Jessica_PateDESMA9

I was excited to see that Space and Art was the final topic to discuss in our weekly blogs, as I have always found the artistic nature of space to be fascinating. It was an interesting transition from discussing nanotechnology to discussing the magnitude of space, and the "Powers of Ten" video was particularly good at capturing the art of the infinitesimally small and the unimaginably large.  Outer galaxies in the "Powers of Ten" video at 1,000 light years I enjoyed seeing the artistic nature of the web of galaxies compared to the millions of cells in the hand of the man featured in the video. These examples show that art can be found on very small scales and extremely large scales, and that space is a great representation of this dichotomy. There is light and dark, great magnitudes of matter and nothingness, beautiful landscapes in inhospitable places, and more within  our understanding of space.  In the "Pale Blue Dot" as Carl Sagan refers to Earth, resi...

Scale of Nanoparticles Nanotechnology is a groundbreaking new science that is revolutionizing many public sectors. Prior to encountering this week's material, the only thing I knew about nanotech is that it dealt with very small particles. I  did not know much about the applications of nanotechnology, and how quickly its influence is growing. A typical nanoparticle is about 1/100,000 the size of the width of a human hair (EFSA). With particles this small, there are so many possibilities for manipulating them. Additionally, when you make pre-existing molecules smaller so that they are on the nano scale, it can actually change them in many ways.  When nanosized, inert material can become a catalyst, and even stable material can become combustible. It can also change the appearance of material, such as going from opaque to transparent. This happens when nanosizing zinc oxide, a material in sunscreen (Gimzewski). On its smaller scale, it appears clear instead of white. Artists hav...

Tunnel Entrance to the Second Level of The Broad This blog details my recent trip to the Broad. I chose to visit because I believe that many of the works of modern art that are on exhibition are perfect examples of the use of machines to create art, as we have studied in this course.  A photo of me with Ed Ruscha's "Boss" painting at The Broad In Professor Vesna's third lecture from the robotics and art unit, she introduces Marshall McLuhan's idea that "the medium is the message." This is exactly how I felt about so many pieces I saw at The Broad.  One of my favorite pieces is the iconic "Balloon Dog," part of Jeff Koons' "Celebration" collection. Koons is known for using technology to aid in the creation of his art, noting that "we had to use machines to make this work" (CBS). Koons has consistently pushed the boundaries of technology to create his art, such as using thousands of live flowers to make a sculpture of a pu...

Jung's Collective Unconcious  After reviewing this week's materials, I am most interested in the idea of the conscious and the unconscious, and how these various states can be vehicles for art. In Professor Vesna's second lecture, she discusses various thinkers who influenced the study of conscious and unconscious states, such as Jung's five most common archetypes of the unconscious. I was particularly interested in "the shadow," or the traits that lie deep within oneself. I believe that these deeply held traits can influence our actions greatly, especially those who produce art.  Graphic from Christopher deCharms' Ted Talk "A Look Inside the Brain in Real Time" In Art, Mind and Brain: A Cognitive Approach to Creativity, Gardner asserts that "The mind operates according to specifiable rules" (4). While the book goes on to explain how these neurological functions affect one's creativity, there is also an argument to be made for the w...

Bill Vorn's "Hysterical Machines"  I attended the Zoom event titled "Color, Light, Motion," in which Ryszard Kluszczynsk gave a presentation on cybernetic art and the work of Wen-Ying Tsai. I was very interested to learn the distinctions between cybernetic art and robotic art, specifically how cybernetic art is unique in its emphasis on feedback. Like robotic art, cybernetics lies at the intersection of art, science and technology, but it differs in its inclusion of sound synthesis. The concept of sound and vibrations creating shapes and movement in art is very interesting to me, especially the way that some of the cybernetic art pieces involve audience/viewer involvement. This could help generate some interesting ideas for my midterm/final project, since I am interested in "user" experience.  An illuminating quote from Tsai featured in the Zoom presentation I was surprised to learn that Tsai is not as widely cited by others in the field of cybernetics...

 I am interested in the ways that advancement in technology has enabled medical research and breakthrough. I was particularly interested in the Human Microbiome Project, a work that followed the Human Genome Project. I was astounded to learn from Professor Vesna's first lecture video that we have 10 times more bacteria than cells in our body! (11:49-12:01). I was already aware that we had millions of bacteria in our body, mainly because of learning from my doctor. During a period of having some health issues, my doctor discussed my gut microbiome with me and explained how essential it is for so many other aspects of health and fighting off disease. Reflecting on this experience has allowed me to better understand how a work like the Human Microbiome Project can be world-changing in its efforts to help people lead healthier lives. All of these discoveries are due to advancements in technology, and without computers, genetic sequencing for either of the projects discussed would not b...