Week 4 - "MedTech + Art"

I found this week’s lectures to be very interesting, mainly because I had touched on this topic briefly in my last post concerning robotics. This week’s topic focuses on the technological advances made in the medical field and how it relates to art (Vesna). My interpretation of the connection between the medical field and art is much more obvious than my interpretation of the connection between science and art. This is because I do not view medicine as a pure science. True, medicine is the study of science, but the practice of medicine can be described as applied science and much more of an art form than other sciences (Panda). As Professor Vesna mentioned in lecture, one of the connections made between medicine and art was in plastic surgery. 

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Some may see plastic surgery as an art because it allows the artist, the surgeon, to sculpt a new face from the model, the patient. According to Holland Cotter of the New York Times, “The human body is their medium, the operating room their studio. The tools of their craft include multifarious cutting, clamping, probing and sewing devices, as well as digital and laser technologies. Most of the work that results is a living art. It can be seen walking among us in the form of revamped and – this is, of course, the point – improved faces and figures.” In my opinion, this sentiment gives art a bad name. Growing up, I was taught to value individuality and embracing natural beauty. However, using plastic surgery as a form of art seems to be overstepping some boundaries. 

The Reincarnation of Saint-Orlan

This can be seen with Orlan’s Reincarnation of Saint-Orlan project. Orlan underwent numerous surgeries in order to achieve the beauty portrayed by the portraits of famous artists. I do not believe this is art, but rather a superficial attempt at art. Plastic surgery has evolved as an art form in that doctors are finding new and efficient medical procedures using their imagination. These procedures are used to help burn victims, domestic violence victims, and other wounded victims (American Society of Plastic Surgeons) and should not be made a mockery as in Orlan’s case. 

Reconstructive Plastic Surgery on Cleft Lip and Palate

Thus, I do believe that medicine can be considered an art form but that there is a fine line.

Citations

Cotter, Holland. “Artist’s Life: Cut, Nip and Tuck.” The New York Times. 19 Arp. 2009. Web.

Panda, S.C. “Medicine: Science or Art?” Mens Sana Monographs 4.1(2006): 127-38. Print.

“Reconstructive Procedures.” American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Web.

Rose, Barbara. “Orlan: Is it Art? Orlan and the Transgressive Act.” Stanford. 2 Feb. 1993. Web.

Vesna, Victoria. “Unit Four: MedTech + Art.” 2012. Web.

Week 3 - "Robotics + Art"

Robots have become very popularized in digital media, mainly movies and television shows. Many of these movies convey the need of humanity to develop machines that can replace humans as a form of labor. Society finds robots appealing because of their potential to perform tasks that human can do, but in a more efficient manner, essentially making the progress of humanity more efficient.  

Rosie in The Jetsons

For example, in The Jetsons, Rosie acts as the household robot in charge of all the housework, and in Pixar and Disney’s’ WALL-E, WALL-E’s job is to clean a waste-ridden Earth. 

WALL-E

These movies and television shows have robots replacing humans labor, allowing humans to direct their time and focus elsewhere. 

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Even in real world situations, there exist nanorobotics utilized in surgery, drones used by the military, robotic prosthetics, and many others (Lewis). 

Prosthetic Arm

Not only can robots replace human labor more efficiently, they can perform tasks that are impossible for humans. However, as with most drastic changes, there are many people who oppose the development of advanced robots. With the development of Artificial Intelligence, there came the possibility of the involuntary evolution of Artificial Intelligence (Kelly). What if robots are able to develop their thinking or think outside of the bounds of their programmed hardware? This kind of viewpoint is popularized in movies such as I, Robot, WALL-E, The Matrix, and Terminator, among others. 

Auto, rogue AI in WALL-E

In these movies, there exist robots that have twisted the logic of their hardwire code, leading to a form of independent thinking that puts humanity in harms way. For example, in I, Robot, all robots are hardwire with three laws that must be obeyed in order to ensure the safety of individual humans. However, an AI known as VIKI has convoluted those laws to believe that humanity needs to be protected from themselves and proceeds to imprison humans. 

I, Robot

Although this may be a movie, that is not to say that it can not happen. How do we ensure that robots behave only based on how they are programmed? Another opinion against robots is that the development of robots can dilute creativity. Walter Benjamin believed that the technology of photography shatters the “aura” of objects by mass producing it so that it loses its uniqueness and originality. Thus, although there is great appeal of the development of robotics, there are also drawbacks that are not obvious but can make a big impact on society.



Citations

Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. 1936. Print.

I, Robot. Dir. Alex Proyas. Perf. Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan. 20th Century Fox, 2004. Film.

Kelly, Gavin. "The Robots Are Coming. Will They Bring Wealth or a Divided Society?" The Guardian. 4 Jan. 2014. Web.

Lewis, Colin. "5 Areas in Robotics That Will Transform Society and Their Economic Impact." Robohub. 24 Apr. 2014. Web. 

