Event 2: LACMA

Michel's Ship

            For my second event of the quarter I attended the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). This massive art center bestowed countless art works varying in design, technique, and form. After attending this center I discovered similarities in artwork that correlates to our class. Through two pieces at the museum, I was able to draw a comparison to our lessons regarding the synthesis of math, science, and art, as well as, medical technologies.

            First, the painting, Ship by Robert Michel, caught my immediate attention. This painting displays the “nuts and bolts” of the ship in an artistic manner, depicting the engine, cargo, wheels, and specific designs upon the ship. The individual sections of this work are all overlapped onto one another and brings artistic flare to the scientific elements and features. When I saw this piece I related this back to architecture and how architects use individual elements and then piece them together to create their work. I believe that Michel artistically places the scientific foundation (pieces of the ship) together, epitomizing what Professor Vesna discussed in lecture; specifically that science is heavily integrated in art.

Picasso's Centaur

            Secondly, Pablo Picasso’s Centaur is relatable to our lectures on medical technologies, specifically x-rays. The centaur is created in a three-dimensional figure, displaying its height and width. Additionally, this piece displays all of the bones that run through out the body of the centaur. When walking past this work, I immediately thought of the advancement in medical technologies and William  Röntgen’s x-rays. X-rays are non-invasive medical machines that can take images of an individual’s bones. For me, Picasso intended to have his centaur convey the image of an x-ray, which elevates the meaning of the piece, giving me the impression that this centaur is a real being and similar to humans.

Ticket standing at urban lights within LACMA

            All in all, I felt that my visit to LACMA was definitely worth my while and a place I would recommend to fellow students. This museum center has a plethora of art that can be seen and perceived in a number of different ways. For me, I interpreted the pieces in relation to our prior course material, but for other students it may provide them with a life-changing opportunity to step back and interpret the work the way perceive it.

          

           

Week 6: Biotechnology and Art

            This week we learned about biotechnology and art, including the implications it brings to our current society. After watching the lecture videos, I find myself even more intrigued with these two fields and their ultimate effect on benefiting society. As Professor Vesna mentioned in the first lecture video, Joe Davis set the foundation for biotechnology and art. Davis is a pioneer in the field; he paved the way for the current field of biotechnology and art. His work with genes and genomes began through inserting synthesis of DNA into specific bacteria. His audio microscope allows for light information to be translated in sound and continued his work with E. Coli and this bacteria’s response to sounds, specifically producing sounds stressful to the bacteria.

            A bio tech artist who began under Davis is Adam Zaretsky. Most notable for his work with emutagen, Zaretsky has created an embryonic transplant surgery to combine zebrafish embryos with one another. His work has created more research and development for the field of biotechnology as art. His methods are innovative and scientific, as he states that his focus is on the “liminal relationships that are formed at the border between the creation and the destruction of living beings”.

            Looking at both Davis and Zaretsky, I want to bring attention to some of the proposed questions by Ruth West. To begin, I feel that while biotechnology and art is an innovative concept; I feel that academia and science should be of the utmost importance. Therefore, I believe biotechnology should have more stringent restrictions, resulting in more limitations on their field. Although, I have this view limiting biotechnology for science, I do believe there should be no capacity to human creativity. Without creativity, like that of Davis and Zaretsky, our world would not have the variety and abstractness that it has today. Therefore, while I believe that all individuals should have a right to think freely and express themselves, I believe that science and academia should be of more importance towards the progress of society than biotechnology and art.

"Adam Zaretsky." (biography). Web. 07 May 2016.

"Art Biotech." Scoop.it. Web. 07 May 2016.

Bio-artist Adam Zaretsky Sleeps with the Fishes. Web.

"HEAVEN EARTH JOE DAVIS." We Make Money Not Art. 2011. Web. 07 May 2016.

"Joe Davis: The Mad Scientist of MIT?" CultureLab:. Web. 07 May 2016.

"Strains:." VivoArts: Embryonic Sculpting. Web. 07 May 2016.

"SymbioticA Biotechnology & Art Laboratory  //  UWA Workshops 2003-6." SymbioticA. Web. 07 May 2016.

"VivoArts: Microinjection." VivoArts: Microinjection. Web. 07 May 2016.

Event 1: Getty Center

Wishing Well

          The first location within Los Angeles I went to was the Getty Center. The center sits atop a large hill in West Los Angeles and bestows an artistic view of the city. Throughout my visit, I was keen on trying to find art projects or art pieces that correlated to the material we have learned from in class. After visiting the Getty Center I became aware of the effect that the combination that art, math, and science have in our everyday lives. Furthermore, I witnessed the combination of mechanics and art being used together to create a meaningful device for our world.

Stream leading down to the waterfall

            I believe the most prominent site at the Getty Center was the Wishing Well. This well begins atop a hill with a man-made stream that funneled into a running waterfall. This stream was composed of bamboo stick and rock features, where the water ran through it effortlessly. After the stream, the water was dumped into this grandiose wishing well that contained hedges placed in a specific manner to add to the well’s design. For me, the waterfall shows the brilliance that can be created from combining art, math, and science together, as the preciseness and design in the piece gives it a most complete effect.

Windmill

            Secondly, when focusing on mechanics, my attention grew to the metallic windmill that was composed of metal pieces. This windmill was composed differently than the normal white arm windmill; this one had metal pieces that rotated in addition to the rotation of the windmill as a whole. This windmill took great scientific knowledge and artistic ability to manufacture. This precision allows for the windmill to be distinguished high atop the Getty Center.

Proof of attendance: picture with Jean Paul Getty 

            Both the wishing well and the mechanical windmill provide insight into the material we are learning in class having immediate relevance in our actual world. I would highly recommend this event for individuals to attend, as there is a plethora of art works that can be interesting for a large variety of individuals.

Jared_Goldman_DESMA9_Midterm: URL

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B94Dcanwo9smQzQ3R3NJdGw3Nms/view