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