tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25153859541532452042024-03-13T13:05:00.679-07:00D E S M A x B E C K YAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088924889325794448noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515385954153245204.post-68705991133250807862016-06-03T06:03:00.003-07:002016-06-03T06:04:01.529-07:00Event Blog #3: Staring in the Age of Distraction (SAD)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkxdQJMTkjONkfHpDmYUbP9v6l5GVCMwKAd-ZfcA7LW-ZoHasN0xJrUvwsl1ew33umOmvvf-y1FfbBXPHzizxvKn91jlNItNky8nLeo0iiCJ5dEAzUUheP7NypIRhhx-eWNTlf5v1ei9q/s1600/IMG_0608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkxdQJMTkjONkfHpDmYUbP9v6l5GVCMwKAd-ZfcA7LW-ZoHasN0xJrUvwsl1ew33umOmvvf-y1FfbBXPHzizxvKn91jlNItNky8nLeo0iiCJ5dEAzUUheP7NypIRhhx-eWNTlf5v1ei9q/s320/IMG_0608.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Staring in the Age of Distraction (SAD), a poignant acronym for the exhibition given the tragic events that unfolded this past Wednesday</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">On Thursday, June 2nd, I attended the Design | Media Arts Senior Exhibition, Staring in the Age of Distraction. The exhibition focused on the works of 49 graduating undergraduates in the Design | Media Arts department, and the theme revolved around the idea of creating and viewing art in an age where we are often over-stimulated with constant images, noises, and events happening around us. Given the tragic homicide-suicide that happened on our campus the day before, the theme of the senior exhibition hit close to home. How do we find time to process our emotions, much less view art, when external forces (e.g., clubs, professors, supervisors, friends, etc.) expect so much from us all the time?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76d5dq3Is5H7FgXY3CMKoKJqeOCHKD8OrK9kcoqKFSFcn30CCdS4yLZ3Svgr3QLitTagPs9vOxF44FRoIhJQKK1nrgBRAXvm5CNFJ1elYLzIzz-r8PPjtZsmhIYSVG7TGG4I8d_GOeBok/s1600/IMG_0611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76d5dq3Is5H7FgXY3CMKoKJqeOCHKD8OrK9kcoqKFSFcn30CCdS4yLZ3Svgr3QLitTagPs9vOxF44FRoIhJQKK1nrgBRAXvm5CNFJ1elYLzIzz-r8PPjtZsmhIYSVG7TGG4I8d_GOeBok/s320/IMG_0611.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">When you find out your friend Louis is a Design | Media Arts major one week before we graduate #oops</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">At the exhibition, I saw my friend, Louis. Thinking he was only there as an attendee, I was surprised to find out that he was there because he was featured as one of the artists. Turns out Louis is not only a Biology major, but also a Design | Media Arts major as well! Louis then directed me to his project, titled Pain and Pleasure. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XG7bkq2IfvIXmYSBeVEmdo7xDJV5hOfATOLAD6KZtcFP4O-XlzihJivM-k1T7D3lCfGdESEAwfLfUl1kPW0Lvyf0jLJuAYwXeop08KPPAhF0vBch12HTqPf4SPOEfa_Rx6liMqRXeREL/s1600/IMG_0612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XG7bkq2IfvIXmYSBeVEmdo7xDJV5hOfATOLAD6KZtcFP4O-XlzihJivM-k1T7D3lCfGdESEAwfLfUl1kPW0Lvyf0jLJuAYwXeop08KPPAhF0vBch12HTqPf4SPOEfa_Rx6liMqRXeREL/s320/IMG_0612.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Pain and Pleasure + Me being very excited</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Louis showed me his two-seat bench with cacti surrounding it and speakers attached to the bottom. He explained to me that touching the cacti through the heat emitted from your hand will cause them to elicit a noise. After asking him why he chose to create this piece, Louis described how he wanted to explore the concept of pain and pleasure--comfort and discomfort. Are you willing to risk getting pricked by a cactus's needles if it means being able to hear a pleasant noise? What are the costs you are willing to take if it means being able to fully enjoy the piece? Although he was worried about audiences being unable to hear the noise being emitted once they touched the cacti, I found it very fitting for his piece to be hard to hear given the theme of the exhibition. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMGqOf8Ei4Bo4k0sNNlq3TUsZ5x58hZ4EQQQBkoeh7mVJcNQ5yTg92DdGX0BMwV6crcxH4lWuX02ZF3uboLUdJpac0U86zNJ93RqWUYS14L6C8kmnsy-nnVKugTEUlVIQn3EQiHfj9t29/s1600/IMG_0613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMGqOf8Ei4Bo4k0sNNlq3TUsZ5x58hZ4EQQQBkoeh7mVJcNQ5yTg92DdGX0BMwV6crcxH4lWuX02ZF3uboLUdJpac0U86zNJ93RqWUYS14L6C8kmnsy-nnVKugTEUlVIQn3EQiHfj9t29/s320/IMG_0613.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The proud artist with his work!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Louis and I also discussed the intersections between art and science--something he is at the center of given his double major in the arts and life sciences. Through his work, Louis wants to accelerate our society's entry into the third culture, where we use science to create art. Art, then, would be the medium to inspire new ideas in the sciences as well as have broader society fall in love with science (or at least get excited about it). Our discussion brought me back to the entire purpose of this course, and I am very happy to see how one of my friends is directly involved with creating meaningful work that bridges the gap between art and science. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br />Sources<br />Pham, Louis. louispham.design. Web. Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. London: Cambridge UP, 1993. Print.<br />"☹Staring in the Age of Distraction☹." Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/events/232547183792545/ </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. London: Cambridge UP, 1993. Print.</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between." Leonardo 34.2 (2001): 121-25.<br />Zakaria, Fareed. "Why America's Obsession with STEM Education Is Dangerous."Washington Post. The Washington Post. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088924889325794448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515385954153245204.post-88303335271934320122016-06-03T01:38:00.001-07:002016-06-03T01:38:06.767-07:00Event Blog #2: Maria Antonia Gonzalez Valerio<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1vdCFqK5T-TYUagW5ihums2O99mbiVyS58ruCNqtTElpqcB9PmhAjT_CZXFlYiM6ZMEq4QYCn2myzdyoOcLon2FLJbxtP-eU9OjcArY8qoem5cWGdeGdVAvQ77vuuqHwPD0jtmxmKsU4/s1600/IMG_0437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1vdCFqK5T-TYUagW5ihums2O99mbiVyS58ruCNqtTElpqcB9PmhAjT_CZXFlYiM6ZMEq4QYCn2myzdyoOcLon2FLJbxtP-eU9OjcArY8qoem5cWGdeGdVAvQ77vuuqHwPD0jtmxmKsU4/s320/IMG_0437.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Professor Maria Antonia Gonzalez Valerio + Me in the audience</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">On Thursday, May 26th, I attended Professor Maria Antonia Gonzalez Valerio's lecture on Philosophy + Art + Science. Valerio currently teaches at the National Autonomous University in Mexico, where she leads the interdisciplinary collective that bridges the gaps between the humanities, arts, and sciences. