SPACE + ART

Art and Space both stem from and inconceivable amount of curiosity and imagination, so it is no surprise these two things can come together to change the world. Artists yearn to explore all form of the human experiences and to share in the curiosity of the unknown. Some of the worlds greatest unknowns come from beyond our atmosphere: what other galaxy's are like and do life forms like us live in these far away places. The most common of these artistic representations of space happen in popular television shows and movies. Artists often collaborate with directors as well as scientists to create a spectacular form of entertainment forming exciting plot lines with  scientific foundations. While a few critics may believe these images take away the viewers ability to imagine, the entertainment provided in these shows may merely open doors to the numerous possibilities that lay out side our small world. Richard Brandon, founder of Virgin Galactic, is determined to make the possibility of commercial ventures into space possible for the masses. Less that 600 humans have been out side of Earth's atmosphere, leaving the remaining billions to only be left to their imagination. Virgin Galactic is striving to make our galaxy a smaller place and hopefully give everyone a chance to experience the wonders that lay outside of this world.

 “Space is not only important for the future of transportation, It’s important for the future of Imagination” - George Whitesides

    

References 

Horvitz, Robert.  "Art into Space”,Whole Earth Review, fall 1985, pages 26-31.

Kirby, D. A. "Science Consultants, Fictional Films, and Scientific Practice." Social Studies of Science 33.2 (2003): 231-68. Web.

"Our Vision of the Future - Virgin Galactic." Virgin Galactic. Virgin Group, n.d. Web. 28 May 2015.

"Part 2: Mise-en-scene." Yale Film Analysis. Yale University, 27 Aug. 2002. Web. 28 May 2015.

 Porter, Tom. “Doubts About Feasibility of Virgin Space Flights, as Branson Announces New Delays”, International Business Times, 14 September 2014.

EVENT1 : HAMMER MUSEUM 


I went to the Hammer Museum this week and was happily surprised to find a wonderful artistic experience so close to home.  Some of my favorite exhibitions included "This is the End" and some of the contemporary  collection by, Jeremy Deller. The work that was most applicable to the material of this course was "The New Bus for London", the full-scale section of a London city bus which through the combination of design and technology to create a bigger and more energy efficient public transportation. On top of the artistic re-design of the upholstery, stair ways, lighting, and hand poles, the layout of the bus added efficiency to the flow of passengers and decreased the overall bulk of the bus.  The bus design was able to reduce energy consumption by 40% while maintaining the traditional and cultural aesthetic of the famous form transportation. This is an extraordinary example of the amazing things that can be achieved when Art and Technology work hand in hand to make the world a better place.

Art + Neuroscience

This week we started with some of the most basic human curiosities. The human consciousness has drew the attention of the most brilliant minds through out history, and still, many of our questions surrounding the mind go unanswered. Ramon Y Cajal, a psychologists know for his work creating the foundation of neurosciences, was given a Nobel Peace prize for his research of the brains structure as well as neuron theories. Only by his work with the structure and components of the brain science has been able to make huge strides in understanding how the brain works and a magnitude of different was in which we can utilize the vast capacity of our minds. An individuals consciousness, thought and imaginations have incredible depth and possibilities. The human race has yet to fully grasp or harness the potential with our own minds. One attempt to reach that potential comes in the form of chemical reactions in the brain and hallucinogenic drugs,  specifically LSD. Albert Hofman created LSD as a psychiatric treatment in hope that it could be used as a cure all, when he was surprised to find the side effects included powerful hallucinations. Timothy Leary also worked with LSD and conducted testing on his personal use. While much of his worked was frowned upon by society, a studied showed remarkable traction as a tool to help alcoholics break their habit more effectively than any other treatment method. While LSD is now illegal, the use of chemical and neuron reactions opens the door to countless other questions and future research about the nature of these hallucinations. If we were to discover a means to control the total power of the mind the possibilities would be endless.







References

Anker, S. & Frazzetto, G. Neuroculture, an exhibition at the Westport Arts Center, Westport, CT US. Neuroculture [online], (2006).

Dumit, J. Picturing Personhood. Brain Scans and Biomedical Identity (Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2004).

Freeman, Shanna. "How LSD Works." HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, n.d. Web. 17 May 2015.

"The Effects of Hallucinogenic Drugs on The Brain." SerenDip Studio. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2015.

"Timothy Leary." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 17 May 2015.