Event 3. Color, Light, Motion. Episode 11: Ann McCoy lecture on OTTO PIENE

 The third event that I attended was Ann McCoy’s lecture on Otto Piene, who was a German artist that was working with kinetic technology and light. He was drafted to the WWII as a gunner when he was only 16 years old. After the war, he founded the Zero Group, which included many artists and became an international movement in the late 50s. Zero group emphasis was on monochromatic paintings, energy, and space, adding elements of time. And we can see that idea in his work Light Ballet, where Otto Piene used a common technique of projecting light through a perforated surface to achieve the huge scale of the tiny dots of light spreading on the surroundings of the space. 

Light Ballet by Otto Piene

It was interesting to me how he managed to use relatively small simple objects to create such wonderful pieces that occupy the whole space. Metallic black spheres, cubes, and triangles create an interesting juxtaposition with the light, tiny dancing dots of light that goes through the bulky geometric figures. I really enjoyed looking at the patterns that the projection created and making references to the universe, Big Bang theory or spirituality. It is fascinating how one piece can create so many different interpretations for people.

Intersections by Anila Quayyum Agha

I also loved the piece that was inspired by Otto Piene’s works called Intersections. The creator is a muslim artist from Pakistan Anila Quayyum Agha. She created a piece that resembles the House of God in Mecca, a sacred place for prayers where women are not allowed to enter culturally. Inspiration for the patterns on the cube was Alhambra, which is an  important architectural ensemble of different cultures both Eastern and Western. Anila was not trying to create the exact replica, but interpretation of the signs that she saw. Strong light shines from inside of the cube casting crisp shadows revealing the beautiful patterns on the walls of the room. The object itself is small, but has a huge effect on the surface encompassing the entire space. I really advise everybody to watch the lecture on Otto Piene and his inspiration on other artists.

Sources:

O'Connor, T. (2017, August 29). What is the Kaaba? A brief history of Islam's holiest site. Newsweek. Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://www.newsweek.com/what-kaaba-holiest-muslim-site-survive-war-rebellion-weather-654932 

Otto Piene and zero (1960s). Light and Shadows. (2015, March 6). Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://ombresetmotifs.wordpress.com/2015/03/06/otto-piene-and-zero-1960s/ 

Otto Piene. Otto Piene - Artists - Sperone Westwater. (n.d.). Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://www.speronewestwater.com/artists/otto-piene#tab:slideshow 

Otto Piene: Light ballet at Sprüth Magers, Oranienburger St, Berlin. GalleriesNow.net. (2017, April 29). Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://www.galleriesnow.net/shows/otto-piene-light-ballet/ 

Anila Quayyum Agha: Intersections (2015). Artsy. (n.d.). Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://www.artsy.net/artwork/anila-quayyum-agha-intersections 

Week 9. Space + Art

 This week’s topic is very close to my heart because I do astrophotography, which I find a very good artistic way to show the beauty of the world we live in. Unfortunately, space exploration was never harmless and easy for us. In the name of science we sent animals to space technically to die just to see if we can send humans to space. Later on, after scientists learned how to bring the spacecraft back to Earth, they started sending animals to space to learn the effect of cosmic rays on a living creature and different life supporting equipment. First animals that made 17 revolutions around the Earth and successfully came back home were Russian dogs Belka and Strelka. That was a great triumph for science and humanity.

Belka and Strelka, Russian dogs astronauts 

Space always mesmerized people, and many creative artists chose space to be their inspiration for their art. One of the most accurate representations of modern physics and astronomy is depicted in the movie Interstellar by Christopher Nolan. He worked with scientists to create a movie that would show the real or possible events that do not violate established laws of physics. This is the movie that shows people traveling through a wormhole to be able to overcome the distances that are not possible to overcome using current technology we have. I think this is a great piece that combines all the possible disciplines of study including biology, astronomy, and even sociology. 

Interstellar movie Black Hole

Right now, we are slowly moving to the direction of improving the technology we can use to travel through space. Although it is still far from the Star Trek universe, Elon Musk’s ambitions to “conquer” Mars and create reusable spaceships can improve and speed up the exploration of the universe.

