Prior to this class, I never once thought the seemingly divergent fields of Art, medicine and technology correspond with one another.  However, as we have learned from previous weeks’ lectures, sciences like mathematics and robotics have in fact made an impact on art in significant ways and medicine technology is no different.  Like Professor mentioned, we often take common technologies like x-rays for granted as it has become an intrinsic part of our society over the last couple decades. From serving as medical initial tests before elaborate diagnosis and treatment to being used for security purposes in institutions like museums, airports and many others, X-ray technology is present in so many aspects of our lives that we sometimes neglect how this technology has not only allowed non invasive way of human anatomy studying, but also could be appreciated from an artistic perspective [1].

Airport Security 

Among the various subjects covered in this week’s lecture, the material I found most intriguing and relatable has ought to be plastic surgery. First of all, I was pleasantly surprised that plastic surgery was not part of the recent technological advancement, but rather surfaced about 400 years ago from the East [2]. Furthermore, plastic surgery has always translated to artificial features in my head and hence, I was unaware of its original reconstructive purpose. Raised in Asia, I was exposed to criticisms and media brainwashing regarding physical appearances on the daily. Contrary to the belief that these standards have become less imperative in our increasingly progressive society, beauty standards in Asia, particularly Korea have in fact remained just as strict if not more. From eyelids, to jaw structure and even head to body height ratio [3], many have resort to plastic surgery in order to meet these ideals.

South Korean beauty pageant contestants criticized for looking almost identical  

During my visit back home last summer, I was taken back when I saw endless advertisements on tourism center billboards promoting travel packages to South Korea. On a closer look, these deals are not your typical sightseeing and shopping trips but rather, they are weekend long trips for plastic surgery procedures! Known as the plastic surgery mecca, it is no surprise that the South Korean government is setting aside as much as $4 million a year to help promote the medical tourism industry [4], which is mainly dominated by plastic surgeons to fuel this latest trend. Although the ever rising popularity of cosmetic surgery demonstrates the powerfulness of incorporating technology and medicine into the realms of art (to “sculpt” oneself to be more aesthetically pleasing), it has also generated heated debates on the issue of going under the knife in order to enhance self image for better confidence [5]. 

Before and After Ads on the streets of South Korea

Citations 

[1]

           Vesna, Victoria. “Medicine Pt2.” UCOnlineProgram. YouTube. 22 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2015

[2]

            Vesna, Victoria. “Medicine Pt3.” UCOnlineProgram. YouTube. 22 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2015

[3]

"Which Asian Country Has the Most Unrealistic Beauty Standards? (best, Culture, Cons) - City-Data Forum." Which Asian Country Has the Most Unrealistic Beauty Standards? (best, Culture, Cons) - City-Data Forum. N.p., 5 June 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://www.city-data.com/forum/asia/2110822-asian-country-has-most-unrealistic-beauty.html>.

[4]

Stevenson, Alexandra. "Plastic Surgery Tourism Brings Chinese to South Korea." The New York Times. The New York Times, 23 Dec. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/24/business/international/plastic-surgery-tourism-brings-chinese-to-south-korea.html?_r=0>.

[5]

Schulte, Katherine. "What Are Your Opinions on Cosmetic Surgery?" The Learning Network What Are Your Opinions on Cosmetic Surgery Comments. The New York Times, 29 Oct. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/29/what-are-your-opinions-on-cosmetic-surgery/comment-page-3/>.

Prior to this week’s lecture, I have always thought that the pervasive influence of technology in the realms of art is nothing but beneficial. Take for example, many museums in the past two decades have begun to incorporate pre-recorded walkthroughs of the facilities into their exhibits [1]. With this newfound technology, information on artists and their respective pieces are conveyed to the audience and is no doubt making the overall experience for the public a better one. However, Benjamin Walter argues in his article that while technology has created completely new territory in the areas of art, the mechanical reproduction nature has also led to repercussions. Prior to mass production, each art piece is one of a kind but nowadays, originality is being removed [2]. His assertion has led me to realize that technological influence on art might not be all that positive after all. In an interview of Jonathan Ball, the creator of a company that develops visual solutions, he contends that digital artworks are at risks of being lost in future generations.  Since most digital works are designed to be view on current relevant devices, these arts will be obsolete when newer models with higher resolution are developed in the future [3]. In the end, although technology has positively influenced art in various ways, whether it be technically or convenience, it is inevitable that there are also negative consequences to these technological breakthroughs.

