Here is a link to my final project:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3u8OIyCKwZzamhfUDhOSjVGejQ/edit?usp=sharing
Friday, August 8, 2014
Event 3: Hubble 3D at the California Science Center
The third event
I went to was California Science Center to watch Hubble 3D (2010). Hubble 3D
is a Canadian-American 2010 documentary film, which in short, is about the
Hubble Space Telescope repair mission. The short film is directed by, produced
by, written by, and edited by Toni Myers, also known for her other IMAX
productions. Distributed by Warner Bros Pictures and IMAX Filmed Entertainment,
Hubble 3D guides the audience through
the 20 year life of the Hubble as well as the STS-125 servicing mission—also
referred to as HST-SM4, which was the 5th and final space shuttle
servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope launched on May 11, 2009.
The short film
is narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio in two parts: (1) the astronaut documentary
aspect which features real-life footage filmed on board the Space Shuttle Atlantis
on a mission to repair the telescope and (2) the astronomy movie aspect which
features 3D rendering of some of the telescope’s photographs of the cosmos. The
most mesmerizing quality of the film is the 3D visualizations of the actual
Hubble data; not only do they give the audience the impression that they are
actually traveling through space and time, but they also create a unique,
artistic experience through all the mind-numbing cinematography. The amazing
part of the entire experience is the realization that you reach towards the end
that the movie makes us feel so small and microscopic (which is a huge
understatement) in comparison to the rest of the vast, mysterious universe, but
yet, still an incredibly integral part of all that it is. One thing that I was
sad about was the depiction of the stars. Because of the nature of stars, they
are too far away for the 3D photography to give us any true idea of their
distance and relativity in space.
(This is a diagram of the Hubble
Space Telescope)
The insert below
is the description of Hubble 3D as
posted on the film’s original website (www.hubble.imax.com)
“Experience the
gripping story—full of hope, crushing disappointment, dazzling ingenuity,
bravery, and triumph in Hubble 3D, the seventh awe inspiring film from the
award winning IMAX Space Team.
Through the
power of IMAX 3D, Hubble 3D will enable movie-goers to journey through distant
galaxies to explore the grandeur and mysteries of our celestial surroundings,
and accompany spacewalking astronauts as they attempt the most difficult and
important tasks in NASA’s history. The film will offer an inspiring and unique
look into the Hubble Space Telescope’s legacy and highlight its profound impact
on the way we view the universe and ourselves.”
And there is no
other way to sum it up as concisely and descriptively as the description above.
The short film is teeming with unbelievably beautiful sights that probe into
the wonders of the universe. The Hubble Space Telescope’s advanced imaging
allows us to go so far into the depths of space and shows us the size of the
universe in the beauty that it holds. Although everything truly is beyond what
we can comprehend, the film brings us close to understanding the
out-of-the-world experience (literally).
As noted in LA
Time’s review, “It’s a movie that not only puts you in space but lets you
travel through it with speed and wonder that would make James T. Kirk go a
little weak in the knees.”
The complete review by LA Times can
be found here: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/19/entertainment/la-et-hubble-review19-2010mar19
I wholeheartedly
recommend this movie to anyone. I walked out of the theater sad that it was so
short (roughly 45 minutes), but the content is truly unbelievable. If anything,
at least watch the trailer!
Works Cited
Hubble 3D.
Digital image. California Science Center - IMAX Now Playing. Web.
"Hubble 3D." Fandango.
Web.
Whipp, Glenn. "Movie Review: 'Hubble
3D'" Rev. of IMAX Hubble 3D (2010). Los Angeles Time n.d.:
n. pag. LA Times. 19 Mar. 2010. Web.
