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Showing posts from April, 2023

Event 1 I Cosmological Elements #1

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 Last week, I attended Cosmological Elements #1 Zoom presentation on April 21st. The event covered numerous topics (brought up by various presenters) regarding the cosmos and explored the scientific and philosophical ideas surrounding the elements that make up the universe and connect all things.  " Primordial Galaxy. " Innovation News Network, 20 Nov. 2020.   In the panel/presentation, an interesting notion stood out to me: recognizing the importance of art in representing ideas and views of the cosmos. Furthermore, what I found even more interesting was that the concept of the "Third Culture" arose in the explanation of how cosmological elements have always played a significant role in artistic expression, combining science and art to understand the universe. As we learned in Week 1's lecture videos, "two cultures" was a term coined by. C.P Snow, "...an English author and physicist" who "...identified two cultures: the literary intelle

Week 4 I Medicine+Technology+Art

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  As someone who has always been fascinated by the intersection of art and science. Growing up, I was always drawn to biology and anatomy, and as I began to explore the world of contemporary art, I was struck by the ways in which artists were incorporating medical technologies into their work.  Rodríguez Fernández, Clara.  These Scientists are Turning the Human Brain into Art .  LABIOTECH, 2022. In part 3 of this week's lecture videos, Orlan's (a French artist's) unique approach to art and body modification is explored in depth. Through a series of plastic surgeries, Orlan has transformed her appearance to embody various iconic art historical figures and challenge the societal norms around beauty. Vesna describes Orlan's work as a "theatrical spectacle of surgery," and notes that her performances challenge our assumptions about what it means to be beautiful or desirable (Vesna Part 3). Orlan's decision to use her own body as a canvas is a bold statement ag

Week Three I Robotics + Art

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  The rapid advancement of industrialization, robotics, and automation in recent years has transformed the way we live and work. This has sparked a fascinating intersection between technology and art, where new forms of artistic expression and experiences are being created.  Source: Nautilus In his essay, " The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction ," Benjamin argues that the rise of mechanical reproduction technologies has fundamentally altered our understanding and experience of art. He contends that the aura of a work of art, which he defines as "the unique presence of the work of art in time and space," is lost in the process of reproduction (Benjamin 4). He writes, "The technique of reproduction detaches the reproduced object from the domain of tradition. By making many reproductions it substitutes a plurality of copies for a unique existence" (Benjamin 6).  Source: Metaverse Post  (Ai art) However, as Professor Vesna points out in the fir

Week Two I Math + Art I Blog Assignment

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  I recall first being introduced to the concept of math and art in middle school. My math teachers showed us images of the Fibonacci sequence in nature, with examples of fractals in plants and spirals in shells. However, beyond this idea of repeating shapes, I had no other knowledge of this subject.  Source : TreeHugger The videos discussed some of the mathematical ideas that are present in art, such as perspective and perfect ratios used for drawing buildings or humans. One concept I found interesting was the concept of the golden mean, a mathematical ratio that appears in nature and art. The video " Mathematics-pt1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean " explained that the golden mean is a "proportional relation ratio". It is so important because it is aesthetically pleasing to humans, hence being widely used.  I also thought that " The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art: Conclusion " by Linda Dalrymple Henderson and its explanation of the in

Week 1 | Two Cultures | Blog Assignment

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  Being introduced to the idea of "Two Cultures" made me realize the differences between campuses in the UCLA community that seemed inconsequential/trivial before. South Campus individuals are often seen as introverted, nerdy, and logical thinkers, while North Campus individuals are seen as creative, extroverted, and artsy. The stereotypes and separation of art and science individuals are created and even exacerbated by educational institutions. Source: Lifelogy.io C.P. Snow's article " The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution " explains how the education system is responsible for the fact that most people in the humanities have little understanding of science. The author notes that in many schools, science education ends at an early age, and students who go on to specialize in humanities subjects are not required to study science at a high level. This divide has resulted in a lack of communication between the two sides, and they find it difficult to tran