Week 3: Medicine + Technology + Art

“Just as organisms and other natural forms of life develop through an incredibly complex series of interactions, so develop masterpieces of art through series of interactions. Each component of this interaction may independently exhibit its own characteristic and dynamic behavior. Yet when they are combined into some larger functioning unit, utterly new and unpredictable properties emerge.” 

(Ingber D. – The Architecture of Life)

In similar views, a work of art isn’t simply comprised of the paintbrush and abstract expressions. Art is an amalgam of many different disciplines and thoughts through which the creator evokes a message, whether executed with the conscious thought that he/she is blending different ideas or whether that blend is a natural result of pure creativity.

In the past decade, a lot of research has been devoted to the influence of the arts across all curriculums and the newfound purpose that the arts seems to serve in the contemporary world aside from its intended aesthetic purpose. One particular field the arts has been improving and will continue to transform is the “MedTech” domain—or the sphere of Medicine and Technology.

By Wikipedia’s definition, the term medicine refers to the “field that mixes applied science with art in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases.” The word is derived from the Latin ars medicina, meaning the “art of feeling.” This definition even extends to the Hippocratic Oath, which remains in Western civilization as an expression of “ideal conduct for the physician.” Throughout this oath, “medicine” is synonymously replaced with “art”

To hold him who has taught me this art as equal to my parents, …

In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art.

[ Hippocratic Oath by Hippocrates]

It is no wonder then, to see why incorporating the arts can improve the patient’s experience and do a lot more. For example, for a young boy with severe spasticity, music can be used to relieve his fears and anxieties of being in a hospital, be a distraction from the pain of treatment, provide comfort, and increase the likelihood that the child would be cooperative during a medical procedure. In fact, music therapy is one common example of how art and medicine/technology frequently come together to resolve many of today’s problems.

[While researching additional information on how music therapy applies to human health and well-being and came across 3 interesting articles/audios. The first link below relates music therapy directly to five health conditions: Autism, Dementia, Depression, Infant Development, Sleep Quality. The second link is a 3 minute talk on NPR Music regarding the possibility that music may be as good as medication. The third link is another commentary from NPR Music with patients, doctors, and scientists about the research and practice of music therapy.]

Music Therapy for Health and Wellness

NPR: Harp Therapy

NPR: Music Therapy 

Although some might be inclined to dismiss the arts as a triviality, research is showing other reasons why physician and health care specialists should become advocates for incorporating the arts in medicine. Medical students are expected to hone their observational, listening, and critical thinking skills while expanding their capacity to empathize with the patients. It seems that students with more “right brain” qualities—related to imagery, visual and drawing skills—have began to emerge as more successful in today’s digital, image-based world of medicine. Of course, we live in a society that fosters the left brain and stifles the right brain, but increasing numbers of studies continue to attest to the unique synergy of art and medicine and the boundless capacity of the visual arts to allow physicians to pick up more physical findings.

[Left Brain vs Right Brain]

Moreover, medical illustrators use 3D technology as key elements in their illustrations, helping to pull layers apart to reveal the inner aspects and structures of the body. Innovative and interactive apps such as Interact Elsevier and The Netter Atlas further help medical professionals to reinforce anatomical detail through 3D animation.

 [Technology is an integral part of today's medical education, with 3D animation rendering medical illustrations used in fields of anatomy and surgery.]

Many may ask, “Is there anything intrinsic to medical practice that can reasonably be called an art?” Well… medicine is not directly art. Instead, medicine is supposed to be a scientific study and its practice an art. Both art and science are interdependent and inseparable, just like two sides of a coin. The importance of the art of medicine is because we have to deal with a human being, a body, and a soul. To be a good medical practitioner, one has to become a good artist with sufficient scientific knowledge. And technology covered with the layer of art can bring relief to the sick.

Works Cited:

Dolev JC, Friedlaender L, Braverman IM. "Use of Fine Art to Enhance Visual Diagnostic Skills." JAMA Network. American Medical Association, 5 Sept. 2001. Web. <http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1031468>.

