Event 5: Weak or No Signal- MFA Design Media Arts Thesis Show

Shopping Cart with
a scarce amount of food 

For my last event, I attended Weak or No Signal, the Thesis Show for graduating MFA Design Media Arts students. The show was cleverly name, because with the invention of the internet and our constant reliance on technology,  wi-fi is seen as almost a necessity.
What was even more surprising was when I searched the term Wi-Fi on the internet to see what it stands for, but realized it was a made up word. This term is commonly used, but is in actuality a social construct.

The prevalence of technology and different aspects of society was showcased throughout many of the works. What I really enjoyed about this showcase was how relevant everything was; I could personally relate to a lot of the artwork due to its reflective nature on the current state of society. I think the Design Media Arts major is a major that shifts away from the common paradigm of separate subjects; while all these pieces were artwork, they were created using non-traditional media and influences (the RSA).

Obsessed with Social Media 

Jonathan Moore's stuck between a rock and a... was the first exhibit I saw; featuring live actors, it captured my attention. Two people dressed in factory clothing, worked with rigid movements, compounding what looked to be debris in a desolate and run-down workshop. Right next to the enclosure, was an almost empty shopping cart, with an empty container of soda and one soda can, a nod to our spending habits and our almost always full shopping carts. Reminiscent of Ford's assembly lines, the actors were like machines, performing simple tasks mechanically (Vesna). The people seemed lifeless and resembled robots, and seemed to be scavenging what remnants of food remained, though it was mostly waste and trash. His piece seems to comment on our consumerism habits and our wastefulness, and foreshadows what could become of our population if we do not seek ways to conserve our resources and be less wasteful.

The dark side of human nature 

I like interactive exhibits, so I was drawn to Stalgia Grigg's in or, a round sedition, a project that included video and sound projected through a headset. This video was incredibly odd, featuring disfigured, amorphous people interacting with each other in a dark garage-like room. The video and sound together was intriguing, and had a frightening and dark tone to it. The words "carefree, careful, careless" were written on the wall. What was distinct about the video was the two people were interacting in such a careless manner to one another; they were not even listening to each other. Their interactions came across mechanical and inauthentic through their body expressions and verbal expression (Walter). Grigg's work seemed to be commenting on our communication styles and and how people are becoming increasingly distracted with one another, and are not focused on one another.

Throughout many of the works, I saw lots of references to social media, an acknowledgment to their role and influence in our society. The art was very modern, with some of them using virtual reality, and others featuring even wearable technology. Overall, it was a wonderful exhibit, with lots of hidden meanings and clever commentary embedded in the art.

Me and the VR video from Krsitin Mcwharter's project
 Waking the Giant Within

Sources:
"RSA ANIMATE: Changing Education Paradigms." YouTube, uploaded by the RSA, 14 October 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U.
Vesna, Victoria. "Robotics pt2" YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 15 April 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAZ8bo9T_Pk.
Walter, Benjamin. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Germany, 1936.

Unit 9: Space + Art

Neil Armstrong becomes the first man
to step on the moon. 

For me, outer space represents an infinite amount of unexplored possibilities, carrying with it a sense of hope, yet a sense of fear. The vastness of space continues to inspire many and the exploration of space has had many profound effects on various aspects of life, including the curriculum of our educational system, political effects, and the genre of science fiction (Vesna). As a personal space enthusiast and stargazer, Annick Bureaud’s words resonate with me because the depiction and interpretation of space through art really does provoke deep feelings, fueling dreams and aspirations (Leonardo Space Art Project). 

What is shocking is the realization of how relatively new the fascination and interest with space really is. The launch of Sputnik in 1957 was only less than a hundred years ago and many advances have occurred in a short period of time (Vesna). Apollo 11 in 1969 marked the first time man stepped on the man, a momentous event for not only the US, but the whole world. After years of hard work, mankind’s dreams finally became reality, and the success represented the limitless possibilities of space travels. 