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-HjEGNTHzEERTI9qpuikwt5e_fxl6RcUzAgJpiHY1pJ3gZkAQRRAD3W0A4lwfCoM9yOgUATAokrJpsKrloEJdbvlybQNOiQZKSjmR22bQEH8Qbz38tZzQ_FunsEuHwSLdaJk062s6si8/s1600/IMG_0436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-HjEGNTHzEERTI9qpuikwt5e_fxl6RcUzAgJpiHY1pJ3gZkAQRRAD3W0A4lwfCoM9yOgUATAokrJpsKrloEJdbvlybQNOiQZKSjmR22bQEH8Qbz38tZzQ_FunsEuHwSLdaJk062s6si8/s320/IMG_0436.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Professor Valerio as she lectures on the philosophical approach of art and science</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Given Valerio's background in philosophy, the main focus of her lecture was on the philosophical aspect of the intersections between art and science. She noted the increased prevalence of art and science in society, which can be seen in festivals, galleries, and machines. This increase in prevalence, then, leads to more hype, allowing others to be more critical about what is being done. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Valerio continues her philosophical approach to raise a variety of questions. Why include art when it does not generate new knowledge in science? How is the field of art and science moving forward to create definitions of meaning as opposed to furthering understanding of the field? What does "art and science" even mean? Although Valerio did not have the answers to all these questions, I really enjoyed hearing her speak about how it was necessary for artists, scientists, and philosophers to with more specific, hands-on projects in collectives to produce more meaningful work. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBAfjkxhUWEgllLiB7Z9JEEfSDGF3uZDbE2r7kT_YUoFWv986Ggswj95CUWihuWodL49PyjBG8f4yKdoLoqC2Q-fs_I7KDkzlpqqm8gAF-B_EOgjsNDe0lRpMptewnn-3wt2CyR1UYReN/s1600/IMG_0438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBAfjkxhUWEgllLiB7Z9JEEfSDGF3uZDbE2r7kT_YUoFWv986Ggswj95CUWihuWodL49PyjBG8f4yKdoLoqC2Q-fs_I7KDkzlpqqm8gAF-B_EOgjsNDe0lRpMptewnn-3wt2CyR1UYReN/s320/IMG_0438.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Should there be limits to bioart?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">One portion of Valerio's lecture that stood out to me was when she began to discuss biotechnology and art. She discussed creating a distinction between art + science and art + nature/living. In this distinction, art + science is about producing work that comprehends reality--a model for what currently exists. Art + nature/living, on the other hand, produces work that is related to nature--a reflection on how humanity has manipulated nature throughout history through industrial and biotechnological means. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">With the discussion of biotechnology comes the discussion on bioethics. Should artists understand the biopolitics of being in a biology lab, or should they simply outsource their work to scientists? Is it necessary for bioartists to understand science and its protocols? Should bioethics be applied to bioart? Whether or not people believe bioart is a valid art form, Professor Valerio's lecture highlights how it is still an emerging field that deserves attention. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Sources</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Anker, Suzanne. "The beginnings and ends of bioart." artlink.com.au. Web. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white;">Kelty, Chris. “Meanings of Participation: Outlaw Biology?”. Web.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Levy, Ellen. “Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications.” Web.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Vesna, Victoria. “BioArt pt. 1-5.” Lecture. Web.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Zylinska, Joanne. "Taking Responsibility for Life: Bioethnics and Bioart." Ethics and the Arts. Web. </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088924889325794448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515385954153245204.post-51846571692289986002016-05-26T14:58:00.001-07:002016-05-26T14:58:54.491-07:00Week 9: Space + Art <br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://www.presidiacreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/space-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.presidiacreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/space-12.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Space: The Final Frontier for Mankind and Art?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">http://allaboutcomputer2000.blogspot.com/2012/04/45-stellar-space-art-wallpapers.html</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Once humanity realized we are not the center of the universe, we began our journey into understanding space. We are curious--and perhaps fearful--about the unknown and wonder what it can offer to us. Space's influence in our society is prominent, explaining why quotes such as "shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you'll land among the stars" and "the sky's the limit" are always said as words of encouragement to motivate people to dream big and aim high. But does space truly represent the final frontier for art and humanity?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.paolacasoli.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Space-Race-Propaganda_G-Pallotta_poster-3-249x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.paolacasoli.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Space-Race-Propaganda_G-Pallotta_poster-3-249x300.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Us vs. Them: Who will prevail?<br />http://www.paolacasoli.com/2014/12/space-race-propaganda-usa-vs-urss-a-matter-of-posters/</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Aside from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbKNlFcg02c" target="_blank">Antarctica</a>, we claim and inhabit all of Earth's continents. The Cold War marked the beginning of the space race between the United States and the now-defunct USSR, sparking and increase in STEM-related courses in school as well as increased funding for scientific and technological pursuits. Art during this time, as it relates to space, was all propaganda-related. There is no doubt art was strongly politicized during this time to instill fear that the enemy could prevail, which then sparked nationalistic sentiment the nation could use to its advantage. Regardless of whether this was a good use of art, it is clear art--in conjunction with scientific and technological advances made during this time--had a powerful influence in swaying public opinion. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.tutsplus.com/psd/uploads/legacy/psdtutsarticles/linkb_40space/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://cdn.tutsplus.com/psd/uploads/legacy/psdtutsarticles/linkb_40space/14.