Photo of the Milky Way. Captured in Joshua Tree National Park

Sources:

Vesna, V. (n.d.). Space Exploration + Art part 3 DESMA 9: Art, Science and Technology. Course Modules: 22S-DIS STD-187-LEC-1 Special Topics in Disability Studies. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/129921/modules 

Vesna, V. (n.d.). Space Exploration + Art part 5 DESMA 9: Art, Science and Technology. Course Modules: 22S-DIS STD-187-LEC-1 Special Topics in Disability Studies. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/129921/modules 

IMDb.com. (2014, November 7). Interstellar. IMDb. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0816692/ 

Torchinsky, R. (2022, March 17). Elon Musk hints at a crewed mission to Mars in 2029. NPR. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://www.npr.org/2022/03/17/1087167893/elon-musk-mars-2029 

Seitz, M. Z. (n.d.). Interstellar Movie Review & Film Summary (2014): Roger Ebert. movie review & film summary (2014) | Roger Ebert. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/interstellar-2014 

Белка и Стрелка: первые животные в космосе. (n.d.). Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://depts.washington.edu/startalk/lessons/documents/Space_Race_texts.pdf 

Москвы, Официальный сайт Мэра (2020, September 8). Training, Puppies and care. how Belka and Strelka lived before and after the flight / news / moscow city web site. / News / Moscow City Web Site. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://www.mos.ru/amp/en/news/item/94754073/ 

BlackRainbow. (2014, December 4). Interstellar Black Hole (gargantua). Blender Artists Community. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://blenderartists.org/t/interstellar-black-hole-gargantua/627437/19?page=2 

Voit, A. (n.d.). life.efflorescence. instagram. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://www.instagram.com/p/BkTLC3bn2RS/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y 

Week 8. Nanotech + Art

This week’s topic is Nanotech + Art, which I find very exciting only because there is so much connection between these two disciplines. As Dr. Gimzewski explained that nanotechnologies surround us even without our realization, starting from the cell phones we are using to the perfume and makeup we apply to our skin. 

It is fascinating how much nanotechnology has to do with art and our representation of beauty or feelings that we have as we use products of personal care. Cosmetics have been used since ancient times starting from Egypt around 4000 BC, and now we use it to express ourselves, to alter our appearance and feel happy about our looks. 

NikkieTutorials' transformation using makeup

Another thing that I loved about this topic is the chemistry aspect and self organization of the particles. As someone who really enjoys chemistry, I was surprised to learn that artists use the self organization ability of the atoms for inspiration and create such wonderful pieces. I love the idea of taking the patterns that particles create from the rastering process and evolve it into works of art.

Nanomandala. Victoria Vesna in collaboration with J. Gimzewski and Tibetan Buddhist monks

In addition to that, I wanted to mention that I myself was inspired by nanotech to create my midterm project, where I was researching the 3D shapes that atoms can take to create bonds. I used the truncated icosahedron, which was called in the lecture by Dr. Gimzewski a buckyball that was “composed of 60 carbon atoms formed in the shape of a hollow ball” (ethw.org). It impressed me a lot that nanotechnology expanded so much that we cannot imagine the world without the use of nanotechnology.

Buckyball

List of Sources: 

Aziz, Z. A. A., Mohd-Nasir, H., Ahmad, A., Mohd. Setapar, S. H., Peng, W. L., Chuo, S. C., Khatoon, A., Umar, K., Yaqoob, A. A., & Mohamad Ibrahim, M. N. (1AD, January 1). Role of nanotechnology for design and development of Cosmeceutical: Application in makeup and Skin Care. Frontiers. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2019.00739/full 

Ethw. (2015, September 14). Discovering the buckyball. ETHW. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://ethw.org/Discovering_the_Buckyball 

Gimzewski. (n.d.). Nanotech for Artists Part 2. Course Modules: 22S-DIS STD-187-LEC-1. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/129921/modules 

Gimzewski. (n.d.). Nanotech for Artists Part 5. Course Modules: 22S-DIS STD-187-LEC-1. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/129921/modules 

Truncated icosahedron. from Wolfram MathWorld. (n.d.). Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://mathworld.wolfram.com/TruncatedIcosahedron.html 

John Curtin Gallery. Art.Base. (n.d.). Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://art.base.co/event/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology#11 

NikkieTutorials. (2015, May 10). The power of makeup! YouTube. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Ov8qvZ2_w 

Gibney, E. Buckyballs in space solve 100-year-old riddle. Nature (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature.2015.17987

Week 7. Neuroscience + Art

This week’s topic I believe is very closely related to each other as art is created in our minds, in our conscious and unconscious state. 

