Week 7: Neuroscience + Art

Neuroscience is of course the study of the brain, but many of us often forget about the beauty and the art behind the study of our conscience and how our brain functions.  It truly is a fascinating topic.  This ball of gooey flesh is the core of our existence, and it's what makes each one of us the beautiful creatures that we are.  Now, artists like Karen Norberg and Margerie Taylor are using their fixation on the human brain to create art from its physical beauty and wonder. These artists actually used real MRI images, dissections, and publications as research to create these scientifc works of art.

V.S. Ramachandran is the Director of the Center for Brain and Cognition, and Distinguished Professor with the Psychology Department and Neurosciences Program at the University of California, San Diego.   He has been studying the relationship between art and neuroscience for years.  Specifically, he has noted the universal human appreciation for art, and he believe he can explain the human appreciation for abstract art especially.  Ultimately, he comes to the conclusion that we don't really know.  He has been learning about the brain by analyzing its dysfunction, and he is optimistic about his research, but he cannot make any definitive claims about how our brains perceive art.  

Week 6: BioTech + Art

This week's lecture touched on a number of different topics including physical and genetic manipulation of the human body for artistic purposes.  This idea rings true in Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr's Victimless Leather (depicted to the right), which is a work of art in which cells are not only living, but they are also multiplying.  In fact, they were producing at such a rapid rate that the machine would barely hold all of the newborn cells.  This is but one example of how Biotechnology can double as art. There is so much beauty behind science that people often forget about the art behind the innovation.



Another thing that was brought up in lecture was the issue of genetic mutation. Now, this is cause for great concern when it comes to the ethics behind genetic mutation.  In my opinion, we need to be very careful about how we allocate genetic mutation, because if we are not careful, we will end up creating a new race of beautiful, more intelligent, and not to mention rich young children.  Because after all, the only income brackets that would be able to afford this technology would be the rich. According to this BBC article, "designer babies were no longer HG Wells territory."  We now have the ability to create beautiful, intelligent, and disease-free babies.  As exciting as this may sound, we need to be very careful with this technology.  If not, we will see an overwhelming majority of the population without access to this technology, and in turn upset about the unfair advantage being given to the wealthier society that can afford to implement and fund these technologies.


In 1999, an Enlgish artist names Heath Bunting created a project entitled "Natural Reality SuperWeed Kit 1.0," in which he attempted to highlight the effects of biotechnology on things like agriculture.  This project of his was a DIY kit which he considered a biological weapon "capable of destroying genetically modified and conventional crops."  This was his way of threatening the corporate biotech companies.  In a sense, Bunting is mostly worried about the dangers of humans becoming too dependent upon this biotechnology.  This is something that I think is very important.  Although we have the technology to do all of these things to genetically modify life, we need to be very careful about how we are using this technology.  Some of the negative effects we are already experiencing are things like "superpesticides" which are pesticides that have mutated in response to old pesticides, and are now immune to all pesticides that we have created.  The same argument might be made about cancer and some other serious health issues that have formed in the last 25 years in response to all the antibiotics that pharmaceutical companies have been telling us to take for years.  Sure, technology is a great thing, but we need to be extremely careful that we do not get too carried away.

Works Cited

Miranda, Carolina A. "Weird Science: Biotechnology as Art Form." ARTnews. N.p., 18 Mar. 2013. Web. 9 May 2015.

Gallagher, James. "'Designer Babies' Debate Should Start, Scientists Say - BBC News." BBC News. N.p., 19 Jan. 2015. Web. 9 May 2015. 

Gkoutziouli, Katerina. "Art and Biotechnology: When Art Looks into Science." Therestisart.wordpress.com. N.p., 26 Oct. 2010. Web. 9 May 2015.

Wilson, Stephen. "Art and Science Now: How scientific research and technological innovation are becoming key to 21st century aesthetics." London, England: Thames and Hudson, 2012. N.d. Web. 9 May 2015.

"National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences." Pesticides. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2015

Week 4: MedTech + Art

Before this week, I honestly couldn't tell you how Medical Technology and Art were in any way related.  But through the lectures and my additional research, I have found that these two ideas converge all over modern and post-modern art as well as many other places.  The first cool thing I found in my research was an entire article on the use of medical technology in art.  The one artist that really stood out to me was Marilene Oliver who experimented with the use of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) in art.  This picture I've included is entitled Family Portrait, and all 4 images are MRI's of an entire family.  I think these images are so unique and interesting, especially when you think about how these items of Medical Technology also serve as eye-appealing art.  