WALL-E. Dir. Andrew Stanton. Perf. Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight. Walt Disney Studios, 2008. Film

Week 2 - "Math + Art"

For much of my life, I have been told that art and science are so different because science is made up of facts and calculations, whereas art is all up to interpretation, and thus there is nothing calculating about it. 

"Girl Before a Mirror" Pablo Picasso

For example, paintings done by Picasso, van Gogh, Monet, and many other distinguished artists do not seem to reply on mathematics or science, but rather rely on how they perceive the world around them. However, after watching the lecture videos, I can see that even the perspective in which these work of arts are conceived is calculating in itself. As Professor Vesna mentions in the lecture video, perspective is used to convey three-dimensional space on a two-dimension canvas. 

Linear Perspective

In order to do so, one must utilize vanishing points, proportions, horizontal and orthogonal lines, and the laws of optics to achieve what is called Linear Perspective. 
As seen from Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott, the utilization and examination of dimensions is important not only in art, but also in literature as Abbott uses dimensions as a means to comment on the hierarchies of society. 

Use of Computer and Music

In addition to art and literature, mathematics is seen vastly used in architecture, employing geometric shapes as well as the Golden Ratio, as mentioned by Professor Vesna, as well as computers used for the advancement of music production. A prime example is in architecture such as the Parthenon by sculptor Phidias. Phidias makes use of the Golden Ratio when creating the Parthenon. 

Parthenon by Phidias

The Golden Ratio refers to the proportional relations ratio of the shorter part to the longer part as the longer part is to the whole. It is believed that this proportion is aesthetically pleasing in art. Thus, as first glance, art and math seem to come from two separate worlds, when they in fact go hand in hand through many different mediums.


Citations

Abbott, Edwin. Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions. 1st Ed. London: Seeley, 1884, Print.

Britton, Jill. "Golden Selection." Golden Selection in Art and Architecture. 6 May 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://britton.disted.camosun.bc.ca/goldslide/jbgoldslide.htm>.

Burk, Phil, Larry Polansky, Douglas Repetto, Mary Roberts, and Dan Rockmore. "Music and Computers." Music and Computers. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://music.columbia.edu/cmc/MusicAndComputers/>.

Obara, Samuel. "Golden Ratio in Art and Architecture." Golden Ratio in Art and Architecture. The University of Georgia. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt668/EMAT6680.2000/Obara/Emat6690/GoldenRatio/golden.html>.

"Museum of Science, Boston." Exploring Linear Perspective. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://legacy.mos.org/sIn/Leonardo/ExploringLinearPerspective.html>.

Week 1 - "Two Cultures"

North Campus 

As a Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology major here at UCLA, it is no surprise that most of my coursework is set heavily within the culture of science, with little room for the arts.

South Campus

Although UCLA does attempt to tear down the barrier between North and South campus by implementing General Education courses, the topics of these courses as well as the lack of options fail to generate a spark in most students to continue studying in a culture that is not their own. There is an apparent divide between North and South campus, not just physically, but also in how the courses are taught, how students of each discipline think, and how students of each campus view the other. As C.P. Snow mentions in his lecture “The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution,” people of each discipline believe their subject to be more superior and therefore have little interest in the other culture, deepening this divide. Also noted by Snow, this division of two cultures can become a hinder as even the most intelligent people that specializes in one culture, may have outdated knowledge in the other culture.

Phonautogram

Therefore I support the proposed Third Culture, referred to by John Brockman, which bridges a gap between these two cultures. In recent history, the sciences and humanities have helped one another progress. 

iPod Touch

Music has benefited from improved technologies, moving from a phonautogram in the mid-1800s to the MP3 files of today. Movies have also benefitted from technology, progressing from silent, black and white film to the high definition format we are familiar with today.

Silent Films - City Lights

Science has also benefited from the humanities. As an MCDB major, I understand that it is important for scientists to be published or receive grants by having an excellent sense of communication and rhetoric skills.

Modern Films - Iron Man 3

Therefore, as an aspiring scientist, I believe it is important that I not only focus on the sciences but also the humanities as I will need to develop my writing, analytical, and rhetorical skills in order to succeed.

Citations

Brockman, John. The Third Culture. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995. Print.

Dirks, Tim. "Film History of the 1920s." Film History of the 1920s. American Movie Classics Company LLC. Web. 5 Apr. 2015. <http://www.filmsite.org/20sintro4.html>.

Graham-Rowe, Duncan. "John Brockman: Matchmaking with Science and Art (Wired UK)." Wired UK. Conde Nast Digital, 3 Feb. 2011. Web. 5 Apr. 2015.<http:www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2011/03/start/matchmaking-with-science-and-art>.

Sena, Kimberly. "Guest Post: A History of Music Formats." Music Therapy Maven RSS. Wordpress, 14 Sept. 2011. Web. 5 Apr. 2015. <http:www.musictherapymaven.com/a-history-of-music-formats/>.

Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. New York: Cambridge UP, 1959. Print.