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For centuries, space has been one of the most discussed and redefined topics that has governed our universe. It has been at the forefront of many new discoveries as countries aim to gain a better understanding of something whose scale dwarfs that of Earth. An example is Copernicus, who published a heliocentric idea of the solar system where the sun was in the center of the system, however because of the possible backlash from the church he never pursued the idea. (Vesna) What makes space unique is its ability to connect and create competition between different countries from all parts of the globe. A prime example is the Space race between the US and Russia that prompted inventions such as the Sputnik which prompted fear in the U.S. (Vesna) The intersection of space and art can be seen in everyday life. An example is the artist Alan Bean who drew inspiration from his experiences on the moon and launched an exhibition of his paintings at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington....

This week was fascinating in how I learned of the intersection between nanotechnology and art. What makes nanoparticles fascinating is how they are so small that we don't even realize that we are using technologies that incorporate them in our everyday lives. (Gimzewski) I find this interesting since it makes sense as nanotechnology includes materials with 100 nanometers or less. (Feder) An example can be seen in the ancient materials such as the Lycurgus Cup that use nanosized gold particles that when illuminated on the inside are red. An interesting example that uses nanotechnology is the art piece titled LA Marche des Aiguilles created by Sara Coppola. Its uniqueness lies in how it uses microneedles which are utilized for delivering drugs. (Sayegh) This piece is crucial as it illustrates how the utilization of art can be a powerful tool that spreads awareness to the general public when it comes to medical technology. In a different vein, nanotechnology is beginning to develop...

For my event, I attended the live zoom lecture with artist Ellen K. Levy who discussed the importance of scientific models and their intersection when it comes to art. One such example was Richard Hamilton, who in his exhibition “Growth and Form'' which drew from ideas by Darcy Thompson explores the integration of scientific knowledge into visually pleasing design. This can be seen as inside the exhibition there were models of, “atomic particle traces, crystal structures, chromosomes and cell divisions,” (Kim) illustrating the idea that presenting scientific knowledge to the general public can be crucial in encouraging open discussion of ideas between artists. Instead of being independent and on opposite sides of the spectrum, art and scientific models can coexist and lead to each other's benefit.   Moreover, one of the main points that stood out to me was the evolution of technology and how they play such an influential role in modern day art. An example of the integrati...

Week 7: Neuroscience+ Art Neuroscience and art are deeply intertwined as art sometimes acts as a powerful medium through which we can communicate our emotions. A long lasting questions pertains to how we dream and, “how it tabs into our conscious mind.” (Vesna) In fact it can be argued that dreaming “represents art's origins,” (Nahum) and if we didn’t have individuals with such creativity and inspiration then art wouldn’t exist in the first place. Throughout history we can see the evolution in the relationship between art and neuroscience. In the beginning, when people were able to gain access and look inside the cranial cavity, many pieces of art were inspired as people attempted to express the “mysteries of our most vital organ.” (Leman) One of the people who did this was Santiago Ramon Y Cajal who drew what he was able to see under the microscope including the brain and its nervous system illustrating the widespread need to communicate our discoveries through a type of visual sp...

After attending the Color Light Motion show, hosted by Ryszard Kluszczyński, I gained a deeper understanding of Wen-Ying Tsai’s workx and how he was a driving force in cybernetic art that continues to be felt today. As Antonio Coelho puts it “Cybernetics uses parallelism between the forms of communication of machines and the process of the human brain in processing information,” (Coelho) which illustrates the potential of cybernetics in bridging the gap between technology, science, and art. What is interesting about Tsai is that despite his works being extremely creative, and self organizing allowing the viewer to have an influence over their appearance many view his work as “unsatisfactory”. One of his first works that stood out to me was Harmonic Sculpture #10, which was a sculpture that responded to external stimuli such as a stomp or snap initiated by the audience. Another work that Ryszard mentioned that I found intriguing was the, “Upward Falling Fountain” which displayed water d...

When we visit a modern hospital today, we are accustomed to having various technologies that allow us to get a closer look at the makeup of our bodies and interior. However, we didn’t always have access to what our insides looked like, as we can see how our views of them changed, “as technology progressed from X rays to CT scans to MRIs” (Vesna). While most see these medical technologies as tools to better the health of humans, they can contribute to art as well. An example is the X Ray, which is commonly used to investigate bones/ligaments inside humans, however when it comes to painting, “different materials attenuate or block their pathway,” (Collins) this pattern of “attenuation and transmission can be captured using a series of film plates,” (Collins) illustrating how the X Ray can be used to physically alter and improve art. They can also be used to examine past art and see the changes that the piece underwent before the final product was complete which can provide insight into t...