Week 4: Medicine+Technology+Art

  "I will pass over the other arts in silence and direct my words for a while to that which is responsible for the health of mankind; certainly of all the arts that human genius has discovered, this is by far the most useful, indispensable, difficult, and laborious." - (Andreas Vesalius, De Humani Corporus Fabrica)

  Vesalius, the Founder of Human Anatomy, revolutionized the science of medicine. He was the first to provide an accurate description of the internal structures of the human body (Vesna, Pt 1). It marked the beginning of an art that not only beautifies the human body but also helps improve lives. The technological advances of medicine has led to miraculous amounts of lives saved. Those people with disabilities inspire or even have a great impact in society.

  A notable example is Stephen Hawkings. At the age of 21, while studying cosmology at the University of Cambridge, Stephen Hawkings was diagnosed with amyotrophic sclerosis. Although he was given a life of expectancy of 2 years, Hawkings continued his studies and has done groundbreaking work in physics and cosmology and his books have helped to make science more accessible to everyone (Bio.com). 

Stephen Hawkings

  Hawkings paralysis eventually left him with slurred speech along with other disabilities. However with the invention of the speech-generating device, Hawkings was eventually able to direct the program through a cheek muscle attached to a sensor (Bio.com). This technology in a sense is an artwork that allows someone with a disability to communicate. Thanks to the improvements in medicine and technology, many people with disabilities are less inhibited. For Hawkings, he was able to contribute a vast amount of knowledge to the scientific community.

Stephen Hawkings in the Simpsons

  Through his struggle and persistence, Hawkings has also inspired others in many ways; TV shows and movies have included or referenced him such as the Simpsons, Futurama, The Big Bang Theory and etc. London's Science Museum even collaborated with him and an artist, David Hockney (Science Museum). Hawkings' reverence is an inspration to all and has influenced many artworks as well. 

Citations:

"10 times Stephen Hawking Met Pop Culture." ABC News. N.p., 09 Oct. 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

"Andreas Vesalius." And the Modern Human Anatomy. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.

"Science Meets Art: Hawking and Hockney United in One Culture." - Science Museum. N.p., n.d.     Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

"Stephen Hawking Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

Vesna, Victoria. "Medicine Pt1." YouTube. YouTube, 21 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep0M2bOM9Tk

Week 3: Robotics and Art

The Pearl Tower

  Robotics have given artists the ability to create "art" through a different facet. Artists in this day and age have new tools such as cameras, computer softwares, and other technologies to express their ideas. However, in Walter Benjamin's essay "The Work of Art in The Age of Mechanical Reproduction," he believes that art produced by technology loses its uniqueness (Benjamin 1). I completely disagree with his belief. Architects for one would not be able to create such revolutionary designs without the help of robotics or technology. For an example, the Pearl Tower, a 1,535 feet high building, is based on a Tang Dynasty poem and incorporates Chinese culture. It is the second tallest building in China back when it was built in 1994, it represented China's emerging dominance as a nation. The building is an artistic expression of China's bright future.
  CGI, or computer-generated imagery, is used to create special effects. It is used for visual effects because the quality is often higher and effects are more controllable and allows the creation of images that would not be feasible using any other technology (Science Daily). I believe it is also a kind of art and helps people see things that aren't in real life. For an example, most of the imagery or objects in Avatar were created with CGI. 60% of Avatar's imagery was produced through CGI (Outlaw). It allowed viewers to see the unimaginable. Another way to put it is when reading the Harry Potter series. J. K. Rowling uses words to describe characters and places for the readers. However, through the movie's, the audience can see the magical world in which Harry Potter lives in. The producers of the movies also give their interpretation of what the Harry Potter world looks like as well.

Avatar

Filming of Harry Potter

  The use of robotics has produced new kinds of art. New technology has given architects the ability to create gigantic masterpieces. And for movie producers, viewers are able to see a world unimaginable to the mind. And that is art. The ability to express your ideas through a medium.

Citations:

Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. London: Penguin, 2008.   Print.

"Computer-generated Imagery." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.

"Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai, EMPORIS.” Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai EMPORIS.   N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.