HUBBLE 3D in IMAX Trailer. Dir. Toni Myers. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio.Youtube. N.p.,
15 May 2013. Web.
Picture Sources
Friday, August 1, 2014
Event 2: Griffith Observatory
A remarkable building of impressive splendor that is
recognizable to anyone driving through Hollywood and its nearby freeways,
Griffith Observatory is a popular tourist attraction, whose architecture and
standing mission make it one of the most famous and most visited icons in the
Los Angeles Basin. Griffith Jenkins Griffith donated about 3000 acres of Rancho
Los Feliz to the City of Los Angeles in order to create a public park that
would bear his name. In his will, Griffith drafted detailed specifications for
the observatory that would fulfill his goal of making an observation of the
universe accessible to everyone, as opposed to the prevailing idea that
astronomy should be restricted to scientists. Griffith strongly believed that
astronomy and observation could alter perspective and, in doing so, improve
people’s lives.
The Art Deco themed architecture is striking and has
multiple significant links to art from the exterior designs to the interior
layout. The 27,000-square feet cast-in-place concrete structure is frequently
identified with Moderne, Modified Greek, and Beaux-Arts influenced designs. The
exterior of the observatory is adorned with a wide range of detail, from the
elegant bronze and glass doors to the grand concrete sculpture welcoming visitors
at the front lawn. The interior is designed with the finest materials
(travertine, marble, ornate wood) and the most spectacular of murals.
[This is a link to a blog post that I found captured the beauty of Griffith Observatory's architecture very well.]
On my visit to the Griffith Observatory, I tried to go to
all of the exhibits offered on the main and second floor of the observatory.
The very first exhibit I was able to see as I walked in through the beautifully
adorned doors was W.M. Keck Foundation Central Rotunda, which features a gently
swaying Foucault Pendulum that demonstrates the Earth’s rotation. Then I visited
the Wilder Hall of the Eye, which focuses on the progress of human observation
of the sky and tools used for space ventures. Here, visitors are able to learn
about the earliest inventions that enhanced our vision and extended our view of
the cosmos. Afterwards, I headed to the Ahmanson Hall of the Sky exhibit that
delved into the objects commonly found in our sky, such as the sun and the
moon. This exhibit utilizes the “coelostat”—a device that consists of a flat
mirror that is turned slowly by a motor to reflect a portion of the sky into a
fixed telescope. Needless to say, this exhibit precisely demonstrates the link
between perspective and art to see beautiful things. Then, I went downstairs
where I was able to see the Gunther Depths of Space Hall and the Edge of Space
Mezzanine. These exhibits focus on the four fundamental transformations of
perspective in space history that were made possible by our explorations with
constantly improving spacecrafts and telescopes. The last exhibit that I walked
through was the Cosmic Connection exhibit, which is a long-stretching corridor
whose passageway is a 150ft timeline of the universe composed of celestial
themed jewelry.
Though one may be inclined to ask “how can space be
associated with art?” and I, too, fell into that category prior to my visit to
the Griffith Observatory, a visit to the observatory and firsthand observation
of these exhibit will provide a clear picture of the association and
interdependence not only for scientific insight but also for aesthetic
enjoyment. Art both fosters the understanding of the science behind space and
produces remarkable works of imagination and creativity that introduce new
dimensions to the realm of art.
[This article on NPR relates space and art with origami, a recurring idea from my "Space + Art" blog post as well as from my "Mathematics + Art" blog post. I never really thought much of origami as anything more than something to do when I'm bored or folding patterns for the notes that I secretly passed around in class. Interestingly enough, origami has greater applications to our mathematics and space fields.]
Something that I found particularly interesting and relevant was the "Extending the Eye" exhibit that was a part of The Wilder Hall of the Eye exhibit. This exhibit shows us how the introduction of the telescope profoundly changed our observation of the sky and our perception of our place in the universe.
"The eye is our older astronomical tool. It senses light from objects in the sky, but many of these are too small or faint for us to see in detail. To extend the view, our eyes need a boost. The telescope changes everything. It helps the eye gather more light and magnifies what we see. Suddenly, points of light become planets. Indistinct glows resolve into beautiful nebulae and galaxies. When we attach special instruments to a telescope to examine the light from these objects, we learn more about their true nature."
