Week 4 Blog

First and foremost, I am extremely impressed with the Cyborg project, which has been talked about in Professor Vesna's video. In this experiment, a chip was inserted into human body and helped to track inner body's activities. This experiment is big and innovational. The applications under the experiment and related researches can reduce the inconveniency for people who have physical disabilities since chips inside the body may function as the powerful bridge.  Another interesting medical technology related to human body is Google's New Moonshot Project. I think this project should also be considered as an artistic project. The thesis behind this experiment is to detect how a healthy human body is like, which sounds like an abstract idea that wants to delve into the innate nature of health. With wild imaginings, Google is always doing ideal but meaningful project and thus is changing the world.  As well, based on what I have researched, John Hopkins has a department named the Art as Applied to Medicine under its Medical School. This department works on visualizing the medical science and leads the visual communication for science and health care. According to the special department related to both art and science, I think up a recent project, which uses artificial intelligence technique for diagnosis of illness. As Vesna mentioned in video, the X-ray is broadly used and it will definitely be applied in this project. The statistics will be put into machine. Also, with the visualizing techniques, machines will translate(communicate) the inner body structure and help doctors to diagnose patients.

Sources:
Vesna, Victoria. “Http://www.youtube.com/v/psjnQarHOqQ.” Lecture. Medicine pt2 . Youtube, 21 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psjnQarHOqQ>.
Vesna, Victoria. “Http://www.youtube.com/v/FIX-9mXd3Y4.” Lecture. Medicine pt3. Youtube, 22 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIX-9mXd3Y4>.
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. By Steven Spielberg. Prod. Steven Spielberg. Dir. Steven Spielberg. 2001.

"Kevin Warwick." Kevin Warwick. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Orlan – Carnal Art (2001) Documentary. Dir. Stéphan Oriach. Perf. Orlan. N.d. Film. YouTube. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=no_66MGu0Oo "

Visualizing Science and medicine." Http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/medart/indexOLDSITE.htm. Web. Person, and Alistair Barr. "Google's New Moonshot Project: The Human Body."WSJ. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

Week 3 Blog

Since the industrialization, new technologies have been flooding. The techniques of reproduction become more and more advanced and sophisticated. However, Walter Benjamin believed that even the perfect reproduction lack the uniqueness of its existence, which jeopardizes the uniqueness and the authenticity of art works. From his perspective, some techniques such as photography, copy machines, even films indeed perfectly reproduced but may depreciate the true value of artistic presence. Meanwhile, the mechanical reproduction aspired the new technology standard and thus present the new art form. I agree with him to some extent. In opinion, the appearance of these new technologies reform the patterns of art creation and should also change the way how people think about art creation. The copy machines however can produce real artistic work while presenting its unique existence.

I believe that 3-D printer technology is one important innovation in art history. Through computer designing programs, we can made an elephant with intricate carvings and firm materials in accurate measurement. The technology presents a new way for people to create but does not prevent artists from working in traditional ways. I believe the appearance of mechanical reproduction only provides more options of creation. 

This is also a example picture of 3D printing. With the new technology, humans can produce new forms of art. 

In addition, Benjamin proposed that the artistic creation was originally based on ritual; however, the technology innovation changed the situation and moved towards politics. 

For example, Triumph of the Will was a film used by Nazi group during the WWII to propagandize the Nazi ideology. Leni Riefenstahl invented new ways of filming and applied them to political topics. 

Sources:

Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. London: Penguin, 2008. Print.

"Catastrophe Becomes Art With 3D Printing." PCWorld. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.

"Triumph of the Will (Triumph Des Willens)(Leni Riefenstahl, 1935) Deluxe Remastered Edition DVD." Triumph of the Will (Triumph Des Willens)(Leni Riefenstahl, 1935) Deluxe Remastered Edition DVD. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.

Vesna,Victoria. “Lecutre Part 2.” Math + Art. 12 Oct. 2012. Lecture.

"Leni Riefenstahl." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.

Brooks, Katherine. "14 Ways 3D Printing Has Changed The Art World." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.

Week 2 Blog

Before I watched the weekly video, I believed that math was mostly applied to the modern art using computers. However, Vesna’s video introduced that math had been early applied in artistic creations. She talked about the famous Golden Ratio. It equals about 1.618. Based on the ratio, architects give the most precise measurement of height of columns, entablature, and pediment. This ratio has already been in use for architectures thousand years ago.

From the picture above, the Parthenon perfectly fits into the Golden rectangles. 

Alberti's Santa Maria Novella is another example using mathematical elements in architectural design. Alberti built the facade of Santa Maria Novella. He designed geometric shapes of ornamentation. As well, the facade also follows the Golden Ratio. Arberti lived in the period of the Renaissance. He designed the facade with a body of Gothic style. During the Gothic period, people worshiped God and architects built up high and heavy-ornamented architectures. When it turned to Renaissance, artistic works performed to be more rational. Arberti was good at using math, and through his rebuilt, Santa Maria Novella reflected a new rational feature. It is a characteristic building of Renaissance. 

In addition, another example of using math in art is the 12-semitones. The idea behind the rule is to build up collections of music notes with only one ratio. According to this rule, people can create harmonious music works.

Week 1 Blog

Snow predicted a “Third Culture” that stood between scientific innovation and philosophical interpretation. I see the same integration of two cultures. In the science major under the math department, I should have stayed at south campus for the most of time. However, the very logical and sophisticated German language interests me. Therefore, I choose to take German as a minor and often go to north campus. While taking German, I have to learn European history, German philosophers, social background, and the art development. Also, comparison practices between American society and German society makes me to think more about the global environment and the humanity. Meanwhile, many of my friends from south campus majors start to learn new foreign languages. Some who major in art or humanistic fields begin to study subjects like math and computer science. In the immediate world, we are less satisfied with studying only science or only literature. Most of us intend to gain knowledge from multi-areas to achieve the comprehensive personal development.

In addition, as Vesna proposed, art is often inspired by science. I also believe that new art forms can be created by combining both scientific elements and artistic ideas. As well, these new art forms can reshape what people think.

During the Renaissance, the Golden Ratio was proposed and broadly applied in artistic works to achieve the most beautiful body and the perfect geometric decorations. It also made people to think rationally about aesthetics.

In the Gothic period, new technologies were used in buildings. The Gothic structure presented special flying buttress, pointed arch, the vaulted ceiling, and huge colorful glass windows. Science and new technologies helped this style to prosper, such as the flying buttress supported the wall so that the building could be built very high. 

Very simple curving lines and the use of colors create a space graph. 

Sources:

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

"The Seven Key Characteristics of Gothic Architecture." Web. <http://www.exploring-castles.com/characteristics_of_gothic_architecture.html>.

"The UK Must Consider the Role of the Arts in Making Maths Relevant." Web. 29 Dec. 2012. <http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-02/29/uk-maths-art>.

"Spirogenetic Resurgence." 24 Jan. 2012. Web. <https://ablogappart.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/spirogenetic-resurgence/>.