The Museum of Jurassic Technology

This weekend, I took a drive down to Culver City to explore The Museum of Jurassic Technology.

The first thing that caught my attention was how packed the museum was on a Friday afternoon. I have never heard of this museum, 10 minutes from my home, yet I found so many people eagerly filling up the tiny rooms in the museum.

(Entrance to the Museum)

The introduction video that I watched before exploring the exhibits really helped to put a lot into perspective for me. As humans, we tend to get caught up in the moment and forget what it took to get us here. Sure, I believe in being present and but that doesn't mean that the past should ever be forgotten. It is through history that we can trace how we're evolved as a human race and how natural law has effected scientific discoveries, artists phenomenons, and technological breakthroughs. 

The processes of collecting these documents, sculptures, objects, ideas, and theories and putting them into a museum to share them with the public did not happen right away but ever since Charles Peale opened the first public museum, museums keep popping up everywhere. Over time, the conservation of these first museums and the collections they contained became The Museum of Jurassic Technology's purpose and although portions were lost throughout history, a lot of really interesting pieces remain. 

From everything that I saw, a few primary pieces of "jurassic history" stood out to me that I would like to share with you all. Firstly, learning that the first Natural History Museum was found in Noah's Ark kind of blew my mind.

(Noah's Ark) 

The man made gems called "Boules of Corundum" caught my attention next. Using the Verneuil Process, the synthetic growth of sapphire crystals were shown on display. Stones and gems have been catching peoples attention since forever - both by being fascinated by their beauty and their transcending qualities passed onto the people who wear them.

 

       (Diagram of Verneuil Process)                          (Small ruby boule still attached to the rod)

One more exhibit that I enjoyed throughly was a diagram of a three sided prism called a Periaktoi that was used during Medieval times in the Renaissance theatre as a way to show scene changes to the audience easily. Before this, it was a lot more inconvenient for the audience to view the different scenes. Roman architect Vitruvius constructed this Greek theatre machinery applied to the Periaktoi's. Watching the scenes change in the exhibit was so simple yet so revolutionary at the time that it was being implemented.

  

                        (Theatre Design)                         (Use of Periakton in 17th Century theatre) 

I highly recommend taking a trip to this museum on your own to get a better understanding and perspective of how science and math have influenced art and how larger ideas and creations first started as little ones. Everything is built upon each other - inventions and discoveries made possible by artists, architects, mathematicians, biologists, writers, inventors, scientists, and dreamers before us.

Sources:

 "Introduction." Museum of Jurassic Technology. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.

"Italian Renaissance Scenic Design." - Italian Renaissance Theatre. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.

"Periaktos." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.

"Verneuil Process." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.

"Vitruvius." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. 

P.S - No one at the museum wanted to take a picture with me but here is my receipt :) 

Medical Technology & Art

After this week's lecture on the connection between art and medical technology, my knowledge and understanding of how they could possibly be related has expanded and shifted from almost nothing to more than I could've ever imagined trying to connect them on my own. When I first think of art, I think of paintings, geometry, sculptures, and figures; what I do not think of is bionics, MRI's, X-rays, or plastic surgery. Learning how art is incorporated into medical technology has been beyond interesting as well as the motives and reasons behind the quick advancements in technology sparked by healing through art and WWI and the effect that new modern weapons had on surgeons and doctors in the medical fields whose purpose was to restore livelihood and functionality to those in need. 

Medicine used to be considered art and if you used technology tools you weren't really considered a doctors. This is most surprising and ironic to learn once I read the article on The Hippocratic Oath which clearly states how medical practices have changed over time with the introduction of technology and the ethical debates it now draws to doctors reciting 'versions' of the oath.

(Caduceus on Modern Technology & Medical Technology)

We learned about many fascinating projects and discoveries during lecture this week and there are a few artists whose work really stood out to me that I'd like to share with you all. I will explore Orlan, a French artist and Edwardo Kac, an American artist - both whom used their own bodies as mediums while using science and medical technology to express their art and performances.

Orlan has spent most of her life shocking the science and art worlds by using her own body as a canvas expressing her ideas revolving the difference between cosmetic surgery for beauty and cosmetic surgery as a means to become what you feel inside of yourself. Carnal Art, the art of using your body to represent a self-portrait of yourself is how Orlan explains the meaning behind her numerous plastic surgeries. She just wants to embody the visions of beauty that resonate most with her not to look better, but to embody what each woman stood for in history. In the documentary titled "Carnal Art," Orlan's motivation is said to come from "not to become more beautiful, as is the motivation behind cosmetic surgery, but simply to become other, to find a new normality in the difference." 