My journey of discovering neuroscience and art started with the research on starfish when I found out why they say that starfish have no brain. It is an interesting feature that instead of having a centralized brain, they have a complex nervous system. Interestingly enough, the creatures we know so little have approximately 70% of their genes similar to humans, which makes sea creatures, sea sponges in particular, so important for us.

Another thing that was interesting is perception of drugs as they were discovered or synthesized. People were using heavy drugs as painkillers or to cure some specific ailment. Later in history people discovered the stimulating effect of some drugs on the human brain that helped a lot of people to create their masterpieces. Nowadays, we know musicians who write their songs under the influence of some drugs. It feels like these substances allow people to open the door to their inner selves, discover something unknown and recreate it in their songs, on paper, or on canvas. 

The attitude to different drugs changes every day as new research comes up, and no one is sure one substance is safe for people to take or not. All we know is that it affects our brian and nervous system as people see things that are not real. However, we should not rescard the fact that a lot of great pieces were created under the influence of drugs. 

Anders Garm, Sensory Biology of Starfish—With Emphasis on Recent Discoveries in their Visual Ecology, Integrative and Comparative Biology, Volume 57, Issue 5, November 2017, Pages 1082–1092, https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icx086

Vesna, V. (n.d.). Lecture I. DESMA 9: Art, Science and Technology. Canvas UCLA. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/129921/modules 

Vesna, V. (n.d.). Lecture III. DESMA 9: Art, Science and Technology. Canvas UCLA. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/129921/modules 

American Addiction Centers. (2022, January 5). 30 famous musicians who have battled Drug Addiction & Alcoholism. DrugAbuse.com. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://drugabuse.com/blog/30-famous-musicians-who-have-battled-drug-addiction-and-alcoholism/ 

Freud, S. (2012). Uber Coca. EOD Network. 

BBC. (n.d.). Matrix: A origem e o polêmico legado do Filme no Mundo Real. BBC News Brasil. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-59786590 

Starfish-Asteroidea. GT Comparative Anatomy - Home. (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://gtanatomy.weebly.com/starfish-asteroidea.html 

Habicht, K. (2019, April 26). A scientific look at your brain on Shrooms. 5280. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.5280.com/2019/04/a-scientific-look-at-your-brain-on-shrooms/ 

Event 2 From Forces to Forms. Episode 3

 The second event that I had the opportunity to visit was the third episode of the series From Forces to Forms that was devoted to the topic of Repairing Nature. I was fascinated by the pieces presented at the event and looked at Art and Science from a different angle. 

One of the pieces “Immortality for two” that I loved the most was created by Marta de Menezes, who worked together with her husband, depicting two sources of light (cells) that cannot be together because if they get into contact with each other they develop cancer. I loved the idea of immortality of two separately because the cells constantly reproduce, but solitude. Aside from being a very accurate scientific representation of chemical processes that occur between cells, we can see the soul and feelings that these cells acquire. 

Immortality for Two

Another piece that helped me understand the topic better was “Bark Framed #1, #2” by Maria Elena Gonzalez, who recreated the sound that was imprinted on the bark of the tree. It is an interesting piece that made me fully realize the trees are living breathing things, and technically everything surrounding us is alive, and artists depict that life in their works. This piece reminded me of Leo Tolstoy’s short fiction “THree Deaths” where the author described the tree as a living thing that was the only character that was able to experience a “good” death. It is also interesting that every tree has its own unique voice referring to the network of roots, through which trees communicate with each other. 

Bark Framed

Overall, the event was very informative and inspiring. It helped me to look at nature and create a midterm project that depicted the importance of insects and nature.

 

Ingber, D. E. (1998). Architecture of Life. Scientific American, 48–57. 

