Unit 4: Medicine & Technology & Art

At first, I was unsure why medicine and anatomy are so fascinating to artists. By looking at the development of medical technologies and the corresponding work of artists, it is clear that human anatomy is an innovative outlet to unleash creativity. History shows that artists express their fascination with the human body many ways such as drawings, digital photographs and medical procedures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visible_Human_Project

In my opinion, the most interesting medically-artistic milestones include the 1994 data sets of digitized cadaver photographs and the 1990 Human Genome Project. The later was complex as it was considered "the world's largest collaborative project" (Wikipedia). It led to the discovery of 25,000 genes and the sequences of chemical base pairs (Vesna). These accessible data sets and pictures were great sources of inspiration for artists.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-klitzman-md/human-genome-project_b_3081121.html

However, plastic surgery is the most relevant artistic medical procedure in my culture. I live in the famous zipcode for medically transforming faces and bodies by plastic surgery; it has become a normal way to enhance beauty and conceal aging, as seen in the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK7Zkzz348M

I have learned that the original use of plastic surgery was not for these reasons. 4,000 years ago, plastic surgery was originally used to reconstruct faces of soldiers and civilians involved in war (Vesna). Ancient India is credited to be the first to use skin graphs to reshape the faces of those who were wounded (Vesna). It was a necessary medical procedure, not one out of luxury. The true artistic beauty in plastic surgery comes from artists like those who performed the medical procedure on war victims in ancient India.

https://www.royalfree.nhs.uk/services/services-a-z/plastic-surgery/facial-reconstruction-and-face-transplants/history-of-plastic-surgery/

Personally, I find the most important advancement in medicine, technology and art to be the creation of the prosthesis and bionic limbs. My older brother was born without a right femur and lived his whole life with a prosthetic leg. Without the technology used to create artificial limbs, people like my brother would more disabled than need be. My brother was able to be a great athlete and a normal kid, thanks to the artistic technologies of his prosthetic leg. A video of my family, my brother and his prosthetic leg can be seen in the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O46tz5TsOzk


Citations:

"Human Genome Project." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Genome_Project>.

"Orange County's Own Rob Brooks -ABC News (1999)." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O46tz5TsOzk>.

"'Plastic Wives' Get Cosmetic Surgery for Free." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK7Zkzz348M>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Medicine Pt1." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=368&v=Ep0M2bOM9Tk>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Medicine Pt3." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIX-9mXd3Y4>.

Unit 3: Robotics & Art

"Combining art and robotics is nothing new", yet it has pushed and will continue to push the potential for technological innovation in our modern world (Lim). The most early form of robotics and art started with the creation of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg (Vesna). Many major advances were made during the Industrial Revolution. In the 1940's, America witnessed Henry Ford's creation of the assembly line system to make the Model T Ford (Vesna). We note the 1960's for the "first computers and software programs" (Art Radar). Since then, the combination of robotics and art continues to develop and create cutting-edge technology.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1923-1927-ford-model-t1.htm

While people like Walter Benjamin detest the idea of robots, it is hard to say that they aren't vastly improving our way of life, because they are! In a San Francisco art museum, a robots strolls around to "open the museum up to those who cannot attend, including the physically handicapped" (CBS News). Not only can robots vacuum, but they can improve the quality of life by "working in our homes and businesses, making things better and faster and easier (Ackerman). The U.S. Military also relies on robots to ensure the safety of Americans and our allies worldwide (Web Design).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_robot

However, the beauty behind robotics is not that robots are helpful or practical. They are truly an art form that stems from the creative abilities of the artist and evolves over time. As technology continues to innovate, so will the field of robotics. "Using robotics as a medium, today's artists have an unprecedented opportunity..." (Art Bots).

http://makezine.com/2015/04/16/saint-malo-mini-maker-faire-greatest-show-tell-france/

Citations:
Ackerman, Evan. "Care-O-bot 4 Is the Robot Servant We All Want but Probably Can't Afford." N.p., n.d. Web. <http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/home-robots/care-o-bot-4-mobile-manipulator>.

"Art Radar." Art Radar. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://artradarjournal.com/2014/09/05/what-is-robotic-art-art-radar-explains/>.

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

"Robots Open up the World of Art." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, n.d. Web. <http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/robots-open-up-the-world-of-art/>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Robotics Pt2." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=22&v=oAZ8bo9T_Pk>.

"10 Things We Couldn't Do Without Robots - Web Design Schools Guide."Web Design Schools Guide 10 Things We Couldnt Do Without Robots Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.webdesignschoolsguide.com/library/10-things-we-couldnt-do-without-robots.html>.

Unit 2: Math & Art

Picture 1

In the material this week, I learned that the  "connection of art and science is through mathematics and art" (Vesna). Artists use math to place their creative focus on the precision of perspective, angles, lines, speaking points and surfaces. Without math, exactness is impossible. The fusion between art and math is seen in the pyramids of Egypt, "The Vitruvian Man" and "The Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci. The following video link is a Ted-Ed talk on the "Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man of Math" which explains mathematical concepts used to draw human proportions (Earle).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMsaFP3kgqQ

Picture 2

"The golden ratio" used in Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Mona Lisa"  is deemed as "the ultimate connection between math and art" (Vesna). This means that "the shorter part is to the longer part, as the longer part is to the shorter part" (Vesna). It is the equal proportions of ratio that make it golden. In "The Mona Lisa", there are "specific mathematic relationships" seen in the lines of the painting (Vesna). The definition of "the golden ratio" is executed by the position of the head, shoulders and body (Vesna). This painting helps me understand the influence of mathematics in art and science. I have seen "The Mona Lisa" in person and I never would have thought that geometrical tools were used to paint it. After understanding the perspective that da Vinci used, I appreciate the painting more as it proves that "drawing", "proportion" and "colouring" go hand in hand with mathematical formulas (Vesna).