Between Minds. Digital image. Mindjet. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://blog.mindjet.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/JESS3_Mindjet_BetweenMinds_RBvLB-final.jpg>.

Ulbricht, Catherine. "Music Therapy for Health and Wellness." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. Natural Standard, 21 June 2013. Web. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/natural-standard/201306/music-therapy-health-and-wellness>.

Was, David. "Harp Therapy: Music As Medication." Audio blog post. NPR. N.p., 24 Nov. 2009. Web. <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120768762>.

Tomaino, Connie, Maria Logis, William Benzon, and Dr. Oliver Sacks. "Re: Music Therapy." Audio blog comment. NPR. N.p., 28 June 2002. Web. <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1145741>.

Ingber, Donald E. "The Architecture of Life." Scientific American 278.1 (1998): 48-57. Web.

Tyson, Peter. "The Hippocratic Oath Today." PBS. PBS, 27 Mar. 2001. Web. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/hippocratic-oath-today.html>.

Week 2: Math + Art & Robotics + Art

In this week’s lecture on the intersection of Math and Art, we are exposed to the link between the applications of Mathematics and its deep, albeit mutually beneficial influence on the two cultures of Art and Science. It is fascinating to see that behind every drawing, which seems to have derived from pure aesthetic talent, is rather a mental calculation of space and distance and that without the functions of mathematics, it is nearly impossible to produce a realistic representation of art.

As introduced in the works of Brunellesci, perspectives and vantage points are vital in its ability to create static images that are ultimately seen by the human eye to be felt aesthetically pleasing. The importance of perspective is satirized in Edwin A. Abbott’s Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions. In the world of Flatland, where everything is occupied by geometric figures in a purely two-dimensional setting, everyone and everything is viewed as a straight line; the only way to distinguish and recognize one another is through perspectives and vantage points that differentiate between distance and reflection of light and size.

In these two works of art, we can see the crucial role perspectives and vantage points play in the interpretation of artworks. In Picasso's Guernica, colors are drained and there is no space and perspective. This causes the work of art to be less a classical composition, but more a fast-moving kaleidoscope of child-like images. To the contrary, in Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, the real distant landscape allows us to understand juxtaposition and spacing.

One of the biggest and most common examples of the intersection between mathematics and art is origami. Physicist Jun Maekawa has published some fundamental theorems that popularize the method of using crease patterns in designing origami models of surprising elegance. Through mathematical analysis, Maekawa was able to explain theorems on the foldability of origami models. Although origami is generally considered and practiced in a light manner by children, beneath all the amusement and enjoyment is the technical algorithm that allows us to experiment and invent new models of complexity.

Works of origami by Physicist Jun Maekawa

In mathematics, two quantities are in the “golden ratio” when their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities.  This property has fascinated Western intellectuals of diverse interests for over 2000 years. While ancient Greek mathematicians have spent endless hours over this simple ratio because of its frequent appearance in geometry, the fascination of the Golden Ratio is not confined solely to mathematicians, as artists have historically pondered the basis of its ubiquity and appeal of harmonious proportions.

A famous example of the Golden Ratio’s application to art is Piet Mondrian’s “Composition with Gray and Light Brown.”  Mondrian chose to distill his representations of the world to their basic vertical and horizontal elements, which he believed represented the two essential opposing forces: the positive and the negative, the dynamic and the static, the masculine and the feminine. Mondrian once said, “I wish to approach truth as closely as possible, and therefore I abstract everything until I arrive at the fundamental quality of objects,” and as can be seen in his 1918 painting, the Golden Ratio allowed him to abstract reality to approach his perception of truth.

Composition with Gray and Light Brown by Piet Mondrian

Another remarkable aspect of the golden ratio is how omnipresent it is in our universe. The link below captures 15 uncanny examples of the golden ratio found in nature.

http://io9.com/5985588/15-uncanny-examples-of-the-golden-ratio-in-nature

In the lecture on Robotics + Art, we see once again that Art can be applied in other disciplines, otherwise regarded to be wholly irrelevant to Art itself. Professor Vesna raised many questions that piqued my interests in how Robotics and Art can possibly come together. How do artists use mechanization in their worlds? How are artists influenced by robotics?