Do I recommend Griffith Observatory? Yes, yes, and yes! This
art deco landscape is truly a place worth the visit. All of the exhibits are
very informative and the observatory offers quite possibly the best view
peering out into the greater Los Angeles area as well as a marvelous view of
our stars. Also, it’s FREE, so why not?
Works Cited
"A HISTORY OF GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY." Griffith
Observatory. N.p., n.d. Web.
Goldwater, July. "Griffith Observatory ~ The Art Deco
Splendor of Stellar Attractions." Review. Web blog post. IRD:
Innovative Room Design. N.p., 8 Nov. 2013. Web.
Manke, Kara, and Joe Palca. "To Make a Spacecraft That Folds
and Unfolds, Try Origami." Web log post. NPR - News - Science.
N.p., 17 July 2014. Web.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Week 5: Space + Art
For the past couple of weeks,
the recurring theme of art and science as two overlapping spheres of study grew
more and more apparent with all the new forms of technological collaborations
from artificial intelligence to biotechnology to neuroscience to nanotechnology.
Information technology,
cognitive science, biomedical engineering, and many other fields of emerging
technologies are generating unimaginable scenarios that seem to explore far
beyond the comprehendible boundaries of our world. Art, on the other hand, was
in a steady process of advancement following various art movements in the
1960s, but seems to have leveled out in the recent years. So many may ask, is
art actually getting closer to science? Is art simply a passing fad? Or will it
ever catch up to the relentless growth of science?
While scientists strive to
understand the intricacies of the world’s structures, artists endeavor to
expose the deeper implications of the scientific advancement and most
importantly, seek the shape new paradigms. In this respect, art is not only
close to science and growing closer each day, but is also complementary and
indispensable to the growth of science. Just as Buckminster Fuller once said, “The further art advances, the closer it
approaches science; the further science advances, the closer it approaches
art.”
[Buckminster Fuller]
In addition to previously
mentioned focuses of science, space science is another commonly researched
field that greatly benefits from the invaluable tools of art education and art
application. Studies demonstrate that art plays a critical role in enhancing
STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and ultimately in
understanding it. In psychology terms, such a collaboration of studies forces
both hemispheres of the brain to coalesce, fostering the rapid development of
creative and critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. Few
can dispute that art, in its many diverse forms, enhances understanding,
provides unparalleled insight and imagination, and builds an emotional connection
from artist to audience. With much of the general public largely indifferent at
best to space exploration, understanding the quintessential, synergistic role
art can play in inspiring society well outside the narrow niche of the space
field can go a long way towards generating broader interest and support for
space explorations across the board. As author of A Man on the Moon,
Andrew Chaikin, said, “Art was one of the
things that made space exploration a cultural event. It was very much part of
the way we as a culture experienced space exploration, even aside from the
photographs, because it was really the art that conveyed the excitement.”
["A decade in the making, this book is based on hundreds of hours of in-depth interviews with each of the twenty-four moon voyagers, as well as those who contributed their brain power, training and teamwork on Earth."]
One quality astronauts,
scientists, and artist have in common is the inclination to explore, whether by
means of a mission to the moon, scientific inquiry, or a canvas and paint.
These works of art provide a historical legacy for the public to behold. In
hopes of maintaining these moments, many museums specific to the history of
space ventures were created. One of the most famous museums today is the
National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, which was
established in 1946. It currently holds the largest collection of historic
aircraft and spacecraft in the world, and is also a center for research of the
history and science behind aviation, spaceflight, planetary science, and
terrestrial geology. Another attempt of recording the history of space
exploration through the eyes of artists is the NASA Art Program, which was
established in 1962. The inception of this program was encouraged by the idea
that space art would help educate people about NASA and its mission—and to
recreate some of the magic of space exploration that photographs simply cannot
capture. Without museums like National Air and Space Museum and programs like
NASA Art Program, many of Earth’s historic triumphs and pioneering
legacies—such as moon landings, rocket launches, planetary explorations, and
even tragic accidents—would be unknown to millions.
