Medicine, Technology and Art

Functional Portraits – Marta De Menezes (2002-2003)

Human body is an object that is profound, subtle, and full of mysterious. Says, we can feel that we are sick while feeling uncomfortable and weak, for instance, to be knocked over by fever, or keep coughing badly. However, we couldn’t see what is going on in our inside human body and detect how the viruses harm our internal organs unless art step into and intersect in the area of medicine, and with technical cooperation by advanced technology. MRI is a great medical example that has been mentioned in lecture video by Professor Vesna and the article ‘Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations between Science and the Arts’ which was authored by Casini, Silvia.

We all know that MRI scan is a common medical procedure while being hospitalized, and its job is to create detailed images of the organs and tissues for examining any potential or existing disease within the body. By viewing the images, it is possible to trace the self, viewing subjects to access memories. It is true of the idea “MRI- both images and the examination-- is a memory-trigger that engenders other images and words.” Yet, it is amazing that the images of MRI can be transformed into artworks as exhibitions. For example, “Functional Portraits” is an art project which was created by the artist Marta de Menezes. She used fMRI of brain to create portraits where the mind can be visualised.

The Nuclear Family

Her creations are a lot more than this. “The Nuclear Family” is another bio-artwork which are represented using DNA microarrays. It displays the genetic differences from human beings to different groups. The meaning behind this art piece is significant in terms of “the uniqueness of the individual is a consequence of the factors that are not encoded in the genes and that determine how each of us becomes.” As stated by Mia Couto, a Mozambican writer, “Every Man is one race.”

Hence, plastic surgery can be considered as a combination of medical science and art. There are countless stories of women who have ever attempted to do plastic method at their faces or bodies to improve their appearances. However, a French performance artist, Orlan, used several surgical alterations to her face and body intentionally to challenge beauty standard. That is also an example of a bond of medicine, technology, and art. Doubtlessly, art is everywhere and whatever it bounds with.

References:

Casini, Silvia. "Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations

between Science and the Arts." Ca’ Foscari Università Di Venezia, 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2017.

<Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as MIrror and Portrait: MRI Configurations between

Science and the Arts>

"Experimental Art Practice: Art and Biological Research Combined with Marta De Menezes."Video

Pool Media Arts Centre. Video Pool Media Arts Centre, 16 Feb. 2016. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

<http://www.videopool.org/experimental-art-practice-art-and-biological-research-combined-

with-marta-de-menezes/>

Marta De Menezes. "Nuclear Family." Marta De Menezes. Moshi Moshi, 2012. Web. 28 Apr. 2017.

          <http://martademenezes.com/portfolio/nuclear-family/>

Sumitra. "Orlan – The French Performance Artist Who Used Plastic Surgery to Challenge Beauty

Standards." Oddity Central - Collecting Oddities. Odditycentral.com, 02 Jan. 2013. Web. 29

Apr. 2017. <http://www.odditycentral.com/news/orlan-the-french-performance-artist-who-

           used-plastic-surgery-to-challenge-beauty-standards.html>

Vesna, Victoria. "Medicine Pt2." YouTube. YouTube, 21 Apr. 2012. Web. 28 Apr. 2017.

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psjnQarHOqQ>

Vesna, Victoria. "Medicine Pt3." YouTube. YouTube, 22 Apr. 2012. Web. 28 Apr. 2017.

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIX-9mXd3Y4>

Robotics and Art

One of the videos of TED Talk which was spoken by Hod Lipson is thoughtful, he said “Where are the robots? We have been told for forty years already that they are coming soon. Very soon they will be doing everything for us. They will be cooking, cleaning, buying things, shopping, building…” Yes, that idea used to be a dream of all human beings, and now it seems to be coming true. Thanks for our talented, skilled scientists, technicians, and engineers; so far, there are lots of incredible robots that assist so well in our life, such as iRobot Roomba, a robotic vacuum cleaner. It is an ongoing behavior that people have been seeking more convenient and powerful life way. And it will be so fantastic if our world has the potential to be automation, even to be robotization. That kind of prospect can be seen in many films, for example, an animation “Robots” which was released in 2005. Indeed, to make a robot with its ‘self-aware’ is alway a target for our next step because we want to make it smarter, and more sensitive, like what Hod Lipson said at the end of his talk, “we have to get away from this idea of designing the machines manually, but actually let them evolve and learn, like children, and perhaps that's the way we'll get there.”

