Nanotechnology + Art

"Even the smallest change in sequence can create a very different outcome in computation." - Paul Rothemund, TED Talk: DNA Folding, in detail

Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter on a molecular or atomic scale which cannot be seen by the naked eye. This field of technology is making more and more breakthroughs in various forms of art. 

Researchers at the University of Illinois have used acid to shrink silver nanoparticles, resulting in conductive ink. By suspending it in a cellulose solution, the nanoparticles become fluid enough to flow through the tip of a pen. A line drawing becomes strong enough to carry a current that can power an antenna or a small LED display. The pen enables a new type of creative design, shown here in the lightbulb at the top of this house. 

At the annual International Online Nanoart competition, this artist hydrolized a tiny drop of titanium organometallic compound, coating it with gold so it could be seen with a Scanning Electron Microscope. The electron scan was painted, manipulated, and created onto a canvas. The nanosculpture below is named "Black Eye NanoOctopus," created by California based artist and scientist, Cris Orfescu.

Here, artist Elisa Cohen created a piece called "Resurrection." The nanosculpture was made up of three layers, the top one being an inverse of the original layer. There is a color overlay on the top two layers, with the topmost layer containing an opacity gradient layer. The artist used Adobe Photoshop's liquify filter for the middle layer. 

After reviewing this week's material, I am beginning to see the newly developing relationship between nanotechnology and art. In turn, this "nano" connection helps me understand the broader relationship between art and science on a more macro-level. 

SOURCES:

Black Eye NanoOctopus. N.d. Photograph. New York Times. 24 Nov 2013.<http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/01/17/technology/20080117_NANOART_SLIDESHOW_index.html>.

Nanoparticle-Filled Ink Conducts Electricity. N.d. Photograph. Popular Science. 24 Nov 2013.<http://www.popsci.com/science/gallery/2012-11/7-amazing-nanoparticles-changing-our-lives/?image=0>.

"Nanotechnology" Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Mar. 2013. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.

"Paul Rothemund: DNA folding, in detail." TED Talks. YouTube, Sept 2008. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.

Resurrection. N.d. Photograph. Popular Science. 24 Nov 2013.<http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/01/17/technology/20080117_NANOART_SLIDESHOW_4.html>.

Neuroscience + Art

As a psychology major, I am fascinated by the study of the human mind. Last spring quarter, I took a social cognitive neuroscience class. This was the first time this class has ever been taught at UCLA, as it is a new and developing field of study. Not only did I learn the "why" of social human interaction, but I got to learn the "how" behind it. What part of the brain is triggered when you are in an embarrassing social situation? Why does one component of your brain fire more neurons when you are doing one thing versus the other? It is amazing how much we have learned about something so intricate and complex such as our minds, and even more amazing of how we are just beginning to understand it. Here, Christopher deCharms discusses how new technology is allowing us a "look inside the brain," allowing for the possibility of somewhat controlling emotions such as pain or anger. 

During the duration of my undergraduate life, I have also taken a couple of upper division psychology classes that revolve around the Mind-Body relationship. Health Psychology is a class devoted to understanding the scientific connections between psychological factors, social factors, and physical health and illness. This model of health is called the Biopsychosocial model. Over the years, artists have had to create new models to ensure that both doctors and psychologists alike are able to work with the most updated information. For instance, my professor discussed how stress (a psychological state) can weaken the immune system (a physical state).

I was so interested in this, that I took the counterpart, called Mind-Body Health psychology. Here, my professor talked about different methods such as yoga, meditation, and positive thinking and how, if conducted properly, can actually work wonders on the body. Time Magazine's "The Science of Meditation," shows how meditation can be used as a relaxation technique to help with stress management. 

There is no doubt that the mind and body are inextricably connected. Together, art and technology is becoming more and more of a crucial player in the medical and health fields. 

SOURCES:

Biopsychosocial Model. N.d. Photograph. Google Images. 17 Nov 2013.

"Biopsychosocial Model" Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Mar. 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.

"Christopher deCharms: A look inside the brain in real time." TED Talks. YouTube, Mar 2008. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.

The Science of Meditation. N.d. Photograph. Time Magazine. 17 Nov 2013.<http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1005349,00.html>.

Stein, Joel. "Just Say Om." Time Magazine. (2003): n. page. Print.

Biotechnology + Art

"I like to take the least connected things and try to build connections between them." - Joe Davis

It is becoming more and more common for today's artists to explore the developing field of biotechnology. Biotechnology is a controversial issue because it is a science that toys with genetic modifications, including human mutations. As a result, these issues give rise to many ethical debates regarding the fine line between biotechnology, science, and art. According to Professor Vesna, Joe Davis, the pioneer of biotechnological art, saw genes as a "palette" for artists.

Biotechnology is much more present in our lives than we think. Being an avid foodie, I was excited to read Seed Magazine's, "This is Your Brain on Food," which describes how the food we eat can influence our neurons, which in turn effect how we think and feel. This article states that in actuality, anything we take into our bodies should be seen as a drug, whether obviously one or not. The author explains how the food we eat has cross-similar characteristics to some of today's popular psychoactive drugs, which also come from plants or animals. It is mind blowing to realize that the same chemicals that are in drugs can also be released when we eat everyday foods such as potatoes or tomatoes. This is the chemical compound myristicin, found in nutmeg. In high doses, it can have hallucination effects and LSD-like experiences.

On the topic of food, we can also see how biotechnology influences food that we see at the local grocery store. This week I went grocery shopping, and I found the biggest tomato I've ever seen before. It was much bigger than my hand - probably the size of two fists together. By the usage of biotechnology, we can now genetically modify foods to be bigger than their original sizes. 

Genetically modifying food can also change its cell structure and composition. We can now eat hybrids of food such as a pluot (plum + apricot) or pineberries (pineapple + strawberries). 

Even if it wasn't discussed in much detail here, biotechnology can be a sensitive topic for a variety of other reasons. In this blog, I talked mostly about food, but if science can change the composition of foods, what stops it from translating into human genetics? This is the part of biotechnology that humans are uncomfortable with breaching because of the moral and ethical issues that accompany it.

SOURCES:

Genetically Modified Food N.d. Photograph. 27 Oct 2013.

"Joe Davis" Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 Mar. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.

Pineberry N.d. Photograph. 27 Oct 2013.

Vesna, Victoria. "5 Bioart Pt1 1280x720." YouTube. YouTube, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.

Wenk, Gary. "This is Your Brain on Food." 11 11 2013: n. page. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. <http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/this_is_your_brain_on_food/>.