However, sometimes people can take these things too far.  For example, the girl Orlan from lecture disfigured and reshaped her body to try and maximize her aesthetic beauty.  I find operations like these pretty ludicrous considering the price tag as well as the negative effects.  In an article with the Huffington Post, Orlan talked about how she didn't care about looking younger or better, she just wanted to "disrupt the standards of beauty."  I find this interesting because I don't really see how giving yourself surgical operations will disrupt the standards of beauty.  Because of this, I don't really see where Orlan is coming from, but I definitely appreciate her dedication to her craft.  

I also discovered that the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has an entire Department called the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine.  Upon looking around their website, I found that they are doing a lot of work to make strides in areas like pancreatic cancer, liver transplants, and even how the "virtual resurrection of a new species of Hadrosauroid Dinosaur provides novel insight into chewing biomechanics. The fact that these two things are even in the same sentence blows my mind.  



Forbes recently wrote a great article claiming that if more medical students would study art, then they would in turn become better doctors.  The idea is that if you are a skilled doctor, you have probably been working the left side of your brain your entire life, but if you work the right side, say by studying art, then you will become more creative and have a broader understanding of how to address and solve problems. I agree with this sentiment, I think it is really important to get a broad education and to be as well-rounded as possible.  

Finally, I found a number of cases where people were viewing the human body as art.  On Art.com I found numerous paintings and drawings of faces, skulls, skeletons, hands, bodies, and even insides!  The more I think about it though, the more I'm surprised that I have never noticed the art that lies within each and every one of our bodies.  We are all beautiful, even though some believe they need to surgically alter themselves.  




Works Cited:

Abbott, Wynn. "Medical Interventions—visual Art Meets Medical Technology." TheLancet.com (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

            Frank, Priscilla. "ORLAN Talks Plastic Surgery, Beauty Standards, And Giving Her Fat To Madonna." HuffingtonPost.com.  29 Jan. 2013. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

            "Theses." Hopkinsmedicine.org. Johns Hopkins University, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

            Glatter, Robert, MD. "Can Studying Art Help Medical Students Become Better Doctors?" Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 20 Oct. 2013. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

            Various Authors. "The Human Body Fine Art." Art.com, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

Week 3: Robotics & Art

This week's lectures are all about the convergence of art and robotics.  To me, these two seemingly polarizing ideas come together to form the famous Will Smith movie, iRobot.  Although it received mixed reviews from both movie critics and the press, almost everyone could agree on the fact that this action movie also makes you think.  This movie follows the life of Will Smith and his dealings with these creatures of artificial intelligence and it provokes thoughts about things like robotics, humanity, morality, and consciousness.


Walter Benjamin also played a key role in the use of robotics in films.  In the 1930s, he wrote about how films should try and "gain control over technology and its effects" while also creating a sensational experience that goes far beyond an other form of media or consumption.  In modern films, directors do just this, trying to affect as many of the viewers' senses as possible, in order to create the ideal viewing experience.

Today, many modern artists are using technology and robots in their art pieces.  For example, Bot & Dolly utilized a robotic arm and different computer software to create a new viral artwork entitled "Box."  This work is a great example of how robotics can literally be used in modern art.

In my research of art and robotics, I stumbled upon an interesting hobby of some of my peers, who at the University of Northern Iowa are using the art of sumo wrestling and their knowledge of robotics to host large robotic sumo wrestling tournaments.  Who knew that these two things even belong in the same sentence?!  It's interesting to think that such an unorthodox sport is teaching and shaping the minds of those who will take over the advanced manufacturing and high-technology industries.

Modern robotics is all over the place, no matter where you look.  Take the automotive industry, for example, most companies use robots and robotic arms in the production lines, and recent commercials have even included things like production robots dancing together.  Robots are becoming more and more prevalent in our modern culture, and art is no exception.

Works Cited:

"IRobot." Rotten Tomatoes.  N.p., n.d. Web.  18 Apr. 2015.

"Walter Benjamin on Film and the Senses." NextNature.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2015

"Robotics and Art Combine in Latest Viral Video 'Box'" Singularity HUB. N.p., 01 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.