[Astronaut display in the National Air and Space Museum]
[Art prints from the NASA Art Program]
Picture Credits
Source Credits
K, Paul. "Re: Space Age Art." Web log comment. BibliOdyssey.
Blogspot, 12 June 2012. Web.
<http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2012/06/space-age-art.html>.
Vesna, Victoria. "Introduction to Buckminster
Fuller." Buckminster Fuller Institute. N.p., n.d. Web.
<http%3A%2F%2Fbfi.org%2Fabout-fuller%2Fbiography%2Fintroduction-buckminster-fuller>.
Dunbar, Brian. "The NASA Art Program." NASA.
N.p., 12 Apr. 2013. Web. <http://www.nasa.gov/connect/artspace/creative_works/feature-inception.html>.
Week 5: Nanoscience + Art
Nanoscience is a quickly developing field of research that
brings together many different aspects of life, and benefits from an
interdisciplinary approach. Because of this, it is expected to lead to countless
innovations and advancements that can contribute towards addressing many
problems facing today’s society. Even the global market is assimilating this
technology into an array of products. However, regardless of nanotechnology’s
widespread prevalence, many customers, if not most, are unaware of its influences
and brush it off as a mere figment of science fiction. We don’t realize we are
exposed to nanoparticles in our daily lives, not only through airborne
pollution, but also by means of the products we use every day.
Though it is commonly under-recognized, nanoparticles are used in many fields today. Nanoparticle
applications in the Manufacturing sector include (1) silver nanoparticles in
fabric which are used to kill bacteria, making clothing odor-resistant and (2)
zinc oxide nanoparticles which can be dispersed in industrial coatings to protect
wood, plastic, and textiles from UV ray exposure. Current applications of
nanoparticles in the Environment sector include (1) gold nanoparticles which
are embedded in porous manganese oxide as a room temperature catalyst to
breakdown volatile organic pollutants suspended in the air and (2) iron
nanoparticles which are used to clean up carbon tetrachloride pollution in our
ground water. Nanoparticles can also be applied to the field of Energy and
Electronics, as seen with silicon nanoparticles, which are used to coat anodes
of lithium-ion batteries to increase battery power and reduce recharge time.
Without a doubt, nanotechnology has the potential to
profoundly change our economy and to improve our standard of living, similar to
the impact information technology has had in the past two decades. The link
below (along with the picture) is an example of how nanotechnology can reframe the
future for human life. It’s fascinating to see that nanotechnology is powerful
enough to transform the biology of humans!
Nanotechnology is an inescapable part of everyday life. Many
things we’ve been using for a long time, like the laser in DVD players, contain
nano-size components. It’s just, most of the time it goes unnoticed. On the
whole, people aren’t very aware of the nanotechnology integrated into the world
around them, but if you stretch out an arm, you’ll almost certainly be able to
grab something that employs this technology.
[In this video, water droplets smash into bits and rearrange
themselves, but still retain their perfect shape when coming into contact with
the superhydrophobic surface because of the nanoparticle-based surface.]
Aside form all the real-life applications nanotechnology
currently has, can science also produce advancements in art? Nanotechnology,
when combined with art, most certainly can produce remarkable, breathtaking
outcomes. NanoArt is a reflection of the technological movement, featuring
nanolandscapes and nanosculptures of all sorts. For example, Arizona State
Engineers have combined the art form of origami with nanotechnology to
construct improved battery technologies.
[This article is about how Arizona State University engineers were able to improve the design of batteries by integrating art to their research.]
[As told in the journal article above, which was taken from the 2010 volume of Highlights in Chemical Science, Italian scientists from the University of Florence have come up with a solution to art preservation by utilizing nanotechnology. They developed a nanofluid-based formulation and cleaning mechanism, in which a micellar system of nanosize spheres are formed to provide a protective barrier for artworks.]
Art and nanotechnology also come together with DNA sculpting
and origami. Nano-origami, such as DNA origami, gives nanotechnologists hope that
this technology and technique will lend a helping hand in producing working devices
for the future.