Picture 3

 I always assumed that artists disregard math because it was too confining to their imagination and free-hand work. I learned that I am wrong; math does not inhibit creativity. It enhances it! M.C. Escher proved this in his popular artwork that was based on mathematical principles; he used the "geometry of space" and the "logic of space" to tap into his creativity (Platonic Realms). Similarly, Nathan Selikoff created interactive geometric computer designs as a creative outlet to express his emotions and feelings while his wife was battling breast cancer (Selikoff). Sonia Lady Sheridan spent years researching with "scientists, industry, artists and graduate students" at the Art Institute in Chicago to create pieces that represented "art, science and technology as intertwining systems of thought" (Sheridan).

Picture 4

 Thus, the juxtaposition of mathematics, art and science only makes the detail in an artist's work seem more effortless and creative than if they omitted mathematics.

Picture 5

Citations

Picture 1: http://drawing.wonderhowto.com/how-to/draw-isometric-pyramid-inside-cube-385891/

Picture 2: https://quantumshifting.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/what-is-the-matrix-of-a-leader/

Picture 3: http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt668/EMAT6680.2000/Obara/Emat6690/Golden%20Ratio/golden.html

Picture 4: http://www.sonart.org/book/chapter06/chapter.htm

Picture 5: http://www.kentucky.com/2013/02/14/2516568/exhibit-offers-a-new-way-of-looking.html

"Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man of Math - James Earle." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMsaFP3kgqQ>.

"Nathan Selikoff | Fine Artist Playing with Interactivity, Math, Code." Nathan Selikoff. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://nathanselikoff.com/>.

"Sonia Landy Sheridan: Generative Systems." Sonia Landy Sheridan. Arthink.com, 2003. Web. <http://www.sonart.org/book/chapter02/chapter.htm>.

"The Mathematical Art of M.C. Escher." The Mathematical Art of M.C. Escher. N.p., 1997. Web. <http://platonicrealms.com/minitexts/Mathematical-Art-Of-M-C-Escher/>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Mathematics-pt1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean.mov." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmq5B1LKDg>.

Unit 1: Two Cultures

I have learned two important truths this week. First, I am a victim of a problem in the education system. Second, the problem must be fixed by redesigning our education system.

Picture 1

For far too long, our education system has adapted to a "production line mentality" where different disciplines are separated and are too standardized (RSA Animate Video). As the RSA Animate Video clearly outlines, students of today's generation are becoming deadened to standardized curriculum. The distinct disciplines are confining and inhibiting, rather than attracting young minds to learning. In short, the video calls for the education model to completely reconfigure.

Over fifty years ago, C.P. Snow began this charge. In "The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution", he stated that “There is only one way out of all of this: it is, of course, by rethinking our education" (Snow). This problem directly relates to this course because the art and science disciplines have been separated. Art and science are at their best when they meet.


Picture 2

Steven Pinker's point about the mutual dependency between art and science was also intriguing. He explained that science cannot construct phenomena by itself; science needs art and art needs science (Pinker). Pinker gave several examples of this such as, "The analysis of art can be illuminated by what we know about color and depth and motion and ecological optics and human evolution” (Pinker). He also shared that "moral philosophy can’t take place without moral some understanding of moral psychology” (Pinker). By this, Pinker means that art and science already have a mutual dependency, but their conjunction needs to be recognized by the world.

Like I said before, I am a victim of this problem. From the beginning of grade school, art and science were always separated. In art class, I painted or learned about a famous artist. In science class, I learned about anatomy or chemistry. Since then, I have created stereotypes of artists and scientists, such as the "lab coat authority" stereotype seen in media (Vesna pt2). Just as Professor Vesna pointed out, my university is "geographically designed in a way where these disciplines are separated" (Vesna pt3). My political science classes are on the opposite side of campus from math and science classes. Thus, this separation problem has been ever present in my educational experience.

Now that I have become aware of the problem, I am excited to learn how art and science work together.

Picture 3




Citations:

Picture 1: https://www.google.com/search?q=bored+student+in+school&espv=2&biw=1112&bih=656&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Pe8dVdCVIYmAsQTy74HABA&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#imgdii=_&imgrc=e1zOJpcLoiGBUM%253A%3Bgxk1hAieA_e89M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.hercampus.com%252Fsites%252Fdefault%252Ffiles%252F2014%252F03%252F20%252Fbored_students_1.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fgalleryhip.com%252Fbored-high-school-student.html%3B1500%3B839

Picture 2:  http://blog.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/hiring-the-right-person-takes-both-art-and-science

Picture 3: https://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/CafeSci/Toronto/

Pinker, Steven. "SEEDMAGAZINE.COM Two Cultures Steven Pinker."YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BUbVc7qVpg>.

"RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 20. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U>.

Snow, C. P. “Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.” Reading. 1959. New York: Cambridge UP, 1961. Print.

Vesna, Victoria. "TwoCultures Pt2." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=20&v=GUr4xxZ_0gw>.

Vesna, Victoria. "TwoCultures Pt3." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=15&v=4FOEuxrwxd0>.