"The Art of Robotics."  University of Northern Iowa.  N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.

"About ART." ArtRobotics.com.  N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.

Week 2: Math and Art

This week's theme is about the convergence of Math and Art.  Math plays a pivotal role in all aspects of life, even art!  In anything from a detailed drawing, to graphic design, to architecture, math is at work in tandem with art.  Especially nowadays, art is being taken to whole new lengths beyond just a palette and a canvas.  Designers are now able to use computers to develop their own unique styles of art that help bring their craft into the technologically advanced 21st century.  This first article i read summed this all up pretty well: "Art is illusion, and transformations are important in creating illusion."  These transformations are only made possible by the computers and the mathematics behind the computers that help this art come to life.  

During the lecture, the professor discussed Brunelleschi, and how he utilized mathematics to create things like his famous dome in Florence, Italy during the Renaissance.  His work with geometry and optics helped him to not only create these tremendous structures, but this convergence of ideas also made him a revolutionary artist in a sense.  He helped advance his craft by utilizing his engineering and mathematical knowledge.  

Some artists even used mathematical theorems to either create or inspire some of their most famous works.  Painter Crockett Johnson for example, used these mathematical theorems in his later work.  He created an abstract geometrical painting in the 1970s, inspired by the square root of Pi.  

But as stated in lecture, we cannot talk about the convergence of math and art without talking about the famous Leonardo da Vinci.  LDV was a leading artist during the Italian Renaissance and he studied geometry, optical principles, and perspective among other things.  He even created a mechanical lion that could open its chest and dispense lilies!  He also used the divine perspective or divine ratio in his creation of the Mona Lisa.  LDV was incredibly revolutionary in the art world, and he had a profound impact on artists for many years to come.

Bibliography:

"MAM2003 Essay: Mathematics and Art -- So Many Connections." MAM2003 Essay: Mathematics and Art -- So Many Connections. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.

Filippo Brunelleschi." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.

"Mathematics and Art: An Unlikely Connection." Calculus I Blog. N.p., 19 Feb. 2009. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.

"Leonardo Da Vinci." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.

"Leonardo Da Vinci." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.

Week 1: 2 Cultures

The theme for this first week is the idea of two cultures existing together, but only recently have these two cultures been separated.  Art and science can be found all throughout our lives, but at times these two entities may seem separate.  However, I find myself asking myself, to what degree is science art and to what degree is art a science?  Well, I think they both can fall into the other category.

My first example of this convergence of art and science is and science-fiction movie, but my specific example is Interstellar.  In this movie, Matthew McConaughey brings his artistic talents to a scientifically advanced movie that depicts things like the most accurate illustration of a black hole.  Seeing science turned into an art is a beautiful thing, and adds wonder and awe to the mind of the viewer.  The entire movie is about finding a new inhabitable planet for the people of Earth to relocate to, after exhausting our planet's resources.  In this movie, NASA sends 13 astronauts through a wormhole, in order to try and find an inhabitable planet on the other end of that wormhole.  In the movie, they counter all of these sceintific concepts and ideas with beautiful scenes of space, planets, and even a big black hole!  It truly is a convergence of science and art.





Then I began to think about this notion of two cultures within the context of my own life.  This brought me to the idea of Football vs. futbol.  Living in America, I watch Sunday football during the fall, and watch every game so I can be sure and watch everyone on my Fantasy Football team play that day.  But on Saturdays, I wake up early, turn on Fox Sports 1, and watch the other futbol, which has been my passion for my entire life.  I often get made fun of for being a soccer fan, but the jokes don't phase me because I know although football is the most popular sport in America, soccer, or futbol, is the greatest sport in the world, and that's why it's also the most popular.  Soccer is the one sport that connects our entire global community, and there really is no sports event quite like the World Cup.  In fact, it is the biggest single-event sporting competition in the world.  Entire countries shut down over the summer, and come together to show their national pride and unity under their flag.  So I do live these two cultures every day, and I think the combination of the two worlds make me who I am.



Bibliography:

 "Interstellar." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.

 "INTERSTELLAR - Official Movie Site." Interstellar. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.

 "‘Interstellar’ Ending & Space Travel Explained." Screen Rant. N.p., 07 Nov. 2014. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.

"FIFA World Cup™." FIFA.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.

 "Football vs Futbol- Which Is Better?" Bleacher Report. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.