              

    (Orlan, Carnal Art)                                                        (Cosmetic Surgery)

Next, Edwardo Kac has also been an artist at the forefront of medical technology and art and I believe that it is his foresight into GPS and the tracking of humans that put him there. Edwardo was the first person to ever insert a tracking chip into his body with a RFID tag normally used only on animals at the time. He created a huge debate over this which is funny since today every human being with a smartphone is being tracked using the same system Edwardo used. Another one of Edwardo's scientific art designs that I really liked is his Aromapoetry. Aromapoetry is "a book to read with the nose," Kac states and how science is involved in his art by stating that"every poem in the book Aromapoetry employs nanotechnology by binding an extremely thin layer of porous glass (200 nanometers thick) to every page, trapping the odorants (i.e. the volatile molecules) and releasing them very slowly. Without this nanotechnology, the fragrances would quickly dissipate and the smells would no longer be experienced after a few days."

                         

(Edwardo's Aromapoetry)

Sources:

 "AROMAPOETRY." AROMAPOETRY. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

"Carnal Art." Carnal Art. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

"Finding a Good Cosmetic Surgeon in the City - The Healthy Voyager." The Healthy Voyager. 2013. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

MutleeIsTheAntiGod. "Orlan - Carnal Art (2001) Documentary." YouTube. YouTube, 2011. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

"Stock Photography: Search Royalty Free Images & Photos - IStock." Stock Photography: Search Royalty Free Images & Photos - IStock. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

Tyson, Peter. "The Hippocratic Oath Today." PBS. PBS, 2001. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. 

Robotics & Art

This week we learned about the connection between kinetic art and robotics and how the have been influenced by movements and renaissances of the past. The era of Industrialization lead to a revolution and peak of knowledge production which created mechanization which eventually led to more people becoming aware and influenced by creations in art, music, religion, philosophy and science to name a few.

(The Renaissance Road)

Mass production in the industrial revolution was at the forefront of these innovations and what is to be held responsible for people having jobs, getting paid well, making objects and ideas available to larger audiences, and inevitably leading the way to where we are today technologically.

Personally, what I find most intriguing is how the assembly line was created to increase production and jobs for the masses in the past and now today, the same assembly line is looking at its near extinction. With the evolution of mechanical production, workers are being replaced by mechanical robots - dismantling the assembly line all together. Watching this evolution take place in front of our eyes is quite a sight when it was prophesied all the way back in the 1940s. 

The assembly line creation was used best by Henry Ford through his mass production of vehicles better seen in the video below which states Ford was able to produce vehicles in one tenth the time it used to take to build their infamous car the Model T. 

Nikola Tesla stood out to me and so did the idea of how he developed the idea for smartphone technology all the way back in 1901 but rarely gets credit for it. Another invention you may be familiar with is wireless communication aka Wifi that also wouldn't be possible without him and knowledge he gained from mechanization and the mass production of knowledge. It's surprising that not too many people know much about Tesla (besides that cars are now being named after him) so you can read more about him in brief here.

(Tesla who developed the AC Electrical System)

Lastly, the connection between the computing world and the art world and how it relates to mechanization is clearly described in Walter Benjamin's book "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Production."  Benjamin's prediction of mechanization stripping our minds and societies of uniqueness and authenticity could never be more correct and horrifying. Mass producing knowledge in the past was to spread knowledge and ideas and inspire, now - technology and robotis are removing that part of our creative development by thinking and creating for us. Expanding on this philosophy I highly recommend watching Robot's invading our lives by Rodney Brooks which describes how robotics are introduced into our lives simply and then slowly by slowly before we know it, robotics is found in everything we do from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep.

(How Big Will the Internet of Things Be?)

Sources:

 CarDataVideo. "Ford Model T - 100 Years Later." YouTube. YouTube, 2008. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

 "Datafloq - Connecting Data and People." Datafloq. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

 "Robots Will Invade Our Lives." Rodney Brooks:. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

"The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." Yale - Modernism Lab Essays. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

"8 Things You Didn’t Know About Nikola Tesla." PBS. PBS. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

"///KIDMOGRAPH." Tumblr. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. 

 

Math & Art

Touching on "two cultures" and how the educational systems in place today have reduced perspectives, Richard Buckminster Fuller's theory of 'De-Geniusing' sets the stage perfectly into my reflection and analysis proving how mathematics and art are essentially embedded within one another and inseparable. As individuals we evolve as we grow older and as we grow older, we loose our connections to the limitless realms of possibility and perspective. We forget the basic principles of the flawless designs surrounding us and the explanations behind them. We forget that the foundation of art is mathematics and that mathematics is an artistic expression and language all its own.

The way we view the world around us is through PERSPECTIVE and the way we duplicate what we see and reproduce it is by using mathematical principles to formulate our executions. As Brunelleschi stated, the geometry of what you're creating needs to be correct to guarantee that the viewer see's what you intend them too. Visual interpretations rely on math - a beautiful reciprocal arrangement.