Furthermore, people are trying to make robots to be more artistical rather than just metallic. That idea is great because it is a brilliant way to bring our imagination to life to be more touchable rather than just applying them, robots, in industrial domains. For example that I found from the website “Arduino” which is provided by the lecture resources, “A ROBOTIC DANCING TEAPOT.” It is really cute and amazing that making the fictional thing to be real from the Disney’s movie “Beauty and the Beast.” As well, speaking of another example that I feel amazingly is a combination of lego and programming, “LEGO Starbucks Hot Coffee Maker Machine.” Such the creation fascinates me because who can think about using toy bricks to build a real coffee machine, and it really works to make a cup of hot coffee. In addition, there is a scientific group, named as The Creators Project, created a lifelike female android which can move her body and hums along to the musical lyrics. How amazing that the technology is really influencing in the world of art.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktw1vTHYrFw

                                            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS_osZjyw_Y

References:

Arduino Team. "Arduino Blog » A robotic dancing teapot." Arduino Blog RSS. Arduino, 20 Apr.

2017. Web. 23 Apr. 2017. <https://blog.arduino.cc/2017/04/20/a-robotic-dancing-teapot/>

AstonishingStudios. "LEGO Starbucks Hot Coffee Maker Machine." YouTube. YouTube, 28 Oct.

2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2017. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS_osZjyw_Y>

Lipson, Hod. "Building "self-aware" robots." Hod Lipson: Building "self-aware" robots | TED Talk |

TED.com. TED Conferences, LLC, Mar. 2007. Web. 23 Apr. 2017.

<https://www.ted.com/talks/hod_lipson_builds_self_aware_robots>

"Robots (2005 film)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Apr. 2017. Web. 23 Apr. 2017.
< https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robots_(2005_film) >

Rosenthal, Emerson. "[Video] Watch Damon Albarn Perform A Solo Concert For Androids."

Creators. 2017 VICE Media LLC, 9 Oct. 2014. Web. 23 Apr. 2017.

< https://creators.vice.com/en_us/article/damon-albarn-solo-concert-for-androids >

TheCreatorsProject. "Damon Albarn Performs "Everyday Robots" To Android Audience." YouTube. YouTube, 09 Oct. 2014. Web. 23 Apr. 2017. < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktw1vTHYrFw >

Eco Materialism and Contemporary Art

The awesome lecturer, Linda Weintraub

The event, named “Eco Materialism and Contemporary Art, ” which was hosted by Linda Weintraub, reminded me to think about our life of past, or at least a decade ago while we did not encounter so many inventions of artificial intelligence. Let’s think about few questions! How long have we not been using our hands as tools to draw a decoration on the edge of a photo for recording unforgettable memory? Instead, how often do we use the other software, such as Photoshop or Illustrator to do the same thing. Or, do you think that the farmers have been abiding by the old way of plowing with longhorn to furrow the fields rather than using tractors to be a way more efficient and effective?

There is no doubt that people are living in an amazing world where is full of fantastic technological devices. However, people are kind of losing some skills of using basic natural way with the real tool, which is “ourselves,” to do some technical stuff rather than machines. It is true of the idea which was expressed during the event lecture from Linda, to be said that the lifestyle of human beings have been changed since the flying machines came out into the world. Indeed, it is properly so called that “HUMANITY as 'POWER TOOL'.”

While the world has been making rapid and brilliant progress in the fields of science and technology, the view of aesthetic has been changed from earthy, frugal to be lavish, and heavily embellished. Gradually, the style of futuristic design has been in vogue. In the meanwhile, the growth of high-tech would be linked to the increase of pollution due to the matter of waste. As stated by Linda, “so many of our proud achievements are accompanied by disruptions, depletions, squandering, and polluting.” People must admit that we are being against the issue of protection and construction in natural ecology environment, as well as, we are consuming the cultural resources and ruining cultural ecology. Although such the inventive, ingenious devices are performing a great feat of human advancement with the three points in which mentioned as “renown for their inventors, fortunes for their distributors, and gratitude from their beneficiaries,” lots of indigenous monuments which should be remained are going to be impaired.

Taiwanese Indigenous leaf painting

Therefore, we shall dig over the problem of the relationship among eco materialism, technologism, and the principle of artism. Looking back on those old days when we did not have any intelligent robotic assistance, we, ourselves, were intelligent “tools” with clever and incredible skills that pursued so many great achievements and created quite amount of art treasures which were delicate, delightful, and remarkable. Indeed, without integrating the substance of high-tech, those natural artworks which have been reserved till now are stylish, fashionable, and full of spirit. In addition, such the accomplishments were less “registered in oil spills, decimated forests, smog, and toxic waste dumps.” I really recommend my classmates to attend the event, enjoy the lecture, and think about the relation between “technological success” and “ecological 'success”.

My selfie - since the elevator is unstable for using, the upper corner stage is the only space I can stay during the event.