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Digital art created by Tobais, who uses lots of his own photography when making his digital pieces<br />http://design.tutsplus.com/articles/40-mind-blowing-digital-space-paintings--psd-2020</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 21px;">As our technology continues to improve, so does art. Now that we are able to create works of art using Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, etc., art is becoming digitized. What has not changed, however, is using space as a subject for this art. I would argue that portraying space has improved due to the advent of digital art, for artists can now create the ethereal effects and vibrant colors they otherwise would not have been able to do in the past. Perhaps, then, space is not the final frontier for art. Rather, it is only the beginning of "some cosmic purpose," as Carl Sagan would say, that will "let us find ourselves a worthy goal" to pursue. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sources</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Carl Sagan - A Universe Not Made for Us." haveabit.com. Web. <br />Casoli, Paula. "Space Race Propaganda: US v. USSR. A Matter of Posters." Web. <br />Grey, C.G.P. "Who Owns Antarctica? (Bizarre Borders Part 3)." YouTube. Web. <br />Holmes, Brian. "Makrolab, or the art of transition." Web. <br />Vesna, Victoria. "Space pt. 1-6." Lecture. Web.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088924889325794448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515385954153245204.post-7909153089025971442016-05-21T15:35:00.002-07:002016-05-21T15:35:45.887-07:00Week 8: Nanotech + Art<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/04/2991723009_d2ed0d593e_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/04/2991723009_d2ed0d593e_o.jpg" height="242" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Nanobama: The world's smallest presidential portrait<br />When a president is quite literally under a microscope<br /><a href="http://www.wired.com/2008/11/nanobama-the-wo/">http://www.wired.com/2008/11/nanobama-the-wo/</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Nanotechnology involves manipulating matter on a molecular scale. With nanotechnology came nanoart, which is an art discipline that features structures on a nanometer scale. Thus, is it still art even though you cannot see it with your own eyes? When nanotechnology and nanoart are involved, however, the phrase "seeing is believing" is not quite applicable because the scale is too abstract for our common understanding of vision and size. Nonetheless, through the use of already-existing devices, nanotechnology marks a new frontier for science and, consequently, art. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">U C Lots of Atoms<br /><a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070319174619.htm">https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070319174619.htm</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Although the products of nanotechnology cannot be seen with the naked eye, they have they potential to change our world. Researchers believe nanoparticles can be used to replace potentially carcinogenic ingredients currently used in the making of various cosmetic products, rendering makeup safer for public use. There has also been discussions about using these particles to make tennis balls last longer and to better understand the structure/development of human cancer cells. In artistic pursuits, scientists and artists can manipulate microscale particles to create works of art, such as spelling out words or create animated short films like <i>A Boy and his Atom</i>. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beallcenter.uci.edu/sites/default/files/styles/virtual_beall_images/public/IMG_7798_0.jpg?itok=8NbdDryh" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.beallcenter.uci.edu/sites/default/files/styles/virtual_beall_images/public/IMG_7798_0.jpg?itok=8NbdDryh" height="252" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">MORPHONANO, an exhibition created by Professor Vesna and nanoscientist Jim Gimzewski<br /><a href="http://www.beallcenter.uci.edu/exhibitions/morphonano">http://www.beallcenter.uci.edu/exhibitions/morphonano</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When preparing to blog about this week's topic, I decided to research more on Professor Vesna's art projects, and what I found was extremely interesting. In collaboration with our guest lecturer and nanoscientist Jim Gimzewski, Professor Vesna currently has an exhibition at the Beall Center for Art + Technology at UC Irvine that brings nanotechnology to a scale where humans can interact and better understand it. With the help of existing science and technology, nanoart, then, marks the transition of art from being a purely visual, passive experience to a more connected, active experience. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">"A Boy and his Atom." Wikipedia. Web. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Gimzewski, Jim and Vesna, Victoria. "The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of fact & fiction in the construction of a new science." Web. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Gimzewski, Jim. "Nanotech for Artists pt. 1-6." Lecture. Web. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">"MORPHONANO." Beall Center for Art + Technology. Web. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Producer. "Scientists are becoming artists, thanks to 'Nanoart.'" Arts, Culture, and Media. pri.org. Web. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Vesna, Victoria. "Nanotech Intro." Lecture. Web. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088924889325794448noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515385954153245204.post-27390880024260529472016-05-15T15:21:00.002-07:002016-05-15T15:21:32.041-07:00Week 7: Neuroscience + Art <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://diplopi.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://diplopi.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/brain.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Are the mind and the body two sides of the same coin?<br /><a href="https://diplopi.wordpress.com/2013/08/29/409/">https://diplopi.wordpress.com/2013/08/29/409/</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This week's topic reminded me of the mind-body problem, which debated the relationship between mental experiences (e.g., thoughts, feelings, beliefs, consciousness, self-awareness) and the body, raising questions about whether or not the mind and the body are the same. The fundamental issue behind this problem is that mental experiences are unobservable, while everyone's physical selves are observable. For example, you may be able to see other people's wounds, but you would be unable to see their pain. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">"...the inner man wants something which the visible man does not want, and we are at war with ourselves."