Xu Zhen's in Just a Blink of the Eye 

Space art relies on the collaboration between scientists and artists. An exhibition known as Dancing on the Ceiling: Art & Zero Gravity features artworks that examine the concept of gravity and weightlessness. Gravity is a force that keeps us grounded on Earth, but is not present in outer space (Forde). Xu Zhen’s project In Just a Blink of the Eye features dancers suspended by hidden fixtures, showing them as seemingly frozen by a mysterious force. This concept of gravity is challenged in space, where one can freely float; space makes us question our paradigms and perceptions of the world. 

Cosmonaut with Cosmic Dancer 

The concept of weightlessness was literally tested out through the sculpture Cosmic Dancer, which was created by Arthur Woods. In 1993, Cosmic Dancer was taken to a space station and was freed from the constraint of gravity. Cosmonauts danced with the Cosmic Dancer, allowing them to connect with a vital aspect of culture in the isolating spaceship (Woods). With scientists almost certain of the existence of extraterrestrial life, it is important to have a piece of culture to share with these unfamiliar beings if astronauts come across them. 

As "explorers of nature", I believe that our curiosity will lead to many more discoveries and a deeper understanding of what lies beyond Earth (Leonardo Space Art Project). 

Sources:
Forde, Kathleen. "Dancing on the Ceiling: Art & Zero Gravity." http://zerogravity.empac.rpi.edu. Accessed 1 June 2018.  
"Leonardo Space Art Project Working Group." Leonardo Space Art Project, https://spaceart.org/leonardo/vision.html. Accessed 1 June 2018. 
Vesna, Victoria. "8 space pt 2 1280x720." YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 29 July 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLZMDpoP-u0
Vesna, Victoria. "Space pt 4." YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 30 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5ClKO6AJPo
Vesna, Victoria. "Space pt 6." YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 30 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYmOtFjIj0M
Woods, Arthur. "Introduction." Cosmic Dancer- A Space Art Intervention by Arthur Woods, http://www.cosmicdancer.com/introduction.php. Accessed 2 June 2018. 

Image Sources: 
Woods, Arthur. Cosmic Dancer. 1993. http://www.cosmicdancer.com/cosmic_dancer_photos.php Accessed 2 June 2018.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_11#/media/File:Buzz_salutes_the_U.S._Flag.jpg. Accessed 2 June 2018.
Zhen, Xu. In Just a Blink of the Eye. 2007. http://arthubasia.org/project/xu-zhen-performance-in-a-blink-of-an-eye Accessed 2 June 2018.

Event 4: Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous (LASER)

The overarching theme of this event was the exploration of nature and the natural environment.This was my second time attending a LASER event, so I was familiar with the layout; the four featured speakers were Maru García, Ariel Levi Simons, Kelly Nipper, and John Hood spoke about various projects.

Maru Garcia's project titled Encounter

The first speaker was Maru García; Maru García examines nature through a cultural and personable lens in her artwork. With a background in science, having studied chemistry and biotechnology, she brings with her a scientific lens to her work. While one of her passions was science, she was also passionate about art and creativity, leading her to study design media arts, allowing for integration of these two divergent fields (Snow). García sheds light on the connection between humans and nature, and their coexistence in her artwork. Her art can be categorized as bioart, as she uses living organisms, such as bacteria as a form of paint to make Petri dish artwork. One of her projects is called Encounter. Encounter is a biomorphic piece made of plastic and is filled with organic material; it represents an intersection of the natural world with man-made products. This exploration of opposing materials allowed for the realization that humans and nature are intertwined, and it is imperative that the balance between both is maintained.