Mathematical and Art

The Parthenon and Phi, the Golden Ratio

According to Leonardo da Vinci, an Italian polymath whose areas of interest were wider than you expect, he said that “There is no certainty in sciences where one of the mathematical sciences cannot applied…”. In other words, art itself is a science. Indeed, math is the crux of the matter of how to connect each other. In the movie Pi (1998), a mathematical theory has been stated that - “Mathematics is the language of nature.” Unbelievably, it is true that math is everywhere and is an essential part of daily living, such as counting money or measuring time, and even constructing buildings or creating art works of sculpture or painting. Well, the idea of using math in the art, as well as in architecture is a bit inconceivable; however, the idea would be accepted and understood while thinking about the concepts of Fourth Dimension, Non-Euclidean Geometry, and Golden Ratio.

The Sacrament of the Last Supper, by Salvador Dali

We must believe that “n-dimensional and non-Euclidean geometries were a stimulus to go beyond traditional oil painting to explore the interrelationship of dimensions and even to reexamine the nature of three-dimensional perspective,” is a belief which expressed in the article, "The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art: Conclusion," because lots of works have been existing in that way. Hence, Golden Ratio is another thing that expresses the idea of the combination of math and art.
Technically, Golden Ration is just a floating number, 1.6180339887… However, some artists and architects in twentieth-century, such as Dali and Le Corbusier, have approximated the golden ratio and adjusted it properly in their works. The article, "The golden ratio and aesthetics," indicates that Salvador Dali, a surrealist, doubt that "he actually did deliberately include the Golden Ratio in his art."

The two subjects, math and art, seem like standing separately in two polarities: sense and sensibility. But, they actually can be done in harmony with each other to be a great achievement in the world.

Reference:

"Golden Ratio." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Apr. 2017. Web. 15 Apr. 2017.

Henderson, Linda Dalrymple. "The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern

Art: Conclusion." Leonardo. The MIT Press, 04 Jan. 2017. Web. 15 Apr. 2017.

Lewis, Tanya. "What's the Universe Made Of? Math, Says Scientist." LiveScience. Purch, 30 Jan.

2014. Web. 15 Apr. 2017.

Livio, Mario. "The Golden Ratio and Aesthetics." The Golden Ratio and Aesthetics. University

of Cambridge, 1 Nov. 2002. Web. 15 Apr. 2017.

Meisner, Gary. "The Parthenon and Phi, the Golden Ratio." Goldennumber.net. PhiPoint

Solutions, LLC, 20 Jan. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

Visavedlatinv. "Pi Movie Trailer." YouTube. YouTube, 30 July 2006. Web. 15 Apr. 2017.

Golden Ration is used for the sign of Apple 

Two Cultures

No doubt, modern technological inventions facilitate our life nowadays. It seems like we cannot live without the technology in our society; indeed, speaking of education, the subjects of science or engineering in which relates to the technological discipline is being more popular and swinging to be a tideway of the world. People gradually overlook the importances of arts, literatures, and humanities which should be as important as science and technology. Nevertheless, it is obvious that the sciences and the humanities have been split into the titular two cultures. As stated by C. P. Snow, a scientist and novelist, he pointed out the idea that such the existence was a major hindrance of solving the world’s problems. As being a Linguistics with CS major student at UCLA, I would say that the claim in which was talked by C. P. Snow in The Two Cultures is certainly true.

We cannot deny that we have so many stereotypes of two total different areas: humanity and science. For instance, while an engineering major student talks about a term, integral, to a pure linguistic major student, he or she won’t follow what it is. Contrastively, an engineer would be feeling loss while a linguist talks about the system of phonetics. However, those two things can be combined and work amazingly together. One example is voice command system device (VCD). Android is an open source operating system that has been developed by Google, and it allows users to perform voice commands, such as message texting, map viewing, etc. To develop this kind of useful and convenient software, those two different areas should cooperate with each other. Therefore, another subject, Computational Linguistics, emerge and it totally widens our mind. The third culture is such kind of thing. After reading the articles, I feel that I should not only learn more about these two fields of subjects but also apply them to each other. It will be the trend of how the world communicates in the future.

Android Voice Command

References

"RSA ANIMATE: Changing Education Paradigms." YouTube. N.p., 14 Oct. 2010. Web. 09 Apr. 2017.

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 (2001): 121-125. Print.

Vesna, Victoria. "TwoCultures Pt2." YouTube. Uconlineprogram, 3 Mar. 2012. Web. 09 Apr. 2017.

Wilson, Stephen D. “Myths and Confusions in Thinking about Art/Science/Technology.” College Art Association Meetings. New York, New York, 2000. Print