<br /><a href="http://taddelay.com/blog/13601481/carljung#.VzjnoIQrLcs">http://taddelay.com/blog/13601481/carljung#.VzjnoIQrLcs</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Thinking about the mind-body problem ultimately relates back to consciousness, a subjective quality of experience. Although (cognitive) neuroscience allows us to determine what brain activity underlies different forms of experience, we are still unable to explain the fact that we had a subjective experience--a limitation of neuroscience. That being said, however, it is important we explore and understand what happens in our mind--our internal state. Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology, Carl Jung, discusses the importance of exploring our unconsciousness, which he argues modern people no longer do because we are only interested in instant gratification in the physical world. As a result, we fail to gain an understanding or awareness of our unconscious, which will always want to control and guide our emotions, behaviors, and ultimately our lives. From a philosophical approach, perhaps this is why we see issues in addressing mental health concerns because we have severed so much of our conscious selves from our unconscious counterpart(s). </span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://endofthegame.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/schizophrenic-cat-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://endofthegame.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/schizophrenic-cat-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Art created by a patient with Schizophrenia, a mental disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, abnormal behavior, etc. Schizophrenia currently has no known cure, but through the help of neuroscience and other related fields, perhaps we will see a cure in the near-future.<br /><a href="http://www.viralnova.com/schizophrenic-art/" target="_blank">http://www.viralnova.com/schizophrenic-art/ </a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">As discussed in previous lectures, art and science do not seem to be interconnected. Art is characterized by creativity, imagination, and subjectivity, while science is defined by objectivity, structure, and logic. Throughout these past seven weeks, however, we already know how art and science can be related fields; thus, it is no surprise that we see a connection between neuroscience and art. Neuroscience is interesting, but I have noticed that people often stop critically thinking about science once they start seeing pictures of brains--demonstrating the seductive allure of neuroscience explanations that are enhanced by neuroscience-related art. Nonetheless, b</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">rains make art, and art can inspire brains, so it is not surprising we are slowing moving towards a an interdisciplinary neuroculture that includes artistic approaches.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Sources</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Frazetto, Giovanni and Anker, Suzanne. "Neuroculture." Perspectives. Nature Reviews: Neuroscience. Web. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Huang, Mengfei. "The Neuroscience of Art." Reviews & Features. Stanford. Web. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Jung, Carl. "The Spiritual Problem of Modern Man." Web. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Oppenheimer, Daniel. "Neuroscience Methods and Controversies." Lecture. PowerPoint. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Vesna, Victoria. “Neuroscience pt. 1-3.” Lecture. Web.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088924889325794448noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515385954153245204.post-56004691856074070712016-05-08T21:57:00.004-07:002016-05-08T22:01:49.470-07:00Week 6: BioTech + Art <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://isthisbioart.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/header-for-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://isthisbioart.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/header-for-2011.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Art x Biology and Biotechnology: Should BioArt even exist as a field?<br /><a href="https://isthisbioart.com/welcome/diy-links/">https://isthisbioart.com/welcome/diy-links/</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Science does not care about what people believe nor what is considered popular belief, but what happens when art--a human discipline that wants to expand or challenge popular belief--and biology/biotechnology intersect? The outcome of this convergence is BioArt, an emerging discipline that is important for both the artistic and scientific community. BioArt not only pushes the boundary of what is considered art, but also initiates conversation on ethical, aesthetic, and social consequences that occur as humans "play God" by manipulating lifeforms. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mr-miata.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/mr-miata-dna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.mr-miata.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/mr-miata-dna.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Your Life in Lines: DNA Art<br /><a href="http://www.mr-miata.net/2009/09/mr-miatanets-dna/">http://www.mr-miata.net/2009/09/mr-miatanets-dna/</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">BioArt remains controversial from a practical, moral, and ethical standpoint. Some argue BioArt, a form of outlaw biology, is bordering on criminal biology because of its lack of ethics by putting animals under an unnecessary amount of pain and suffering. Those against BioArt can claim that the field has no purpose and is simply wasting valuable scientific resources that can be used to find cures and answers about our genetic makeup. On the other hand, one can also argue that life creates art, which includes the fields associated with biology and biotechnology, making BioArt a valid form of artistic expression and a necessary component in our society as biotechnology continues to improve. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/wyma96injyhrskhekdfe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/wyma96injyhrskhekdfe.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Designer Babies: The Ultimate Way to "Play God"<br /><a href="http://gizmodo.com/heres-why-we-ll-eventually-have-to-accept-designer-babi-1746216328">http://gizmodo.com/heres-why-we-ll-eventually-have-to-accept-designer-babi-1746216328</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This week's topic immediately reminded me of the debate on "designer babies," children whose parents have intentionally selected their genetic makeup before the child's conception. We already know the benefits of this type of genetic modification, as it can prevent children from being born with genetic defects and save their lives as well as a lifetime of hardships. The controversy lies, however, in the idea that parents can alter their children's genome to achieve certain physical traits. If we can customize our Nike Free Runs, then why should we be prevented from customizing our children before they were born? If our goal is to be perfect, is this not the way to achieve perfection? If we are so concerned about our viability as a species, wouldn't genetic modification and manipulation be the solution to our concerns? That being said, however, designer babies likely garner controversy because their conception is clearly tied to the idea of eugenics, a movement whose practices have been historically unethnical. