art.” Cole UC online. Youtube, 4 May 2015. Lecture.

"White Blood Cell | Biology." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 04 May 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/337728/white-blood-cell>.