Lastly, scientists use electron microscopes to capture
images of nano-sized landscapes and then colorize them with digital photography
software in order to create pieces of art. Because NanoArt is virtually
inaccessible to the average person, nanoartist Cris Orfrescu holds the NanoArt
Exhibition every year to share the extraordinary beauty of the nano-world.
["Plasticity in Steel Micro-pillars" by Siddhardtha Pathak -- Pathak's inspiration of capturing images of steel comes from testing mechanical forces at the submicron scales. This submission won him 1st place.]
Many technologies in the modern world rely on
nanostructures, often inspired by evolution in the natural world. But there is
much untapped potential left to explore. Products of nanotechnology are capable
of changing the world because the scale of it allows for unique interactions
among atoms and their constituent parts. Practically every week, scientists
announce a new breakthrough in the ability of nanoparticles to deliver genes,
drugs, or chemical messengers inside cells. Every week, new breakthroughs in
the fields of electrochromics, natural science, and physics are announced,
claiming drastic improvements in our daily lives. So what is the future for
nanotechnology? The possibilities seem endless. Though nanotechnology
undeniably has made great changes in our world, its best is yet to come.
Works Cited
"How Nanotechnology Could Reengineer Us." Keithley:
A Tektronix Company. Keithley Instruments Inc., n.d. Web.
<http://www.keithley.com/knowledgecenter/How-Nanotechnology-Could-Reengineer-Us>.
How To Make Water Bounce. Youtube.
GE Research, 13 Nov. 2008. Web.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mvrqFvNTIY>.
Vesna, Victoria, and Jim Gimzewski. "The Nanomeme Syndrome:
Blurring of Fact & Fiction in the Construction of a New Science."
Thesis. UCLA, 2003. UCLA Arts. Web.
<http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/publications/publications/02-03/JV_nano/JV_nano_artF5VG.htm>.
Kullman, Joe. "Art Form, Nanotechnology Combine to Advance
Batteries."Arizona State University News: Science & Tech.
Extremetech.com, 22 Oct. 2013. Web.
<https://asunews.asu.edu/20131022-chan-lithium-ion-batteries>.
Camara-Campos, Amaya. "Preserving Art at the
Nanoscale." Royal Society of Chemistry. RSC Publishing, 7 July
2010. Web.
<http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/ChemScience/Volume/2010/08/Preserving_art.asp>.
Yong, Ed. "DNA Sculpture and Origami – a Meeting of Art and
Nanotechnology." Science Blogs: Not Exactly Rocket Science.
N.p., 20 May 2009. Web.
<http://scienceblogs.com/notrocketscience/2009/05/20/dna-sculpture-and-origami-a-meeting-of-art-and-nanotechnol/>.
Tranquilin, Ricardo. "Extraordinary Beauty of the NanoArt
World: Photos : DNews." DNews. N.p., 12 Dec. 2012. Web.
<http://news.discovery.com/tech/scientists-artists-nanoart-exhibition-111109.htm>.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Week 4: Neuroscience + Art
While reading
this week’s article on Neuroculture
written by Giovanni Frazzetto and Suzanne Anker, I was drawn to the new
sub-discipline “neuroaesthetics.” Neuroaesthetics is a new field of research
emerging at the intersection of neuroscience and psychological aesthetics,
mainly to characterize the neurobiological foundations of the cognition
involved in aesthetic experience and engagement. Right off the bat, we are able
to see a link between the two fields of study (of art and neuroscience) and how
it is currently being merged for further understanding of the human behavior.
This field seeks the neural correlates of artistic judgment and artistic
creation. Although neuroaesthetics is still in its infancy compared to other
widely sought disciplines, it can help pinpoint the origin of the human
response through the use of brain imaging and proper mapping of brain
circuitry.