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Regardless of the controversy surrounding BioArt, I believe it is here to stay. BioArt fills an important gap between science and art, raising questions about purpose, ethics, morality, and control over art/science and the results of the convergence of the two fields. BioArt may lead to subjectively repulsive results, but it is important that we question why we react the way we do to it in order to reflect on the direction of science and how art plays a pivotal role in its future trajectories. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Sources</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Bach, Becky. "Book Tackles the Bioethics of 'Designer' Babies." Scope. Stanford. Web. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Dvorsky, George. "Here's Why We'll Eventually Have to Accept Designer Babies." Gizmodo. Web.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">"Eugenics." Wikipedia. Web. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Kelty, Chris. “Meanings of Participation: Outlaw Biology?”. Web.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Levy, Ellen. “Defining Life: Artists Challenge Conventional Classifications.” Web.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Maldarelli, Claire. "Are We Ready for Designer Babies? The Debate on how to Regulate CRISPR Heats Up." Popular Science. Web. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Vesna, Victoria. “BioArt pt. 1-5.” Lecture. Web.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088924889325794448noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515385954153245204.post-28883967478669528482016-05-08T02:21:00.002-07:002016-05-08T02:32:23.014-07:00Event Blog #1: Anne Niemetz <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIftPAaJD5Jj7-rC0j2eB9XicDaxsiPSUK9uBBKx7Xrhb5UeAnzZXstbHelnE3esu7GMYSeskdgd_lAsxbsViVRK8Y8go07r5euf8hYMftn8bvzCIQZpbmcrg3t7KpNIHEt-LX1OA7_Ka1/s1600/IMG_0539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIftPAaJD5Jj7-rC0j2eB9XicDaxsiPSUK9uBBKx7Xrhb5UeAnzZXstbHelnE3esu7GMYSeskdgd_lAsxbsViVRK8Y8go07r5euf8hYMftn8bvzCIQZpbmcrg3t7KpNIHEt-LX1OA7_Ka1/s320/IMG_0539.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anne Niemetz + Me in the audience</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">On Thursday, May 5th, I attended Anne Niemetz's talk at the Broad Art Center. Niemetz was one of Professor Vesna's first graduate students at UCLA and is now based in New Zealand. Her projects focus on wearable technology, audio-visual designs, and interactive installations.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.glamour.com/photos/5727f1bfc00572305e7a3b0e/2:3/h_1024,c_limit/met-gala-2016-getty-emma-watson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media.glamour.com/photos/5727f1bfc00572305e7a3b0e/2:3/h_1024,c_limit/met-gala-2016-getty-emma-watson.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Emma Watson wearing a Calvin Klein and Eco Age collaboration at this year's Met Gala, where the theme was Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology. Watson's gown was created using three different fabrics, </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/emmawatson/photos/a.360282067324023.88617.140216402663925/1255195171166037/?type=3&theater" style="font-size: x-small;" target="_blank">all woven from recycled plastic.</a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">One portion of Niemetz's lecture that stood out to me was her discussion about the convergence between fashion and science. I found this portion of her talk particularly interesting because it directly connected to current events, as the Met Gala theme this year was Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology. Her talk about fashion and wearable technology continues to reinforce the face that we are slowly moving towards a third culture where the arts and sciences are becoming more interconnected.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbp06RtV1iZNsq-0WZKfzUwPRoeooGOa9q8-dRij-guNvxCgiQP3mhQAwn7rKzHg12-1BKLgectgGcZQyjX__aZfqfuI-iScEvz5iI8zgt-J40p55ra0gRhu2fxzAOxag9GfNkCB2dbwNC/s1600/collage-2016-05-07.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbp06RtV1iZNsq-0WZKfzUwPRoeooGOa9q8-dRij-guNvxCgiQP3mhQAwn7rKzHg12-1BKLgectgGcZQyjX__aZfqfuI-iScEvz5iI8zgt-J40p55ra0gRhu2fxzAOxag9GfNkCB2dbwNC/s320/collage-2016-05-07.png" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Niemetz dedicated a good portion of her talk to discuss her students' submissions to the World of Wearable Art show</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I really enjoyed Niemetz showcasing her students' work that was submitted to the World of Wearable Art show. I love how students can design wearable technology that honors their culture, such as the submission pictured on the top right that was influenced by Niemetz's student's Cook Island roots. This particular piece demonstrates the potential technology and art can have on honoring one's heritage through art. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Claire Danes at this year's Met Gala wearing Zac Posen. Her dress was l<a href="http://honey.ninemsn.com.au/2016/05/06/08/04/claire-danes-met-gala-dress-destroys-furniture" target="_blank">it up via LEDs</a>, with 30 battery packs being sewn into the dress.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">One of the most stunning works Niemetz presented to the audience was a dress designed by one of her students that lights up. It reminded me of something Lady Gaga would wear during her early days of stardom. Niemetz also said this wearable technology piece garnered significant media attention, and we perhaps see this influence in this year's Met Gala, where actress Claire Danes wore Zac Posen's "Galactic Cinderella" gown.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I highly recommend students exploring more of Anne Niemetz's projects. I believe her work is the future of art and science, and Niemetz does a wonderful job demonstrating how technology can enhance art, taking art to the next level. We already see this in the fashion industry through laser-cut designs and even 3D printing. As reflected in this year's Met Gala theme, technology and art do have a place in society together as opposed to being two polar opposites. Perhaps, then, mechanically-produced fashion does not necessarily lead to a loss of originality. Creativity can flourish when art and science work together, and it is my hope that more collaborations between the two disciplines will happen in the future. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;">Benjamin, Walter. "The Work of Art in Age of Mechanical Reproduction." </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;">Marxists. </i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;">Web. