Week 9: Space + Art

 For this week, it was fascinating to learn the origins of the visualizations from the solar system from Copernicus (Vesna pt1 1:55 - 4:01). From a modern perspective, it's interesting to learn about how early scientists viewed and explored space to understand how the influence of space changed art throughout time. Now, technology has advanced heavily to turn images and exploration of space into art. This is especially emphasized through the recent launch of the James Webb telescope which allows scientists to explore the Cosmic Dawn (NASA). 

An Image Captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (Source: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT5uzVdqt3Mzc1nmDqempWrMkPRscN3OKsffQ&s) 

In the context of space and art, I was also surprised that lectures referenced the cold war and the developments of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles (Vesna pt2 2:40 - 6:25).  It gave me a new perspective to see how space exploration and knowledge about space in general gave way to these developments and how they impacted people at that time in every aspect possible. On a similar note, the fascination with space carried on with the soviet satellite containing a dog (Vesna pt3). 

Laika the Space Dog (Source: https://media.newyorker.com/photos/59fb65a52d0aaf4a81445779/master/pass/Wellerstein-Laika.jpg)

Aside from the topics discussed in lecture, I was also interested to explore how space influences art and society in modern technology through AR/VR. It used to be impossible to see space without traveling through it yourself, but through new visualization and capturing technologies, normal citizens are now available to see what it's like to travel to space as if they were in the rocket themself (NASA). VR has even not taken an art form of its own to not only provide anyone the ability to see into space but also become training technology to allow the further exploration and inspiration of space. 

PC Capture of the NASA VR SLS Tour (Source: https://www.realovirtual.com/files/images/10001-11000/10234/5f22886118cda.jpeg)

"Free Virtual Reality Program: NASA SLS VR Experience." NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, https://www.nasa.gov/stem-content/free-virtual-reality-program-nasa-sls-vr-experience/. Accessed 31 May 2024. 

"James Webb Space Telescope." NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, https://webb.nasa.gov/. Accessed 31 May 2024. 

Vesna, Victoria. "8 space pt 1." YouTube, uploaded by UC Online, 29 July 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZIqTR332l8 

Vesna, Victoria. "8 space pt 2." YouTube, uploaded by UC Online, 29 July 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLZMDpoP-u0

Vesna, Victoria. "8 space pt 3." YouTube, uploaded by UC Online, 29 July 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WOqt_C55Mk&t=2s

"Visualize a Space Mission Using Virtual Reality." NASA International Space Apps Challenge, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, https://www.spaceappschallenge.org/2023/challenges/visualize-a-space-mission-using-virtual-reality/. Accessed 31 May 2024. 

Week 8: Nanotechnology + Art

 Nanotechnology was a very unfamiliar field for me prior to this week, and learning through the lectures by Professor Gimzewski was incredibly insightful. I was paricularly fascinated in how this week's topic can take on many different hats as nanotechnology and societal perception interact, almost combining fantasy with scientific understanding. What stuck out to me was the development of the electron microscope, which allowed scientists to see and "feel" into a new world (Gimzewski pt2 8:01 - 8:56). '

Scanning Tunneling Microscope (source: https://webhome.phy.duke.edu/~hsg/264L/images/stm.jpg) 

I was also fascinated in how nanoparticles could be studied in ancient materials, a true combination of not only art and science, but also history as well (Gimzewski pt3, 1:25 - 2:52). Further emphasizing this motif of nanotechnology and art is how color can be reduced to nanosize which completely changes the way it can be perceived through quantum dots (Gimzewski pt4, 2:03- 2:39). 

Representing Quantum Dots (source: https://images.theconversation.com/files/552184/original/file-20231004-19-i1snbm.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&rect=143%2C24%2C3655%2C2727&q=45&auto=format&w=926&fit=clip) 

These themes continue into the sub-field of nanophotonics, which was fascinating to hear after learning about quantum dots. The Blue Morpho butterfly's beautiful iridescent wings are created through different levels of reflected light (Gimzewski pt5), tying more into how an understanding of nanotechnology can help create new artwork and new understandings of art.

Blue Morpho Butterflies, Each with Different Patterns (source: https://www.sciencefriday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Morpho-composite%E2%80%93Nipam-Patel.jpeg) 

Outside of nature and artistic representations and even history, it's eye-opening to see how a larger understanding of nanotechnology can change perspectives and revolutionize every single industry. From edible coatings to topical medications and cancer treatments (Gimzewsky pt6 pt4), nanotechnology is present in every aspect of our lives. 

Works Cited 

Gimzewski, James. “Nanotech Jim pt2” YouTube, YouTube, 21 May 2012,

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEp6t0v-v9c.

Gimzewski, James. “Nanotech Jim pt3” YouTube, YouTube, 21 May 2012,

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0HCNiU_108.

Gimzewski, James. “Nanotech Jim pt4” YouTube, YouTube, 21 May 2012,

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHCuZetAIhk.

Gimzewski, James. “Nanotech Jim pt5” YouTube, YouTube, 21 May 2012,

           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OWc8nmHJmY.