Tolstoy, L. (n.d.). Three deaths. Short Stories and Classic Literature. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://americanliterature.com/author/leo-tolstoy/short-story/three-deaths 

Magazine, S. (2018, March 1). Do trees talk to each other? Smithsonian.com. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-whispering-trees-180968084/ 

ON VIEW IN BIOSCIENTIFIC IMAGINARIES: MARTA DE MENEZES . ALLEGHENY ART GALLERIES. (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.alleghenyartgalleries.com/marta-de-menezes 

Maria Elena González - bark framed #2. Maria Elena González - Bark Framed #2 For Sale at 1stDibs. (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.1stdibs.com/art/mixed-media/maria-elena-gonzalez-bark-framed-2/id-a_4565441/?utm_content=condensed&allowUniversalLink=no&gclid=Cj0KCQjwg_iTBhDrARIsAD3Ib5jkhqMOH76aKa5jgf7u_r-oOcAF2aH0lRf73xV9YugxxUeSkLNHWcMaAk0PEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds 

BioTech + Art

 This week’s topic got me thinking about what art really is. From the video “Scientist? Artist. Pirate! Who is Joe Davis?” Joe Davis reads from the dictionary that “Art is a human effort to imitate, supplement, alter, or counteract the work of nature” (youtube.com). In this regard I wanted to focus more on the discussion of animal use in different fields of biotechnology. 

Scientists use rats in labs as disease models to experiment different medications on them. While it is unnatural and inhumane for rats to suffer the conditions they were bred in, people still benefit from the results of successful treatment that can be used on humans. We use the products that were tested on animals. There is a fine line between ethical aspects of such animal treatment and science that can help people to fight diseases. This question is very difficult , if not impossible, to answer. 

Rats at the lab

Joe Davis says that “the lab is a playground”, which I disagree with. If we take a look at what scientists have done to animals for entertainment we see that all those animals have zero chances to survive without human intervention. The glow fish that can be easily bought in any Petco, a glowing rabbit Alba, or even some dog breeds. Pugs are deliberately bred deformed. They suffer from a huge range of health problems, including breathing, eye, joint and neurological diseases. These dogs were created as cute cuddly companions for our pleasure and have to spend a miserable life of a sick animal not capable of enjoying its life fully. 

Pug's skull

As the narrator of Animal Biotechnology explained, people have concerns about animals used in agriculture, entertainment, sports or biomedical research (youtube.com).  Even though we use animals as models for experiments, workforce, food, or as companions, we need to treat them nicely. I was glad to know that the transgenic rats, which were used in laboratories as breeders, retired to a loving home and have all the necessary care they deserve. On this note, I also wanted to mention that lab animals are not forgotten or disregarded. The monument to a lab mouse knitting DNA in its paws, which is located in the Russian science district in Novosibirsk, represents the important role that lab animals play in science and medicine. This is a great way to show gratitude to animals who live and work for our good.

Monument to a lab mouse

Sources:

NOVA PBS Official. “Scientist? Artist. Pirate! Who Is Joe Davis? - Youtube.” Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GkZt00Qics. 

High, Kathy. “How Did Matilda, Tara and Star Barbie Become Transgenic Rats?” Embracing Animal :: All About Transgenic Rats, http://www.embracinganimal.com/transrats.html. 

Kac, Eduardo. “GFP BUNNY.” RABBIT REMIX, http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor. 

Welton, Michele. “Pug Health Problems: Feeding.” Pug Health Problems | Feeding, https://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/health/pugs.html#health-problems. 

Vesna, Victoria. “5 Bioart PT3 - Youtube.” UC Online, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EpD3np1S2g. 

University of California Television. “Animal Biotechnology.” YouTube, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/index. 

“Она - Мышь! - Изображение Памятник Лабораторной Мыши, Новосибирск.” Tripadvisor, https://www.tripadvisor.ru/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g298529-d6523089-i156619314-Monument_of_Laboratory_Mice-Novosibirsk_Novosibirsky_District_Novosibirs.html. 

Balčiauskas, Mindaugas. “Guy Wants to Get a Purebred Pug, His Friend Tries to Prove Why It's Animal Cruelty with Skull Comparison.” Bored Panda, Bored Panda, 3 Mar. 2022, https://www.boredpanda.com/friend-wants-cute-purebred-pug-sends-facts-skulls/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic. 

Kershner, Kate. “Are Lab Rats Bred Just for the Lab?” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 30 July 2020, https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/scientific-experiments/lab-rats-bred-for-lab.htm.