Extra Credit Event 1 -- The Museum of Jurassic Technology

As a lover of all things dinosaur (as evident from my blog's background) the word Jurassic immediately drew me towards this museum. Even though it had nothing to do with dinosaurs, it was still a fascinating place and a great experience. Unfortunately once inside I was informed that picture were not allowed, so all of the pictures below have been taken from the museum's official website and cited below.

My favorite exhibit by far was a collection of floral stereoradiographs by Albert G. Richards. I grew up surrounded by gardens and colorful flowers, and as a result have always been extremely fascinated with them. This collection was an entirely new take on their appearance. Radiographs are typically associated with the medical field and employ radiation, typically e-rays or gamma rays, to produce images. Stenographs, like the ones at the museum, use multiple radiographs from different angles to create a stereoscopic effect. The use of medical technologies to create art was, in my opinion, one of the most interesting intersections between art and science that we have learned about in this class. As such, it was incredible to see such spectacular images first hand.

Another fascinating and incredible exhibit was a collection of micromosaics by Henry Dalton. These pieces of art were created by peeling individual scales off of the wings of a variety of butterfly species and positioning them to create dazzlingly intricate, and amazingly small, mosaic pieces of art on little slides. Dalton's interest in science, which ultimately led him down the path to creating those micromosaics, is a prime example of how science can influence art and how scientific tools, like microscopes, can be used in conjunction with classic art techniques. 

This last exhibit, which I could not bare to leave out, highlighted the Dogs of the Soviet Space Program. It featured Laika, the first animal sent into space, a topic I researched extensively after learning about her in the lecture on Space + Art due to my love of animals. 

The Museum of Jurassic Technology was without a doubt my favorite out of the four museums I explored for this class because of its quirky and unconventional nature. I felt right at home with the fun and interesting vibe and it was completely worth the drive (although I would drive even further to visit it again with friends.).

Images:
[1] http://www.mjt.org/exhibits/alRichards/10.html
[2] http://www.mjt.org/exhibits/dalton/slide2.html#
[3] http://www.mjt.org/recentaddtions/creatures.html

Event 3 -- Fowler Museum

Early this quarter I went to check out the Fowler Museum for the first time. I have had many classes in the building's main lecture hall, but surprisingly I had never been inside the museum portion. There were some amazing exhibits, including one that had a direct link to what we've learned in this class.

The exhibit that struck me the most was Making Strange: Gagawaka + Postmortem by Vivian Sundaram. On display were numerous garments made out of medical materials, including pills and surgical masks (as seen below) as well as items like x-rays, bandages, tampons, and many more. The collection was meant to embody a "tension between beauty and illness" but juxtaposing couture designs with practical medical supplies. 

Similar to the way in which the the age old technique of dissection was used a means of better understanding the body for art purposes, some of Sundaram's work included sculptures that had been created using anatomical models of human organs and body parts. The sculptures were a way of highlighting the fragility of the body, the harsh reality of illness, and the beautification of of human anatomy.

The exhibition The Art of Hair in Africa highlighted the beautiful hair accessories and sculptures associated with African hair styles. It was created to celebrate beauty and highlight the idea of ideal beauty and social status in African cultures that has come to be aligned with hair styles and accessories .Many of the intricate combs had striking geometrical patterns which reminded me a lot of the Math + Art lecture in which the geometry as art was a focal point. Most of the sculptures also had geometric patterns painted on them with precise lines and systematic color schemes.

The Fowler Museum was also home to many other exhibits celebrating cultures and their rich visual histories. The Museum itself was absolutely gorgeous, with a small decorative courtyard in the center.   It was a great way to explore local art right on our own campus!

Event 2 -- The Getty Center

I recently went to check out the Getty Center, and was amazed by how scientific elements were used to create or enhance works of art in both the past and present.