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Chi, Paul. "Met Gala 2016: Claire Danes's Glow-in-the-Dark Gown Upstaged a Red-Carpet Robot Army." Vanity Fair. http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/05/met-gala-2016-red-carpet#1</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Fullerton, Anne. "Claire Danes' Zac Posen Met Gala gown ruined the furniture." Honey.ninemsn. Ninemsn. http://honey.ninemsn.com.au/2016/05/06/08/04/claire-danes-met-gala-dress-destroys-furniture</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Garcia, Patricia. "The 2016 Met Gala Theme Is Announced! Fashion in an Age of Technology." Vogue. Vogue. </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 12.6px;">http://www.vogue.com/13360232/met-gala-2016-theme/</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between." Leonardo 34.2 (2001): 121-25. </span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088924889325794448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515385954153245204.post-44176483643659814732016-04-24T22:55:00.000-07:002016-04-24T22:59:41.766-07:00Week 4: MedTech + Art <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/qxe6q3G.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.imgur.com/qxe6q3G.jpg" height="264" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/1wr6pa/mri_of_the_brain_using_diffusion_tensor_imaging/" target="_blank">When MedTech Meets Art</a><br />Diffusion Tensor Imaging, a more colorful view of the white matter in the brain</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We already know how <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/hjoneslawrence/med-student-transforms-his-study-guides-into-incredible-comi#.jp8lE985y">art can help medical school students study</a>, but we often do not think about how medical technology/medicine itself is considered a form of art. Pictures are worth a thousand words, and, as Silvia Casini notes, MRI scans are no exceptions. Thanks to continued curiosity for the human body as well as improvements to medical technology, humanity has seen improvements in art, such as more realistic depictions of the human body in portraits, and greater understanding of the human body that has enhanced humanity's standard of living. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The original Hippocratic Oath, first seen in Greek medical texts. The modern oath was written in 1964 by <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.68px; text-align: start;">Louis Lasagna, Academic Dean of the School of Medicine at Tufts University.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">One of the readings I found the most interesting this week was about the Hippocratic Oath. Although many doctors see oath-taking as a ritual and rite-of-passage activity upon entry into medical school, the oath still garners controversy. The modern oath states, "If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter," seemingly separating art from medicine. I strongly disagree with this dissociation because I think creativity, and the art that results from it, is necessary in medicine/medical technology. We see this in the field of plastic surgery.</span><div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The Reincarnation of Saint-Orlan, an art project in which artist Orlan underwent a series of surgeries to incorporate aspects of famous paintings/sculptures onto her face</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Through cosmetic plastic surgery, people can now transform themselves into a work of art. We see this through Orlan's plastic surgery art project, where she went under the knife to have the chin of Botticelli’s Venus, the nose of Jean-Léon Gérôme's Psyche, the lips of François Boucher’s Europa, the eyes of Diana, and the forehead of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Orlan may be an extreme case, but her work clearly demonstrates how medical technology can be analogous to an artist's tools, sculpting and sketching to create something completely new, different, and even cringe-worthy. Additionally, Orlan's project can also be used as a talking point about our society's standards of beauty. I use the phrase "work of art" loosely, for our standards of beauty always change. Thus, while we have the technology to do so, to pursue beauty in the ways greater society defines it will always leave people disappointed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Casini, Silvia. “Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations Between Science and Arts.” Web.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Lawrence, Hannah. "This Med Student Makes His Own Comics To Help Him Study." BuzzFeed. Buzzfeed. Web. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Oriach, Stephan. "Orlan--Carnal Art." Documentary. YouTube. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Tyson, Peter. “The Hippocratic Oath Today.” PBS. PBS. Web. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Vesna, Victoria. "Medicine pt. 2" Lecture. Web. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Vesna, Victoria. "Medicine pt. 3." Lecture. Web.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088924889325794448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515385954153245204.post-81002087896364448392016-04-17T22:58:00.001-07:002016-04-17T23:05:45.534-07:00Week 3: Robotics + Art <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.allthingstarget.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Screen-Shot-2013-10-13-at-10.54.47-PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.allthingstarget.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Screen-Shot-2013-10-13-at-10.54.47-PM.png" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">What's even unique anymore if practically anyone can buy it? Is anyone's style truly original and special?<br />http://www.allthingstarget.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Screen-Shot-2013-10-13-at-10.54.47-PM.png</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This week's topic clearly demonstrates the positive and negative impact of the development of technology on art. Mass production has allowed art to permeate every aspect of society despite its history of being only being accessible to the elite. At the same time, however, mass production has also led art to lose its creative and unique characteristics. As Walter Benjamin argues in his essay, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Production," mechanically reproducing the same artwork can cause it to lose its original spark, for </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be." Operating under a context that values individualism and originality, is it even possible to develop one's own style without being a copy-cat given the mass production of art?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/Ex_Machina_FF_Poster2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/Ex_Machina_FF_Poster2.