Neuroscience
carries promises of revealing the underpinnings of our individuality and
personality, consciousness, the way we make decisions, and our
socio-psychological interactions. As Semir Zeki, a neuroscientist at University
College London, likes to say, “Art is governed by the laws of the brain. It is
brains that see art and it is brains that make art.” An example that perfectly
depicts how the brain sees art and catches our attention is the visual
illusions that strike the mind when observing the famous Italian painting, Mona
Lisa. This iconic painting has caused confusion in a lot of viewers because of
her seemingly vanishing smile. Leonardo Da Vinci gave her facial expression a
dynamic quality by playing with a discrepancy that exists in our vision system.
The human visual system is organized such that the center of gaze is
specialized for small, detailed things, while the peripheral vision has a lower
resolution. As Harvard Medical School’s neuroscientist Margaret Livingstone
deconstructed, the smile is more apparent in peripheral vision than foveal
vision. In other words, when looking directly at the mouth, she appears to
smile less than when you’re staring into her eyes. When you look away from her
mouth, your peripheral visual system picks up shadows from her cheeks that
appear to extend the smile. Moreover, an American neuroscience team also
suggested that random noise in the path from retina to visual cortex determines
whether we see a smile or not.
[The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci]
Aside from how
the brain processes an image based on the visual retina transmission, artists
have also frequently experimented with mind-altering substances to determine
whether they enhance or diminish creativity. One of the craziest experiments,
conducted by artist Bryan Lewis Saunders, involved him taking a different drug
every day and creating a self-portrait of himself while under the influence of
these drugs in attempt to experience how his perception of self can change. Inevitably,
he suffered brain damage, but he is still conducting this experiment—just over
greater lapses of time to allow for even the slightest of recovery.
[Examples of his self-portraits while under the influence of drugs -- really interesting right?]
["Near Death Experience" is a video Saunders created with over 3,000 of his self-portraits to piece together moments of his life. He intentionally pieces together self-portraits demonstrating pain and anxiety to convey and image of "Hell". It is mildly disturbing to see how drug plays a huge role in perception, but at the same time, seeing these under the influence self-portraits is mind-blowing.]
[The link below is another example of an artist taking drugs to experiment with perception and how drugs alter brain activity. This artist chose to remain anonymous, but the video and time stamps of drug influence are thought-provoking.]
[Lastly, I came across this work written by a professor of UCLA, Dahlia W. Zaidel. The book itself (which contains her chapter), The Aesthetic Mind is a phenomenal read. I was fortunate enough to catch a portion of while taking a Psychology class. It, along with Professor Zaidel's addition, breaks new ground in bringing together empirical sciences and philosophy to enhance our understanding of aesthetics and the art experience. The pdf below in particular covers a broad spectrum of focuses: peripheral sensory influences, brain aesthetic sensations, brain damage effects in artists, biological motivations in art production, and evolutionary cognitive and neurological changes.]
The questions
that neuroscience is attempting to answer have engaged artists and scholars
since the time of ancient thought. While neuroscience continues to reveal the
riddles of the brain and mind, the arts will continue to portray and interpret
neuroscience findings and engage the general public because art provokes thought and imagination.
Works Cited
Frazzetto, Giovanni, and Suzanne Anker. "Science and Society
- PERSPECTIVES." Neuroculture 10 (2009): 815-21. Nature
Reviews. Macmillan Publishers, Nov. 2009. Web.
Colman, Dan. "Artist Draws Nine Portraits on LSD During 1950s
Research Experiment." (n.d.): n. pag. Open Culture. 15 Oct.
2013. Web. <http://www.openculture.com/2013/10/artist-draws-nine-portraits-on-lsd-during-1950s-research-experiment.html>.
Near Death Experience. Dir. Bryan Lewish
Saunders. Perf. Bryan Lewis Saunders. Vimeo. N.p., 2011. Web.
<http://vimeo.com/19566969>.
Schellekens, Elisabeth, and Peter Goldie. "3. Neuroscience,
Biology, and Brain Evolution in Visual Art." The Aesthetic Mind:
Philosophy and Psychology. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2011. 44-53. Print.
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