One of the exhibits called Light, Paper, Process: Reinventing Photography featured works of art by various artists that played around with chemicals and alternative exposure techniques to create images on light sensitive photography paper. The special paper used to develop images in photography is coded with a unique chemical solution that relies on light exposure to create the images that the camera is trying to capture. These papers, as a result, are extremely sensitive to light. Some of the artists featured in the exhibit used fire to alter the chemical compounds within the paper to create bold and explosive images on the paper. The way in which chemicals can be used to light up and create images where they would otherwise go unseen seemed to be analogous to the ways in which they can be used to light up and intensify parts of the brain that we see in MRI and X-ray images.

Chemical usage in art is not a new concept however, for they were also used to enhance many older works of art in ways that I had never considered. The museum had on display an assortment of glassware from 14th century Europe. The green and brown coloring that could be found in most of the glassware was the result of iron impurities within the glass mixture. Once heated up, the defects of the iron caused the glass to change color instead of remaining clear.

Similarly, some of the vibrant hues seen in their display of Renaissance Illuminations can be attributed to chemically produced pigments. The mixing of natural and readily available chemicals can be credited with producing the metallic gold that was used very commonly throughout art in this era.

Although I have been to the Getty Center in the past, exploring the museum with not only an artistic interest, but with a scientific mindset added a completely new and exciting element to my visit. I was able to appreciate not only the art itself, but the complex background that led to the production of such amazing pieces. It was a great experience!

Event 1 -- The Hammer Museum

A few weeks ago I went to the Hammer Museum with a couple friends. This was my first time visiting the museum, and I was blown away by the complexity of some of the exhibits.

I was immediately drawn to the bright, pixelated colors that greeted us at the Gridwork 1974-1989 exhibit by Charles Gaines. The trees were created in different series. Gaines would start off by using a single color and create a pixelated version of a tree on an acrylic layer that was positioned over a black and white photograph of the real tree. He would then layer a pixelated version of another tree on top of the first drawing. He continued this with multiple different trees, and the end result would be a single cluster of colors, in which each individual color represented a different tree in the series. Below, a step by step account of the process can be seen.

While the colors themselves used by Gaines were stunning, the true intricacy of the works were not obvious unless examined up close. Gaines, in a marriage between Math + Art, used numbers to create a logical and mathematical pattern to his pixelated work. 

Each vertical axis in made up of the same number, starting with zero at the central vertical axis. Each horizontal access is made up of numbers in numerical order, increasing by one, as they get further and further away from the core of the painting. I found the significance of the number zero, which was mentioned and emphasized during the lecture on Math + Art, to be very interesting in this piece as it is the center focal point of which all the other numbers in the piece are determined.

As we walked further through the exhibit, I saw that Gaines had expanded his work with numbers into other forms of art. In his work Faces, Gaines employed a similar technique as with the trees, starting off with a black and white picture of his subject. Next, he used negative space to outline the facial features of his subjects and then compiled all of the outlines in a series into one picture. The pixels were also coded with numbers and the compiled pictures on the very right used numbers to distinguish the facial features by subject.

The Hammer Museum also had on display many other fascinating exhibits that ranged anywhere from medieval portraits to contemporary collections. It was such a great experience and I would encourage anyone, despite their level of interest in the subjects, to come check it out!

Space + Art

As our course comes to a close, this final focus on space fittingly showcases the way in which art relates to not only our world, but our universe. Outer space is an intriguing field of interest and innovation, and has peaked the interest of scientists, artists, and everyday people alike.

Science fiction, depicting people living out their lives in space, took over mainstream entertainment as the space race began to pick up. These films, comics, and books took advantage of the relatively limited public knowledge of space and consequently infinite possibilities to dazzle people with wondrous fictitious technology and extravagant ideas about the future.

Although not explicitly stated in this week's course material, this fascination with space and intersect between space and art has is nothing new and existed far before space exploration was even an idea. One of the more ancient relationship between space and art can be found in early human fascination with the stars and naming of constellations. Simplistic images formed by connecting stars with lines have long entertained people and served as inspiration for complex stories and historical and religious lessons. 