Test a Pattern, Take a Picture:
Connection between Human & Space 

Kelly Nipper spoke about using the movement of body as a material, with the space and lines being an integral part of the artwork. With a background in media arts and photography, she uses her photography as a medium to capture dancers in order to communicate ideas about lines and movement. Her projects center around the earth-climate change, as she considers global warming and climate change, and the shift in poles. One of her projects called Test a Pattern Take a Picture aims to convey the innate connection between nature and humans. There is an energy that moves from the ground, through the person, and from his fingertips to space. As Annick Bureaud states, space art "makes me dream and move me deeply" (Leonardo Space Art Project). This art is inspirational to me; for me it represents how far away we are from understanding space, yet we continue to try and get closer to understanding the mysteries of the universe.

Picture of me and Professor John Hood

Ariel Levi Simons is an ecologist that works with light pollution, and researches how artificial light is affecting our ecosystem. Many animals including sea turtles, rely on light cues such as the moon to navigate their surroundings. Simons takes ground base measurements using a hemisphere camera, receiving color-temperature maps and intensity data for different spectrums of light that shine. His plan is to build a model and integrate this data in order to characterize and understand the effects of light on various organisms and environments.

John Hood is a professor of modern art and art design that described the David Bermant collection. Bermant's collection was unique in the sense that if focused on non-traditional, eclectic work. Bermant was especially interested in how artists utilized technology. Some artists that are a part of the collection include  Wilfred, the father of media arts & projection arts), Clyde Lynde, and Victoria Vesna, my professor. Dr. Vesna's piece Nanomandala, uses concepts of nanotechnology, starting with the nanoscale structure of sand to the whole mandala (Art in the Age of Nanotechnology). Bermant's collection represents a shift from traditional artwork to artwork categorized by innovative and collaboration between different fields.


Sources:
"Art in the Age of Nanotechnology." John Curtin Gallery, Art.Base, 2010.https://art.base.co/event/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology. Accessed 1 June 2018. 
Malina, Roger, et al. "Leonardo Space Art Project." MIT Press, 1996,  https://spaceart.org/leonardo/vision.html. Accessed 31 May 2018. 
"May 10: Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous (LASER)." YouTube, uploaded by CNSI at UCLA, 10 May 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QgR8kj2-lo
Snow, C.P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. New York, Cambridge University Press, 1961.  

Unit 8: NanoTech + Art

Blue Morpho Butterfly

Although nanotechnology is present in nature and in various molecular structures, it is a relatively new field with a lot of potential to have a large impact on various fields including medicine, chemistry, and technology. The nanoscale refers to a billionth of a meter, a scale so small that is difficult to intuitively grasp (Gimzewski) On the nanoscale, there is a break from standard scientific rules, a paradigm shift, as things on the microscopic scale following different rules.

Take for example the property of color. Being able to visualize the world in color allows us to see things with vibrancy and detail.  The Blue Morpho butterfly appears to have blue iridescent wings, but in actuality this blue pigment is an illusion (Gimzewski & Vesna).  Known as nanophotonics, light is being manipulated through shapes at the nanoscale, making the wings appear blue (Gimzewski). This makes me wonder what other things in nature are deceiving us through nanoscale properties.

Nano-Scape 

With a limit on visual perception, the sense of touch became focal in nanotechnology. The Scanning Tunneling Microscope uses touch to feel the surface of an object instead of directly visualizing the specimen. The Scanning Tunneling Microscope allowed for the recording of things on the atom scale and it transcended beyond the the limit of light microscopes and live things could be imaged, unlike electron microscopes (Gimzewski).

Featured in the John Curtin Gallery in 2010 was an interactive exhibit called Nano-Scape (Art in the Age of Nanotechnology). Relying solely on touch, participants wore magnets that allowed them to feel various magnetic forces and pulls as they moved their hand across the table. The exhibit appears to be a blank table, but as the user moves his or her hands, vibrations and movements can be felt. Similar to the Scanning Microscope Telescope, this new reliance on the sense of touch is vital in nanotechnology.

An example of Orfescu's artwork 

A new movement of art known as NanoArt arose. Cris Orfescu is an artist that uses nanotechnology in his art in order to increase public knowledge of science and technology (Feder). He uses an assortment of medias including the utilization of a scanning electron microscope with chemical and physical processing to create art.