Some of the earliest and pioneering examples of science and technology merging with art trace back to the invention of the printing press and the movable type. Not only did these inventions make life easier, but they also opened up the possibilities and avenues for future developments that will come to unite art and science in unprecedented ways.

We are introduced to the transformation and revolution of art in the lens of what Walter Benjamin believes is to be the age of Mechanical Reproduction. According to Benjamin, “one of the foremost tasks of art has always been the creation of demand which could be fully satisfied only later.” Based on his ideologies, history has essentially taught us that "art aspires to effects which could be fully obtained only with a changed technical standard"—a new art form. And Benjamin sees the first step to reaching this new standard beginning with the act of outraging the public.

A contemporary example of artists making works of art the center of scandal is Dirk, the homeless robot, created by Electric Circus, as picture below. Not only is mathematics necessary and crucial in the construction and creation of the free-moving robot, but the science is also an important part of the animatronics that allows for the art to create its alluring appearance and memorable street performances that altogether invite the spectators to contemplation.

Dirk, the Homeless Robot by Electric Circus

Additionally, over the last 15 years, art and technology have come together at the studio of Dr. Mari Velonaki. Velonaki and her team created the Diamandini installation at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, not only for the purpose of building interesting robotic machines, but also and mainly to gather data on how visitors interacted with the unconventional work of art. Through this installation, we are able to learn how robots can make emotional connections to engage humans; this engagement is astonishing in the context of an art exhibition, where visitors typically only spend a few minutes before moving on.

Diamandini installation at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London

Created by Dr. Mari Velonaki

Only through the integration of math, art, science, and technology can we produce favorable solutions to our daily problems. Just as Art and Science must not act as separate disciplines but instead work together to create satisfying results, so must math, art, science, and technology not diverge from each other. Instead, all four studies should work together and build off of each fields’ discoveries to produce harmonious advancements.

Works Cited

Hull, Thomas. "Origami Mathematics." Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 July 2014. <http://mars.wne.edu/~thull/origamimath.html>.

Abbott, Edwin Abbott. Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1963. 1-69. Print.

"DIRK." Dirk. Electric Circus, n.d. Web. 01 July 2014. <http://www.electric-circus.eu/htmlenglish/dirk.html>.

Dvorsky, George. "15 Uncanny Examples of the Golden Ratio in Nature."Io9. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2014. <http://io9.com/5985588/15-uncanny-examples-of-the-golden-ratio-in-nature>.

Lim, Angelica. "What Roboticists Can Learn From Art, and What Artists Can Learn From Robots." IEEE Spectrum. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 July 2014. <http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/diy/what-roboticists-can-learn-from-art>.

Mondrian, Piet. Composition With Gray and Light Brown. 1918. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, USA. WikiArt. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Web. <http://www.wikiart.org/en/piet-mondrian/composition-with-gray-and-light-brown-1918>.

Works by Jun Maekawa. Digital image. Papercrane. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 July 2014. <http://www.papercrane.org/index/Convention/76>.

Vinci, Leonardo Da. The Last Supper. N.d. Daily Mail. Web. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1259247/BRIAN-SEWELL-Ten-greatest-painters-changed-world-art.html>.

Picasso, Pablo. Guernica. 1937. Daily Mail. Web. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1259247/BRIAN-SEWELL-Ten-greatest-painters-changed-world-art.html>. 

Week 1: Two Cultures

My name is Candace Kim and I am a sophomore pursuing a Business Economics major. I was always interested in the Arts, specifically Fashion Designing, because of its infinite outlets of self-expression, but my naïve dream of pursuing a career in this “unpromising” industry was quickly shut down. At UCLA, I initially chose to pursue Mathematics Economics (B.S.), of course to achieve my genuine passion for math, but I cannot say that I wasn’t influenced by the bias of the Sciences being the intellectual elite culture on the rise. Granted, I quickly realized I preferred having flexibility in my lifestyle, reverting back to my original passion of the Arts but with a compromise: a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics.