Although human fascination with space is nothing new and has existed arguably since the beginning of the human experience, there is still much to be learned about it. Space missions are still to this day risky and costly ventures. Numerous failed space launches including the Apollo and Challenger missions have devastated the world, but the importance of continued efforts and curiosity cannot be overstated. The possibility of commercial space travel and the endless economic benefits from not only further exploration, but exploitation of extra terrestrial resources prove that the sphere of outer space is still an expanding and exciting field with enormous potential to not only quench a thirst for knowledge, but better the human experience!

Images:

Fenlon, Wesley. "What Would a Real Space Battle Look Like?" Tested. 26 Nov. 2012. Web. 31 May 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tested.com%2Fscience%2Fweird%2F451609-what-will-space-battles-really-look%2F>.

"The 88 Star Constellations of the Night Sky." Go Astronomy. Web. 31 May 2015. <http://www.go-astronomy.com/constellations.htm>.

Silva, Jason. "At TED Active 2011 SCIENCE, ART = WONDER." Huffington Post. 8 Mar. 2011. Web. 31 May 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fjason-silva%2Fat-ted-active-2011-scienc_b_832677.html>.

Sources:

"Business Insider Finds Your Futurist Sci-Fi Tech Dreams Hilarious, You Silly American People." Wonkette. Web. 31 May 2015. http://wonkette.com/547059/business-insider-finds-your-futurist-sci-fi-tech-dreams-hilarious-you-silly-american-people

Franklin, H. Bruce. "Science Fiction, The Early History." Web. 31 May 2015. http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~hbf/sfhist.html

Dolan, Chris. "Alphabetical Listing of Constellations." Web. 31 May 2015. http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellation_list.html

"Stories From the Stars: Origins of the Constellations." Stargazers Astronomy. Web. 31 May 2015. http://www.stargazers.iinet.net.au/constellorigins.htm

Heidegger, Martin. "Art and Space." Web. 31 May 2015. http://roundtable.kein.org/sites/newtable.kein.org/files/Art%20and%20Space.pdf

Neuroscience + Art

The brain is a fascinating organ, and the way in which it transcends the fields of both art and science is spectacular. The brain not only produces vivid images and forms of art, but its very anatomy is a work of art in itself. This week we learned about the intersection between neuroscience and art, and the ways in which both fields have used a fascination with the brain to produce informative and beautiful creations.

Brainbow, a technique that uses fluorescent proteins to distinguish neurons in the brain, has both artistic and scientifically practical applications. Originally developed in 2007 by two Harvard University professors, Jeff Lichtman and Joshua Sanes, Rainbow has since provided the scientific world with a unique and revolutionary way to look at the brain, allowing for scientists to easily distinguish brain patterns and visualizing the ways in which the circuits in the brain work and interact.

Similarly, the many vibrant colors that the Brainbow process produces attract members of the art community at large. It translates to the artistically minded part of society the complex and intriguing phenomena behind the interworking of the brain that those within the field of science regularly experience.

While science is able to turn the brain itself into a work of art, the brain itself creates visually and mentally stimulating work of art on an individual and personal level, by both the use of chemicals that interact with the brain, through drugs like LSD, and by the process of dreaming. LSD, according to Dr. Albert Hoffman who worked extensively with LSD, studying its effects and publishing his findings, commented on the kaleidoscopic nature of LSD hallucinations. LSD works by interacting with the circuits in the brain (the same ones given vibrant distinctions via Brainbow) and effecting the ways in which serotonin is processed and created. These effects create complex hallucinations that bring artistic visuals to life.

Dreaming is another way in which the brain, by still rather unknown neural processes involving REM sleep, creates images and scenarios and imbeds them into a person on an unconscious level. 