The future sounds promising with predictions of nanotechnology being able to "turn dirt into food and end world hunger" (Gimzewski). Hopefully, this will transcend beyond media hype and manifest into concrete results.




Sources: 
"Art in the Age of Nanotechnology." John Curtin Gallery, Art.Base, 2010. https://art.base.co/event/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology Accessed 24 May 2018. 
Feder, Barnaby. "The Art of Nanotech" The New York Times, Bits (Business, Innovation, Technology, Society), 25 January 2008, https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/the-art-of-nanotech/ Accessed 27 May 2018. 
Gimzewski, James. "Nanotech Jim pt1." YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7jM6-iqzzE.  
Gimzewski, Jim and Victoria Vesna. "The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact & Fiction in the Construction of a New Science." http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/publications/publications/02-03/JV_nano/JV_nano_artF5VG.htm Accessed 16 May 2018. 
Gimzewski, James. "Nanotech Jim pt2." YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEp6t0v-v9c. 
Gimzewski, James. "Nanotech Jim pt4." YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHCuZetAIhk
Gimzewski, James. "Nanotech Jim pt5." YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OWc8nmHJmY 

Image Sources: 
https://dennstedt.wordpress.com/2017/11/18/one-of-natures-finest-the-blue-morpho-butterfly/ Accessed 27 May 2018. 
Orfescu, Cris. Light through a Pinhole No.2. https://www.interaliamag.org/articles/cris-orfescu-nanoart-atomic-molecular-sculptures-and-landscapes/ Accessed 27 May 2018. 
Sommerer, Christa and Laurent Mignonneau. Nano-Scape. 2010. John Curtin Gallery, Perth. https://art.base.co/event/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology. Accessed 24 May 2018. 

Unit 7: Neuroscience + Art

Map of neurons 

The brain is a complex organ central to our personality and individuality, and responsible for our vivid dreams and our consciousness (Vesna). Although, there is ongoing debates as to what it really means to be conscious or unconscious, we know the brain is vital for our cognitive processes. Neurons are the "butterflies of our soul" (Vesna), and are what allows information to be received and transmitted. Ramón y Cajal is known as the Father of neuroscience, and was able to deduce connections between neurons by looking at their shape. One of Ramón y Cajal's work titled "Architecture of Life" illustrates the complexity and complications of the neural connections. His depiction of a neuron reminds me of a tree, with the neural connections branching out from the root or start of a single neuron.

Building upon the foundation that Ramón y Cajal laid out, artist Greg Dunn uses a technique known as microetching to depict the neurons. While Ramón y Cajal's art was hand drawn, Dunn uses a computer to create a high-resolution image and finishes off with gold leaf to achieve a modern aesthetic. He suitably titles his work "Cortical Circuitboard", as the neurons do eerily resemble connections within a computer circuit.  

Modern depiction of neurons

A realistic, but fake street

The fascination of neuroscience led to the rise of neuroculture, where neuroscience permeates into our daily lives (Frazzetto and Anker). We see neuroscience in multiple aspects of our culture from video games to tv commercials for various medicines. There is even a city-wide festival called "Brainwave" in New York!

There are no physical limits to our dreams, and as Jung believed, they often represent our collective unconscious (Vesna). The brain has the ability to remap and accommodate to current stimuli and environment (Cohen). Known as neuroplasticity the brain can change itself by remodeling neurons (Frazzetto and Anker). This concept is important for the adjustment of our brains to our environment. Interestingly, our memories are also changeable (Max). Artist Qifeng Chen created an AI that designs a street based on an imaginative neural network (Reynolds). Chen programmed his AI to create realistic scenes based upon what the brain is familiar with in terms of street layout. This street looks like a real street, but does not exist in this world, which leads me to wonder about the limitations of the brain and its ability to be deceived based on the reliance of patterns. 