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">ex_machina, a sci-fi psychological thriller about a programmer, Caleb, who gets invited to his CEO's home to administer a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;" target="_blank">Turing Test</a> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">to a newly created humanoid robot, Ava.</span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/Ex_Machina_FF_Poster2.jpg</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This week's topic also demonstrates the impact of art on technology, especially in the field of robotics. In the media, robots and cyborgs are not only characterized as more intelligent, but also as more aesthetically pleasing. We see this in Japanese society, where robots/cyborgs have sleek designs to help them be human's next best companion. In Western society, however, we still see the recurrent theme of mistrusting technology even though we grow increasingly dependent on it. Thus, Western media portrays robots/cyborgs' increasing intelligence and aesthetically appearance as our downfall, for they can use it to deceive and/or annihilate humanity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">We displaced horses from their roles in society. Will robots do the same to us? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The development of robotics brings us to an interesting topic about the future of humanity. As discussed earlier, we are very dependent on technology (e.g., unable to leave home without your phone, social media to stay connected with others, etc.), and robots are becoming increasingly useful in our society. We see this in everyday life, such as the decease in blue-collar jobs, self-driving cars, and self-checkout stands at supermarkets. Thus, as our society strives for efficiency and continues to rely on automation, it is very possible humanity will no longer have a place in any occupational role in society. Will this cause humanity to lead listless lives, or will automation allow humanity to finally pursue hobbies they would otherwise not have time for (i.e., artistic pursuits)? Only time will tell, and I wonder if I will be alive to see this reality manifest.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Benjamin, Walter. "The Work of Art in Age of Mechanical Reproduction." <i>Marxists. </i>Web. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 12.6px;">Grey, C.G.P. "Humans Need Not Apply." Documentary. Web.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Kusahara, Machiko. "Robotics MachikoKusahara." Lecture. Web. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Vesna, Victoria. "Robotics pt. 1." Lecture. Web. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.6px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Vesna, Victoria. "Robotics pt. 2." Lecture. Web.</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088924889325794448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515385954153245204.post-30727967605981819552016-04-09T02:30:00.004-07:002016-04-10T19:32:21.752-07:00Week 2: Math + Art <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://maitaly.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/0328p_duomo6_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://maitaly.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/0328p_duomo6_b.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">"Brunelleschi observed that with a fixed single point of view, parallel lines appear to converge."</span></span>Image from <a href="https://maitaly.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/brunelleschi-and-the-re-discovery-of-linear-perspective/">https://maitaly.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/brunelleschi-and-the-re-discovery-of-linear-perspective/</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Edwin Abbott's <i>FlatLand: A Romance of Many Dimensions </i>depicts a society strictly divided into classes of dimensions. Although Abbott's novella was meant to elicit discussion about the nature of Victorian society, in the context of this course, his descriptions bring up images of the divide between math and art. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We often do not realize the connection between the two disciplines despite the fact that the d</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">evelopment of linear perspective during the Renaissance helped improve art, allowing artists to paint more unified, realistic scenes. Linda Henderson further elaborates on how math and science theories have contributed to the development of modern art through the concept of a fourth dimension. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/01/01/16/2FB9B3A000000578-3381257-image-a-2_1451665491610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/01/01/16/2FB9B3A000000578-3381257-image-a-2_1451665491610.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Manchester Masterpiece: <a href="https://twitter.com/GroenMNG/status/682920323075932160" target="_blank">The Unexpected Golden Ratio</a><br /><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3381257/The-picture-sums-Manchester-New-Year-s-Eve.html">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3381257/The-picture-sums-Manchester-New-Year-s-Eve.html</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We further see connections between math and art when discussing the golden ratio, a math concept as well as an art tool used to achieve harmony, beauty, and balance. Leonardo da Vinci's <i>Mona Lisa</i> and the pyramids in Egypt as well as the Parthenon in Athens are noted for having this golden ratio--approximately 1:1.618--which has </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">aesthetic appeal</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. Perhaps the golden ratio, then, gives us an explanation for why we think some art and architecture is more visually pleasing than their counterparts. Another connection between math and art can be seen in optical illusions, which may use geometry and linear perspective to confuse the viewer and gives us insight on how the human visual system works. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZspAaZrlkFJ9VEdbn2N6eCyLoYxTzSrefQtFY8ITCIwcq_DTZq41TJs3N5v2pwqkwYrG2fJypL4loeUnu3lS-JEabHd7W0M4FBMJ1zRGGcyWdyeqYXajMzNw-HpG0x95mkInzFHRyaxfs/s1600/172092_1658419695551_1663860_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZspAaZrlkFJ9VEdbn2N6eCyLoYxTzSrefQtFY8ITCIwcq_DTZq41TJs3N5v2pwqkwYrG2fJypL4loeUnu3lS-JEabHd7W0M4FBMJ1zRGGcyWdyeqYXajMzNw-HpG0x95mkInzFHRyaxfs/s320/172092_1658419695551_1663860_o.