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Event 3: Cosmological Elements--Space and Art #3

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Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the third event in the Cosmological Elements series: "Floating Civilizations". Since I had attended the first two exhibitions, I knew I had to show up for the final one! Although I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the two other events in the series, I would definitely say that this third exhibition was my favorite! The focus was primarily on human perspectives of what life might look like in the future, especially when Earth eventually becomes inhabitable. The event featured incredible works by a number of artists including, Agnes Meyer-Brandis, Florian Voggeneder, Anna Hoetjes, Lucy McRae, and Quadrature.  Email Confirmation of Event.  As was the case with the previous exhibitions, I was absolutely astonished by all of the projects. These artists truly did provide an entirely new perspective on the various ways in which science and art ultimately inform one another. More specifically, each brought their own, unique vision of the poten
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Week 9: Space + Art

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This week's discussion on the connection between space and art was definitely one of my favorite lessons from the entire course, especially since I am a huge sci-fi fan! While exploring the various artists from the resources provided to us, I came across one artist whose work immediately captured my attention, and that is Chesley Bonestell. Born in 1888, Bonestell was an American painter, illustrator, and architect best known for his space art, which depicted spaceflight and astronomical scenes far before the first manned missions. His work became an inspiration for all science enthusiasts, including astronomers, engineers, and physicists, among many others. In fact, today he is considered the "Father of Modern Space Art" and the "Dean of Astronomical Artists" (NM Museum of Space).  "Saturn as seen from Titan, 1944." Discover, https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/meet-chesley-bonestell-the-most-important-space-artist-youve-probably-never-hear
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Week 8: NanoTechnology + Art

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I found Dr. Gimzewski's lectures on nanotechnology and art extremely fascinating! I honestly never knew there were so many ways in which nanotechnology can be used. One aspect of this field that particularly caught my attention was the role of nanoparticles in self-cleaning products. In his lecture, Dr. Gimzewski discussed how when you make particles on the nano scale, you can change properties, as seen in the "lotus leaf effect" ( Nanotech for Artists, Part 3 ). The lotus effect essentially refers to the property of hydrophobicity, or water-repellency, and has been reproduced on a variety of surfaces, including glass, wood, metal, and absorbents.  "The Lotus Effect." ProPerla , https://www.properla.co.uk/lotus-effect/.  In recent years, such nanotechnology has proven to have "real commercial potential," especially for the textile industry (Malik). In efforts to emulate this remarkable phenomenon of nature, multiple companies have developed dirt- and l
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Week 7: Neuroscience + Art

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Neuroscience, the study of the function and structure of the human brain and nervous system, has proven to have a profound impact on the realm of art, being portrayed in film, mass media, artwork, and much more. Of course, this is also due to the fact that neuroscience helps to reveal various aspects of our individuality, such as our consciousness, decision-making process, and socio-psychological interactions (Frazzetto and Anker). One of the artists that particularly stood out to me this week was Suzanna Anker, an American visual artist and theorist who is considered to be a pioneer in Bio Art. Her work, "MRI Butterfly" is based on a series of identical MRI brain scans that feature an image of a butterfly, as well as Rorschach-like inkblots.      "fMRI Butterfly." Neuroculture .   This overlay of the butterfly, MRI scans, and inkblots results in "nuanced variations" that ultimately create optical illusions for the viewer (Frazzetto and Anker). Each of the
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Event 2: Cosmological Elements--Space and Art #2

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The second event in the Cosmological Elements exhibition was "the Space Ecologies." While the first event in th e series focused on a basic investigation of what the universe is made of, this panel explored the manifestation of space elements on planets. The lineup of artists included: Michèle Boulgone, Ranjit Bhatnagar, Makoto Azuma, and Quadrature, along with a few others!  Email Confirmation of Event  As with the first event in the series, I thoroughly enjoyed observing the various artworks and hearing the artists' stories behind their projects. Each provided compelling input on how we can further bridge the gap between science and art, demonstrating through their work that these two seemingly disconnected disciplines are actually quite inseparable. The two artists that particularly caught my attention were Makoto Azuma and Ranjit Bhatnagar.  Makoto Azuma is a Tokyo-based Japanese flower artist who is credited with the creation of what he calls "botanical sculptu
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Week 6: BioTech + Art

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A project that particularly caught my attention in this week's lesson and helped further my understanding of biotechnology was Kathy High's Embracing Animal. In her work, High seeks to raise awareness of transgenic rats, rats that have a "foreign DNA inserted into their genome" and are specially engineered for medical and scientific research (High). Also known as hybrids or cyborgs, transgenic animals are created for the purpose of gaining an understanding of certain physiological processes, blood cell production, and how to potentially cure diseased metabolisms. High's group of rats (Matilda, Star, and Tara) were originally produced as a disease model by scientists.  "How a Transgenic Rat is Created." Embracing Animal ,  http://www.embracinganimal.com/transrats.html.   Thanks to High, these lab rats were given another chance and are now being well taken care of! Her goal is to make them live as long as possible, treating them holistically with alternati
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Week 4: MedTech + Art

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In her article, "MRI as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations Between Science and the Arts," Silvia Casini discusses her first-person experience of undergoing an MRI scan, and how this ultimately inspired her to conduct her own research on the "technical and metaphorical configurations of the elements" present in the MRI laboratory. This actually reminded me of the time I, myself, had to undergo an MRI scan when my doctor suspected that I was suffering from TMJ, a type of disorder that affects the movement of one's jaw joint. I must admit that I was a bit nervous during the first-half of the procedure. The first thing the nurses told me was, "Stay completely still." This made me even more anxious, as I kept thinking to myself repeatedly, "What if I accidentally move at some point?!" Fortunately, the entire scan went smoothly.  "MRI Machine." HealthCentral , https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/back-pain/magnetic-resonance-imagi
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