Professor Vesna lectured that Art and Science as being two separate disciplines is a relatively new idea, but personally, it seems this estrangement has unwittingly begun from early urbanization enterprises and now a deeply engrained psychology of humanity. In many Asian countries, the disjuncture between the “Two Cultures” is clearly paralleled with the economic disparity between the rich and the poor—a fundamental point brought up by Charles Percy Snow. For centuries, Art was an ilk of luxury that only rich children could afford to indulge in, whereas Science was more a common dream of the poor children who frequently experienced family illnesses that were left untreated due to the inability to pay for medical expenses.

[Lecture about C.P Snow's debate on Two Culture]

Interestingly, as brought up by David Bohm in On Creativity, scientists constantly seek to discover something new and unknown, something that has “a certain fundamental kind of significance…[exhibiting] unity in a broad range of phenomena” (D. Bohm, 138). In similar aspects, artists continually strive to create works of art, a sort of wholeness that constitutes “a kind of harmony that is meant to feel beautiful” (138). There is nothing then that differentiates scientists from artists. So why are they categorized in different disciplines? Why are the works produced, seemingly, so different?

[The human brain as depicted by the difference in Art and Science in how the brain is used. The right hemisphere, used for Arts-based thinking, suggests what divergent thinking is capable of: multiple options, a variety--creativity. This is very different from the left hemisphere, used for Sciences-based thinking, suggesting an understanding for why the works produced in these two disciplines are seemingly very different.] 

I dare to say the root of this predicament lies in our education system. As asserted by the Royal Society of Arts, our education seems to be built on 2 pillars: Economics and Intellectual. Curriculum is modeled on the interests of industrialization and thus causes chaos as it forces people to reject divergent thinking. Instead of allowing children to think on their feet and to come up with their own creative solution, we force them to act on economic imperatives, instill in them the misconstrued belief that there exits only one correct answer to life’s complexities, and teach students in “batches,” as if mirroring the production line of a factory (RSA Changing Education Paradigm, video). Unfortunately, we are taught to maintain all reflections of “self” and “Ego” as perfect. Hence, we are eternally bounded by this restriction and brainwashed into fearing mistakes, so we rather opt to mediate on the mediocre.

[Animation segment from RSA Animate]

Lastly, in Brockman’s interview, Brockman delivers that he spent the last half-century trying to merge art and science to create a “Third Culture”. But is this really plausible? Especially when literary intellectuals aren’t communicating with scientists? Moreover, should Thomas Samuel Kuhn’s theory on “paradigm shifts” (as catalysts of the two cultures’ separation) hold true, the emergence of a reconciling “Third Culture” is a mere matter of hope riding on zero substantial likelihood. So what should we expect, or can we even expect anything at all?

Works Cited

Bohm, David, and Lee Nichol. On Creativity. Vol. 1. London: Routledge, 1998. 137-149. Print.

Snow, Charles Percy. “The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.“ The Rede Lecture. Cambridge University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Lecture.

Brockman, John. “John Brockman: Matchmaking with Science and Art.” Interview. Wired Magazine Mar. 2011: n. pag. Print.

Changing Education Paradigms. By Ken Robinson, Sir. Youtube. Royal Society of Arts – RSA Animate, 14 Oct. 2010. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?y=zDZFcDGpL4U>.

Robinson, Sir Ken. Changing Education Paradigms. Digital image. RSA Animate. Royal Society of Arts, n.d. Web. <http://www.thersa.org/events/rsaanimate/animate/rsa-animate-changing-paradigms>.

Barbican Art & Science on the Brain. Digital Image. Hoxton Radio. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.hoxtonradio.com/barbican-art-science-on-the-brain/>.

Lecture on Science and Literature. Digital image. RBKC. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/leisureandlibraries/events/celebrationofscience/photographs.aspx>.