Gimzewski, James. “Nanotech Jim pt6” YouTube, YouTube, 21 May 2012,

           https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL9DBF43664EAC8BC7&v=oKlViSKkPd0

Event 2: Pigeon Art Studio

This event was an exhibit centered around art that was created by pigeons using digital tools. This really reinstated the ideas of Nature and art for me, reminding me that things in nature are really not random, but they are intentional. The artists deducted that the pecking of the pigeons, while varying across the different animal artists, were very intentional and had common themes across their different art forms. This reminded me of hyperbolic geometry represented in coral reefs, that all seem to have an intention. The mission of the exhibit really sat with me as a way to understand animal intelligence (Pigeon Art) . 

I was particularly fascinated by the way the art was collected for the stained glass collection, and was really shocked to see how different the patterns were among different pigeons. Between the two collections as well, it was also clear that each pigeon had its own persona in art and that the researchers were able to deduce different patterns from their creations. 

For example, these two images from different pigeons show two different art forms that have a clearly different method of getting around: the top prefers to take closer steps and pecks while the other makes use of its wings and beak at the same time to create large sweeping motions. We can see these different patterns as ways to understand the unique consciousness of animals, giving us more context as to how we can define consciousness with emerging technologies (Vesna). This was a really great exhibit and I enjoyed attending, and I will be keeping a lookout for more pigeon events in the future! 

Blaisdell, Aaron. "Pigeon Art Studio." UCLA Art | Sci Center + Lab, 24 Apr. 2024, https://artsci.ucla.edu/node/1710. Accessed 24 May 2024.

"Mission." Pigeon Art, https://pigeonart.xyz/Mission/. Accessed 24 May 2024.

“About the Project .” Crochet Coral Reef, 2024, crochetcoralreef.org/about/theproject/. 

Vesna, Victoria. “Lecture I.” YouTube, uploaded by UC Online, 26 March 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF0Qt7L2-kM&t=56s 

Photogragphs taken by Kaylee Tran, the original Author of this blog.

Week 7: Neuroscience + Art

 Consciousness can be described as “the state or condition of being conscious” (Vesna, Lecture 1 1:34 - 2:07). This definition however is fluid and provokes even more questions on what consciousness can entail for other items such as developing technology. Reflecting on this definition from the perspective of art and science it was especially interesting to see where the origins of neuroscience and the study of the brain began. It’s also interesting to see how we have advanced that and added new definitions to what we see as conscious or “thinking” with new technology. Like Anker and Frazzetto, I observed that as a society we are fascinated with neuroscience despite its complexities. Their perspective that the brain is a function of “personhood” and has a feature of “being” rather than “having” really sets a precedent for the fascination with this field (Anker, Frazzetto). 

Image of Hypothetical Robot Having Consciousness 

I was also especially interested in Freud and Jung’s conflicting belief and was surprised to see their main conflict was not directly related to their studies but related to religion. Freud seeing religion as an escape while Jung saw it as an expression of individuality and mortality brought a new understanding to what thinking was prevalent at this time. Jung’s view on religion does seem to tie into his perspective on the unconscious mind as an innate manifestation of different archetypes, further emphasizing the motif of natural individuality.  (Vesna, Lecture II 2:26 -3:19)

It was also shocking, yet not surprising to hear about Freud’s cocaine addiction and how it could have influenced his work, and completely changed the course of his validity and career.  (Vesna, Lecture III, 0:29 - 3:34). It’s generally interesting to see how the discovery and testing of these drugs were seen as positive effects because of their psychological affect, when in modern times it is known that narcotics do more damage than they do good. 

Flyer for Comedic Play about Freud and his Cocaine Addiction

Finally, I was fascinated to hear about how artists tap into the scientific concepts behind visual perception to create their art like with optical illusions and eye tracking. Learning about how the eye processes visuals changed my perspective on how to view art and how artists are expecting others to view their art. 

Daniel Jay's "Gunpowder Alchemy"

Works Cited 

Frazzetto, Giovanni, and Anker, Suzanne. "Neuroculture." Nature Reviews Neuroscience, vol. 10, no. 11, 2009, pp. 815-821. PDF. Accessed 16 May 2024.

Jay, Daniel. “Neuroscience + Art with Daniel Jay.”  Interview accessible by private login on Bruinlearn. 

Vesna, Victoria. “Lecture I.” YouTube, uploaded by UC Online, 26 March 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF0Qt7L2-kM&t=56s 

Vesna, Victoria. “Lecture II.” YouTube, uploaded by UC Online, 26 March 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF0Qt7L2-kM&t=56s 

Vesna, Victoria. “Lecture III.” YouTube, uploaded by UC Online, 26 March 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF0Qt7L2-kM&t=56s 

Images Cited 

Arvan, Marcus. "Can Digital Computers Ever Achieve Consciousness?" John Templeton Foundation, 6 Feb. 2023, https://www.templeton.org/news/can-digital-computers-ever-achieve-consciousness. Accessed 16 May 2024.

Freud on Cocaine. Whitefire Theatre, 2024, https://freudoncocaine.com/. Accessed 16 May 2024.

Swafford, Joanna Elizabeth. "Daniel Jay’s 'Gunpowder Archemy' at Tech Art Fair." Digital Humanities at Tufts, 16 Feb. 2018, https://sites.tufts.edu/digitalhumanities/2018/02/16/daniel-jays-gunpowder-archemy-at-tech-art-fair/. Accessed 16 May 2024.