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.
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