Sources:
Cohen, Mark. "Neuroscience-Mark Cohen.mov." YouTube, uploaded by Victoria Vesna, 12 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDq8uTROeXU
Frazzetto, Giovanni, and Suzanne Anker. "Neuroculture." Nature Reviews Neuroscience, vol. 10, 2009, pp. 815-821, https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn2736. Accessed 17 May 2018. 
Max, D.T.. "Swann's Hypothesis." The New York Times, 4 November 2007, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/books/review/Max-t.html, Accessed 20 May 2018. 
Reynold, Matt. "AI artist conjures up convincing fake worlds from memories." New Scientist, 14 August 2017. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2143784-ai-artist-conjures-up-convincing-fake-worlds-from-memories/. Accessed 20 May 2018. 
Vesna, Victoria. "Neuroscience-pt1.mov." YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 17 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzXjNbKDkYI
Vesna, Victoria. "Neuroscience-pt2.mov." YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 17 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFv4owX3MZo

Image Sources: 
Chen, Qifeng. "AI artist conjures up convincing fake worlds from memories." https://www.newscientist.com/article/2143784-ai-artist-conjures-up-convincing-fake-worlds-from-memories/. Accessed 20 May 2018. 
Dunn, Greg. "Cortical Circuitboard." https://www.livescience.com/49060-brain-artwork-gallery.html. Accessed 20 May 2018. 
Ramon y Cajal, Santiago. "Architecture of Life." https://www.artsy.net/artist/santiago-ramon-y-cajal?page=1&sort=-partner_updated_at. Accessed 20 May 2018. 

Event 3: California Science Center

Display in front of the
California Science Center entrance

I had an incredible time at the California Science Center. I typically associate the word museum with artwork, such as paintings and sculptures, so this museum/center was complete shift from that paradigm. What is unique about this museum is that it is completely centered around science. All the exhibits and artwork are associated to a branch of science, from astronomy to molecular biology and chemistry. Right before the entrance is a display of suspended golden orbs. I think this display elegantly captures what the California Science Center is; the California Science Center aims to teach and inform people about various scientific topics in an artistic and visual manner. Without context, this fixture itself could be a work of art, but in this specific context, this display reminds me of space and how our universe is estimated to have trillions of planets and is filled with so many discoveries and possibilities. The California Science Center can be seen as a bridge, a merging of the two cultures (Vesna).

There was a wide arrange of exhibitions, including one on Fear, Air & Space endeavors, and even King Tut! I enjoyed all of them but my personal favorite was the World of Life exhibit. The World of Life exhibit focused on biology- from the microscopic level to the macroscopic level. Similar to Joan Fontcuberta's work Hemogram that uses blood as self- portraits (Fontcuberta), blood was a main component for many of the exhibits. A display titled Blood and Hearts Exhibit aimed to illustrate that blood is a shared bodily fluid between many of the animals, and even showcased an actual heart! The Blood and Hearts display was an interactive display that allowed you to match

Blood and Hearts Exhibit 

each animal with its heart rate. It was almost like a game that subtly informed you about this process.

Model of Carbon Nanotube 

Another exhibit focused around nanotechnology, which is a future unit for this class. Nanotechnology involves control of matter at the atomic and molecular level and has potential to impact our lives (Gimzewski & Vesna). Nanotechnology will be more present in the future as scientists use nanotech to develop products of various characteristics, including a higher strength and a lower weight. This interactive model allowed one to see the structure of a carbon nanotube, a conductive, sturdy, and lightweight material used in nanotechnology. I liked how the model was blown-up, so that you could understand and see the structure at nanotechnology, since nanotechnology occurs at the nanoscale and is typically not visible to the eye. The model could be taken apart and played with, allowing you to see the honeycomb shape that allows the carbon nanotube to have it strength. 

The California Science Center is filled with immersive and comprehensive exhibits that spark your curiosity and teach you new things. I highly recommend visiting this museum because it was a very interactive museum that presented knowledge in a fun and engaging manner!