Outlaw, Kofi. "The Crazy Tech Behind James Cameron’s Avatar." Screen Rant. N.p., 08 Aug. 2008.     Web. 20 Apr. 2015.

Russo, Tom. "How Four Different Directors Redefined the Way We See Harry Potter and His               World." Boston.com. The New York Times, 10 July 2011. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.

Week 2: Art and Math

 

  Whether it's facial asymmetry or asymmetrical objects, people are attracted to symmetry. For an example, would you prefer a round apple or an apple with one of its side bigger? It seems to me that we prefer symmetric things because they're more normal, or more safe to eat in the case of the apple example. For me, I have always seen mathematics applied into art, but maybe not in the deepest sense. When I took art class as a kid, I would use a protractor to draw the perfect circles, use a ruler to draw straight lines and measure the length to make the perfect squ

Facial Symmetry

Fractals 

ares, or even mix the same amount of blue and yellow to make a balanced green.

  In Professor Vesna's lecture, the concepts of vanishing point, perspective, horizon line, and the Golden Ratio taught me about how math is incorporated into art. Although I was taught those concepts in art class, I never really knew that the origins of the concepts are math based for the most art. It's interesting to see how most things in life can be represented mathematically. For an example fractal patterns can be seen in nature such as seashells, trees, and rivers.

   I think it's really cool that the masterpieces artists have created in the past such as Leonardo da Vinci relied on the use of mathematics. It's something not apparent from first glance, but when you delve into it, you start to realize how much thinking is behind the creation of art pieces. 

Citations:

"11 Fascinating Fractals in Nature (fractals, Natural Fractals) - ODDEE." Oddee RSS. N.p., 29 Dec. 2008. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.

"Art Classes for Teenagers." Art Workshops In Melbourne For Young Teenage Artists. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.

"Faces More Important than Bodies in Mating Game." Faces More Important than Bodies in Mating Game. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2015..

Pappas, By Stephanie. "Why Is Symmetry So Sexy? It Has Nothing to Do with Health." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 12 Aug. 2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.

"The Mathematics of Art - Math Central." The Mathematics of Art - Math Central. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.

Vesna. "Mathematics Zero Perspective Golden Mean." 12 Apr. 2015.

"What Are Fractals?" FractalFoundationorg RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.

Week 1 - Two Culture's

    The two readings, "Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution" and "Third Culture: Being in Between," reminds me of a culture problem I face. When people ask me where I am from, I have trouble answering because I don't believe I fall in any certain category. And I dislike being categorized because that implies I can only really and authentically be one thing. And when people categorize me, I feel misunderstood and that they don't truly understand who I am. Like what Professor Vesna said in lecture video part 2, stereotyping occurs subconsciously and it usually has a negative connotation.

The City of Shanghai

Emerald: The Community I lived in

    Although I am a Canadian Citizen, I am ethnically Chinese was born and raised in Shanghai, China. However, living in Shanghai, I was raised in a European community and attended private American schools until I started college at UCLA. The fact that I grew up overseas but speak English perfectly and seamlessly transitioned to college in America is a baffling concept for most people unaware of my situation. But for me, it seems all too normal because I've spent my whole life with people from all over the world that are in the same situation as me. 

School Trip Photo

   My friends consisted mostly of people who have moved from America to China because their parents' work took them overseas. So for me, it was like living in America minus a few minor details. It is like if you were to physically move a little bit of America and put it in Shanghai. So when people ask me where I am from and I were to say China, people get the wrong impression. When people ask me where I am from and I say Canada, people get the wrong impression as well because I've never lived there.

   I do in fact embrace who I am and where I am from; but to answer the question "where are you from" with merely one word, well that is a little hard to do.

Works Cited:

Bayoumi, Moustafa. "'Where Are You From?' Is Not the Right Question." CNN. Cable News Network, 05 Apr. 2010. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.

Shanghai: 1990 vs. 2010. N.d. Business Insider. By Joe Weisenthal. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.

"Shanghai Emerald - Introduction." Shanghai Emerald - Introduction. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.

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

Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between." Leonardo 34.2 (2001): 121-25. Web.