Jessica_PateDESMA9

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...

 Learning about industrialization as a precursor to the development of robotics and robotic art has been an interesting process. I am intrigued by the fact that the invention of the printing press was a huge catalyst for many industrial movements. As an English major and a book lover, it is so interesting to think about how the transformation of human knowledge onto a page had such a dramatic effect on the world, including foreshadowing the development of more and more complex machines. The printing press also introduces the idea of duplication, something that Walter Benjamin talks about extensively in "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction."  Sketch of the Printing Press Benjamin discusses the ways in which the mechanical world adversely affects the uniqueness or "aura" of art. When speaking to reproduction, he states, "To an ever greater degree the work of art reproduced becomes the work of art designed for reproducibility" (6). In other ...

Golden Ratio Example  This week's materials have allowed me to see how math and art are so intimately connected, as well as the profound impact that math has had on art throughout history. I enjoyed learning about the Golden Ratio, a proportional practice that has influenced great works of art and architecture such as the Parthenon and DaVinci's Mona Lisa . Another area I saw this connection was in the discussion of  Brunelleschi's discovery of the Vanishing Point. I had learned about this in a previous art class, but I did not realize that it was also a mathematical principle! In Marc Frantz's piece on the Vanishing Point in relation to perspective, he notes that: " If we view art from the wrong viewpoint, it can appear distorted—a cube can look like a dumpster" (2000). This illustrates just how vital perspective is for art composition, and how mathematical principles such as the vanishing point help create these standards.  Vanishing Point Example One resour...

 Both Snow and Sir Kevin Robinson note that the modern education system has been largely influenced by industrialism, which I think is key to understanding the separation between the two cultures of art and science in everyday life and on college campuses. We have been conditioned to shy away from interdisciplinary study, just as we have resisted a blend of aesthetics in architecture and design.  While walking from North to South campus at UCLA, you can see a dramatic shift in the architecture. What is most striking to me is that North Campus with the arts and humanities is much more romanesque, and South campus' math and science buildings are much more "modern." To me, this insinuates that math and technology are more on the "cutting edge" of society, enforcing stereotypes that are created about the divide between the two cultures of art and science.        Analyzing Architecture at UCLA                ...