When Professor Vesna gave the example of robot seen in media, a production that immediately came to mind is the film Big Hero 6 by Walt Disney Animation Studio [4]. A 3D computer-animated film, the production incorporates art with the most innovative computer software to date. First, the technical team generated the fictional setting, San Fransokyo using a tool called Denzien [5]. The software generated a total of 83,00 buildings, 260,000 trees, 215,000 streetlights and 1000,00 vehicles, all of which are distinctive from one another. With respect to the character of Baymax, the designers behind the movie envisioned the robot to be different from existing ones in media culture. With inspiration from Carneige Mellon University’s Robotics Institute’s research on soft robotics, the concept of a huggable robot built using inflatable vinyl was born. Without a doubt, this movie celebrates the fusion of technology and art in a way that no other films productions have done before.

                             

Sources:

Hanna-West, Dr. Sharon. "The Influence of Technology in Art Appreciation and Sales as a Factor in the Sustainability of the Retail Art Industry." The Influence of Technology in Art Appreciation and Sales as a Factor in the Sustainability of the Retail Art Industry (n.d.): 4. University of South Florida. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.usf.edu/business/documents/undergraduate/honors/thesis-gamboa-sarah.pdf>.

Benjamin, Walter. “The Work of Art in Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” Marxists. N.p.. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm>.

Maraviglia, Marilina. "What Do We Really Mean By Art? - Smashing Magazine." Smashing Magazine. N.p., 23 July 2010. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/07/23/what-do-we-really-mean-by-art/>.

Vesna,Victoria. “Lecutre Part 2.” Math + Art. 19 Apr. 2012. Lecture.

Vope, Joseph. "Disney Rendered Its New Animated Film on a 55,000-core Supercomputer." Engadget. N.p., 18 Oct. 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.engadget.com/2014/10/18/disney-big-hero-6/>.

Week 2

     Previous to this week’s lecture, Art and Math have always been two very distinctive, independent entities to me. However, this week’s course material  has shed light on the fact that the two interests are in fact very much reliant on one another. Mathematics for one, are often times conceptualized with art illustrations while on the other hand, artists often use mathematics such as the golden ratio to create aesthetically pleasing works

     In particular, I am particularly fond of the works of graphic artist M.C. Escher. Known for his mathematically inspired work, he showed that even shapes as simple as triangles, hexagons and even irregular polygons can be combined to create intricate patterns of artworks.

     Through Professor Vesna’s lecture and Linda Henderson’s “The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art”, I have learned that artists throughout history have heavily incorporated mathematics when creating their art pieces not only for precision but also to enhance the works’ aesthetics. Among all the examples presented in lecture,  I was most intrigued by the golden ratio which could be applied both to art and science. On one hand, artists such as the infamous Leonardo da Vinci was known for his sketches of man with ideal proportions in relation to space. On the other hand, the golden ratio can be applied to the studies of human anatomy in the realm of science.

     This week’s material has proven that juxtaposition of mathematics, art and science are in fact closely tied. Most people seem to be unaware of their correlation most likely as a result of initial impressions as mentioned by Professor Vesna in lecture. A negative experience in Art could lead one to favor the field of sciences and vice versa. In reality, the interchangeability between the three spheres indeed permeate many different aspects of our lives.   

Sources:

Vesna, Victoria. “Mathematics-pt1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean.mov.” Cole UC online. Youtube, 9 April 2012. Web. 12 April. 2015. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmq5B1LKDg&feature=player_embedded

"Leonardo da Vinci, Marketing Genius" Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://www.forbes.com>.

“Bestel een reproductie” Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <www.mcescher.nl>

“Match Wits with the Kids” Web. 12 Apr. 2015. < matchwitswiththekids.blogspot.com>

Abbott, Edwin. “Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions.” N.p., n.d. Web. 12 April. 2015. <https://cole.uconline.edu/content>.

Henderson, Linda D. "The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art: Conclusion." Leonardo 17.3 (1984): 205-10. JSTOR. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.