My twin sister Christina and me!

Sources:
Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being in Between." Leonardo, vol. 34, no. 2, 2001, pp. 121-125, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1577014. Accessed 13 May 2018.
Fontcuberta, Joan. "Hemograms". 1998. http://angelsbarcelona.com/en/artists/joan-fontcuberta/projects/hemogramas/107. Accessed 15 May 2018.
Gimzewski, Jim & Vesna, Victoria. "The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of fact & fiction in the construction of a new science". 2003. http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/publications/publications/02-03/JV_nano/JV_nano_artF5VG.htm Accessed 16 May 2018. 

Unit 6: Biotechnology + Art

In previous units, we learned about multidisciplinary projects that involve fields such as mathematics and robotics. Biology is a completely different field that deals with tangible, living organisms. Biology is the study of life, which immediately raises ethical questions regarding BioArt because life is much more intricate and complex than a robot; all lives must be respected and treated properly. 

DNA- carries our genetic information. 

Alba, the GFP Bunny

            Eduardo Kac is a bioartist that created Alba, a transgenic bunny that glows green when illuminated with blue light (Vesna). While Kac’s reasons for creating a “GFP Bunny” extends beyond the novelty of it, I question the ethics of doing such a project. I agree that the “GFP Bunny” can be a social event, create dialogue between art and science, and extend the concepts of biodiversity and evolution, but the implications of his project are huge (Kac). This transgenic artwork created by Kac sets a precedent and suggests that inserting genes into living organisms for the purpose of art is permissible. While I understand Kac’s intentions, I believe that artists should have restrictions because unlike the GFP gene, an artist may want to inject a more dangerous gene such as a disease-causing one, intentionally causing an animal to experience pain. 

Kathy High's Embracing Animal project

In fact, this has been done by artist Kathy High. In her project “Embracing Animal”, the similarities between humans and animals are explored. As part of the project, High injected mice with oncogenes, inducing them to have cancer (Levy). While Kathy High clearly outlines on her website that she holistically treated the mice in an empathetic manner, not every artist will do the same (High). An artist may purposefully transfer harmful genes into an animal with no intention of curing it. Scientific research uses animals as well, but the end goals are different- research aims to cure and understand, while art aims to explore and create. Both are important, but the goals of BioArt lack the justification of allowing free creative control of doing anything an artist wants, especially since living animals are able to process emotions and feel pain. 

While the creativity of an artist is a great strength, it does come with ramifications if properly misused. There will always exist “hackers” that try to reconfigure the system from within and push the boundaries of creativity beyond what is ethically and morally acceptable (Kelty). Thus, BioArt should be regulated and limited out of respect for life and the protection of life. 

Sources:

High, Kathy. “Embracing Animal.” http://kathyhigh.com/project-embracing-animal.html. Accessed 13 May 2018.

Kac, Eduardo. “GFP Bunny.” http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor. Accessed 13 May 2018.  

Kelty, Chris. “Meanings of Participation: Outlaw Biology?” 2010, pp. 1-8.  

Levy, Ellen. “Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classification.” Context Providers: Condition of Meaning in Media Arts. Intellect Ltd, 2011, pp. 1-22. 

Vesna, Victoria. “5 bioart pt1 1280x720.” YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 13 September 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaThVnA1kyg.

Vesna, Victoria. “5 BioArt pt 3.” YouTube, uploaded by uconlineprogram, 17 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL9DBF43664EAC8BC7&v=3EpD3np1S2g.

Image Sources:

Kac, Eduardo. “GFP Bunny.” http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.thumbnail.jpg. Accessed 13 May 2018.

High, Kathy. “Embracing Animal.” http://www.embracinganimal.com/install/06installation.jpg. Accessed 13 May 2018.

https://briandcolwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/c3b336da-3353-4646-8ff1-76425b97a629.jpg. Accessed 13 May 2018.