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A polar graph I made in pre-calculus honors during high school. <br />The pinwheel is based off of the a variation of the rose curve equation, <b>r = a </b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: left;">sin</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: left;"> n</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: left;">θ</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I did not expect this week's topic to be relevant to my personal experiences. I never cultivated an interest in math in contrast to my strong interests in music and doodling. I also, however, did not expect to re-discover work I had done in high school to directly relate to this week's topic. As it turns out, polar graph art is a perfect example of the connection between math and art, for it uses a polar equation of a curve as the base of the artwork that will be created. Regarding my music interests, this week's topic helped me realize <a href="https://thump.vice.com/en_us/article/steve-lieberman-ultra-music-festival-lighting-interview" target="_blank">the importance of math in music and music presentation</a>, given how EDM and other related genres have become more mainstream and popular. Moving forward, math and art--in addition to science--will be integral in allowing society to move towards a new dimension of understanding and discovery. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Sources</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Abbott, Edwin. "FlatLand: A Romance of Many Dimensions." Web.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Bein, Kat. "All of the Lights: Meet the Man Who Designs EDM's Million-Dollar Stages." Web. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Henderson, Linda. "The fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art." Web.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Joseph, Anthony. "It's just like Michelangelo! Epic New Year's Eve photo of drunken carnage on the streets of Manchester spawns string of 'artistic' memes." Web.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Vesna, Victoria. "Mathematics pt. 1." Lecture. Web. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10088924889325794448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515385954153245204.post-43057882826357916112016-04-02T18:11:00.000-07:002016-04-06T23:33:40.808-07:00Week 1: Two Cultures <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xta1/t31.0-8/12002568_10154367532060200_6592507594156793541_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xta1/t31.0-8/12002568_10154367532060200_6592507594156793541_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">From the 2015 Agar Art Contest: An art piece a strain of S. cerevisiae, infected with a virus called L-A. </span></span><br /><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">http://www.microbeworld.org/backend-submitted-news/1998</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I didn't expect the concept of two cultures to be challenging. C.P. Snow discusses how (Western) society is seemingly split into two realms, the sciences and the humanities, and how that divide is impeding social progress. What I didn't expect, however, was the relevance this concept has had throughout my entire life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was born and raised in Orange County, California. As the daughter of Vietnam War refugees, I have struggled with my bicultural identities as a Sino-Vietnamese American. My family sometimes labels me a "banana"--yellow on the outside but white on the inside. Greater society, however, sometimes doesn't see me as an American because of my physical appearance, leading to questions such as "Where are you <i>really </i>from?" Never fully Asian but also never completely American, I feel like I was undergoing </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">“a struggle of flesh, a struggle of borders, [and] an inner war” as I constantly juggle two self-consistent but seemingly habitually incompatible frames of reference (Anzaldua, 1999). </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.paulrwilliamsproject.org/site_files/images/FranzHallUCLA210_1_2_tonemappedcopy-thumb5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.paulrwilliamsproject.org/site_files/images/FranzHallUCLA210_1_2_tonemappedcopy-thumb5.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">UCLA's Franz Hall, home of the Psychology department<br />http://www.paulrwilliamsproject.org/exhibition/1960s</span>/</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In the academic world, I am a psychology major with a minor in education studies. People easily label me as having a North Campus minor, but they struggle trying to box me in based off of my major. Although I will earn a Bachelor of Arts in June, that doesn't change the face that I have had to learn about brain and eye anatomy, which maps onto life sciences. Psychology is even under the Dean of Life Sciences's jurisdiction, so psychology majors stand with all the other majors traditionally noted as life science during the College of Letters and Sciences Commencement ceremony. Franz Hall is even noted as the crossroads between North and South Campus, with the Herb Albert School of Music on its left and the MS Building on its right.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://circaedu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/UF-MAAE-STEM-STEAM-IG-GIRL-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://circaedu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/UF-MAAE-STEM-STEAM-IG-GIRL-12.jpg" height="290" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are the arts and sciences really diametrically opposites?<br />
http://circaedu.com/our-work/case-studies/infographics/</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I believe the arts and sciences are important, with no discipline being better than the other. Of course, society, has its own values on what it thinks is important, but I am happy that we are slowly moving toward a third culture that combines what is historically considered two polar opposites. We see evidence of this, such as <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/hjoneslawrence/med-student-transforms-his-study-guides-into-incredible-comi#.dapqraXOMD" target="_blank">the med school student who uses art to study</a> and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-stem-wont-make-us-successful/2015/03/26/5f4604f2-d2a5-11e4-ab77-9646eea6a4c7_story.html?postshare=8021456309375123&tid=ss_tw" target="_blank">the move away from STEM to STEAM</a>. I can't wait to see what new ideas, improvements, and theories will emerge because of this third culture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Sources</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Anzaldúa, Gloria. Borderlands = La Frontera. San Francisco: Aunt Lute, 1999. Print.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Lawrence, Hannah. "This Med Student Makes His Own Comics To Help Him Study." BuzzFeed. Buzzfeed. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. London: Cambridge UP, 1993. Print.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between." Leonardo 34.2 (2001): 121-25. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Zakaria, Fareed. "Why America's Obsession with STEM Education Is Dangerous."Washington Post. The Washington Post. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.</span></div>
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