Tiles in the Alhambra, drawing, 1936

Artist, Maurits Cornelis Escher, gained recognition from mathematicians worldwide with his unbelievable structures and sculptures that reflected his knowledge in math and science. Specializing in projective geometry, M.C Escher's tessellation's and polyhedra's combine both geometrical shapes on a plane or as a solid to create almost impossible looking art pieces. I found his work fascinating and personally am addicted to my Mandala coloring book filled with tessellations.

     

Next, Origamist Robert J. Lang's explanation of what we thought we knew about origami and how it's more mathematical than we thought also really stood out to me. In his Ted Talks video, Lang goes into detail describing just how connected math is to the science behind origami and the intricate designs that are possible to create when the math checks out correctly. Its not a surprise then that all four rules in origami are math based!

Shishapangma I, Opus 599

Leonardo Da Vinci is definitely my favorite artist and mathematician from our lecture. Da Vinci's main goal was to re-create realities seen through his own visual perspective - using mathematical formulas measuring distances. Da Vinci was so driven and dedicated to his goal that he was able to fuse math and art together in the closest ways possible. His "Vitruvian Man" in 1487 made such a huge impact in history that it is still used a symbol of the connectivity between art and science. Below, you can see the human body perfectly proportioned in relation to measurements, size, and fractions as a whole. Da Vinci was only able to execute such an iconic piece of work with the help of Roman architect Vitruvius. Without Vitruvius' mathematics and measurements, who knows what Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man could've looked like today.

Da Vinci's The Vitruvian Man, 1487

Sources:

 "Artwork: Shishapangma I, Opus 599." Shishapangma I, Opus 599. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. 

Frank, Priscilla. "This Mandala Coloring Book For Grown Ups Is The Creative's Way To Mindful Relaxation." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.

 "Science & Nature: Vitruvian Man." BBC Science. BBC. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. 

"The Mathematical Art of M.C. Escher." The Mathematical Art of M.C. Escher. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.

"The Math and Magic of Origami." Robert Lang:. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. 

"Thoughts of Buckminster Fuller." Whole Earth. 1998. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. 

"Two Cultures"

Hello readers and fellow students :)
Rachel Wolchin here - UCLA junior, history major, ADP minor and preschool teacher. Coming to UCLA and seeing how the North and South Campuses were divided seemed natural at first but the more I explored them, the more I felt as if I was being segregated from my friends and fellow associates like patients in a "controlled group" experiment.  I am hopeful that this course on Art, Science, and Technology will not only expand my current perspectives but give me new ways to unify the art and science worlds in both my mind and in practice.

The concept behind "Two Cultures" - the 'unnatural separation' of art and science - is one that does not surprise me. Charles Percy Snow's first lecture states the difference between literary intellectuals and natural sciences and blames the educational system as the main culprit. This is true over 50 years ago and it is still true today. The stereotypes created throughout history has categorized what shouldn't be categorized. Labels and segregated what should be allowed to flow freely together. For all we know, by allowing the separation of two cultures to thrive, we have caused harm to the order of things in the universe and instead of progressing, we are actually hindering our growth as a human civilization.

Curriculum Designed to Unite Art & Science (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/science/27angi.html?_r=0

Curriculum Designed to Unite Art & Science (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/science/27angi.html?_r=0

In lecture, we learnt that artists and scientists were isolated from one another. What if Einstein and Shakespeare fell in love and ran away together? Yes, on their own they are impressive and progressive but imagine the magic they could have created together!

In the video titled Changing Education Paradigms, we are clearly shown how the separation of two cultures has impacted society. By making assumptions on social structure, we have flawed the design on natural selection and evolution and created an environment where "so many brilliant people think they're not!" We also saw how divergent thinking decreases as we get older, as we get more educated. 

As a preschool teacher, I have the pleasure of working with children who have not yet been "adulterated" as I like to call it and are still excelling in divergent thinking. We constantly combine art and science together for we have seen through experience that it creates an environment where learning thrives.

Science Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers

http://happyhooligans.ca/20-science-activities-toddlers-preschoolers/

Lastly, the "Wealth Gap" introduced in C.P Snow's second lecture is perhaps what I believe to be the root of all problems. From war, to respect, to survival, money is what makes the world go round and what drives every synthetic system created by greedy humans. The rich are always looked at as 'higher class,' and 'smarter' just based on pieces of paper with faces on them. Forgetting that money exists would not only bring peace in the world between nations but between intellectual minds of all "cultures."

Money Makes The World Go Round (The Examiner)

http://www.examiner.com/article/venmo-money-makes-the-world-go-social

Sources:

"Academy EBriefings." A Dangerous Divide. The New York Academy of Sciences, 24 July 2009. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.

Angier, Natalie. "Curriculum Designed to Unite Art and Science." The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 May 2008. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.

"RSA ANIMATE: Changing Education Paradigms." YouTube. The RSA, 14 Oct. 2010. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.

"20 SCIENCE ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS." Happy Hooligans. Wordpress, 5 July 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.

"Venmo: Money Makes the World Go Social." The Examiner. N.p., 16 Feb. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.