Iconic psychologist Sigmund Freud, known for his detailed and complex understanding of dreams, believed that interpretation of one's dreams were important and, if done correctly, could reveal many aspects of the person's unconscious mind. 

Images:

Dunn, Greg A. "Brainbow Hippocampus." Greg Dunn Design. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gregadunn.com%2Fmicroetchings%2Fbrainbow-hippocampus%2F>.

"LSD: The Cause of Salem Witch Trials?" Psychovalmacology. Word Press, 03 Dec. 2014. Web. 17 May 2015. <https://psychovalmacology.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/lsd-the-cause-of-salem-witch-trials/>.

Mastin, Luke. "Sleep - Types and Stages of Sleep - REM Sleep." Sleep - Types and Stages of Sleep - REM Sleep. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. <http://www.howsleepworks.com/types_rem.html>.

Sources:

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

"Green Fluorescent Protein - Cool Uses - Brainbow." Green Fluorescent Protein - Cool Uses - Brainbow. Ed. Marc Zimmer. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. <http://www.conncoll.edu/ccacad/zimmer/GFP-ww/cooluses0.html>.

Hoffman, Albert. "LSD — My Problem Child." LSD. Trans. Jonathan Ott. McGraw-Hill. Web. 17 May 2015. <http://www.psychedelic-library.org/child.htm>.

"How Do Hallucinogens (LSD, Psilocybin, Peyote, DMT, and Ayahuasca) Affect the Brain and Body?" The Science of Drug Abuse and Addiction. National Institute on Drug Abuse, Feb. 2015. Web. 17 May 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drugabuse.gov%2Fpublications%2Fresearch-reports%2Fhallucinogens-dissociative-drugs%2Fwhere-can-i-get-more-scientific-information-hallucinogens-diss>.

McLeod, S. A. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/Sigmund-Freud.html

Mathematics + Art

Mathematics and Art have long been viewed as two polar ends on the spectrum of personal aptitude and interest, both in terms of school and every day hobbies. While this may be true on the surface, for those that like to categorize these two subjects neatly into the categories of "left brained" and "right brained" skills, the two are actually beautifully intertwined and mathematics can transform art, adding depth, perception, and a formulaic approach that can enhance the visual appeal of a piece of art, be it a painting, sculpture, or simple and delicate origami. 

Many central concepts in art have their basis in mathematics. The idea of perspective has its very basis in math, with the idea of linear perspective and vanishing point, which was first formulated by Bruchelleschi in 1413. Connections between mathematics and art are further solidified as Alhazen, in his Book of Optics, not only laid out basic artistic principles in regards to the eye, but also laid out the foundation for the modern scientific method.

Edwin Abbott Abbott's Flatland beautifully proved the opposite to be true, that art can be used to enhance mathematics, or at least our understanding of it. He used basic storytelling elements to artfully employ emotion and visual stimuli to strengthen reader's understanding of mathematical concepts. He played on the strengths of those with a finesse for art to broaden their scope of knowledge into the mathematical sphere, just as mathematicians are able to make sense of properties of art by recognizing the mathematical elements within them.

Mathematics, science, and art are not only carefully juxtaposed in reality, but are rather inherently intertwined. They add depth to one another and understanding of one can lead to aptitude in another. They enhance the experience one may have with the others and help one fully develop an appreciation from all perspectives of art, mathematics, and science.

References:

Robert J. Lang. Mathematical Origami. 10 April 2015.

Abbott, Edwin Abbott. Flatland a Romance of Many Dimensions. Champaign, Ill.: Project Gutenberg, 199. Print.

Smith, B. Sidney. "The Mathematical Art of M.C. Escher." Platonic Realms Minitexts. Platonic Realms, 13 Mar 2014.

Vesna, Victoria. https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/346337/pages/unit-2-view?module_item_id=6472138. April 10 2015.

Marc Franz. Lesson 3:

Vanishing Points and
Looking at Art. 2000. 10 April 2015.