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Prior to this week’s lectures, I had very little knowledge of what exactly nanotechnology was and how it had been integrated into my own everyday life, let alone into art. Upon understanding its real world applications, it was eye-opening to see how nanotechnology has also affected various art forms and vice versa. One of the most surprising examples of this for me was the use of nanotechnology in stained glass. The type and size of different nanoparticles help stained glass artists achieve different colors and hues in their work (Gimzewski). In this way, the precise control over material properties offered to artists via nanotechnology has expanded artistic possibilities and pushed the boundaries of traditional artistic techniques (El Sayegh). Stained glass is just one example of how nanotechnology is used in art – the exhibition “Art in the Age of Nanotechnology” at the John Curtin Gallery features a diverse range of artworks that utilize nanotechnology in various ways. ‘Nanomandala’...

 Yesterday, I was able to attend the MFA Town Hall Exhibition at Broad Art Center at UCLA. As someone who doesn't regularly visit art museums or exhibitions, I was amazed at the creativity and dedication showcased in each individual exhibition. I had also never (in person) seen art that incorporated technology and interactivity into it so well. The piece in the exhibition that stood out the most to me was one by artist Eunice Choi titled 'In between letting out and holding in'. It was set up in a room-like structure, with white walls and scissors made of cucumbers engraved into the walls. The 'room' had blinds made of resin cucumbers, a clock filled with resin cucumbers, and a cooler that held resin cucumbers and a metal book. In the center was a table with more resin cucumbers and a white cutting board, onto which a video was being projected. I asked the artist why her object of choice was a cucumber, and she told me the story behind her exhibition. She explained t...

  As a cognitive science major, I find the topic of how art can challenge and engage a one's cognitive processes and vice versa to be very intriguing, as it is right at the center of my field of study. Throughout this course, I have found that art and science have one main thing in common: understanding the human experience. In this case, art -- with its ability to evoke emotions and challenge perceptions -- offers a unique platform for exploring the intricacies of the brain and its responses. Neuroscience provides scientific insights that can serve to deepen our understanding of artistic processes and aesthetic experiences ( Blaszczyk) . This is also known as neuroaesthetics, an emerging field that investigates the neural basis of artistic experiences -- and in doing so, provides insights into the scientific vs cultural aspects of art appreciation and creativity ( Frazzetto and Anker) . An aspect of this week's topic that I found particularly intriguing was the way biological ...

Since I have always considered biotechnology to be a field related to medicine and healthcare, the topic of using biotechnology as an art from to raise questions about living organisms, ethics, and the meaning of art itself has been very intriguing for me.  My initial reaction upon learning of various artists' ventures into art using biotechnology was concern about the morality of such artwork, which I've come to find is a topic that has been widely debated. Professor Vesna mentioned that art such as Eduardo Kac's flourescent bunny, Alba, has been deemed "needless and abusive" and not considered to be art (Vesna, Lecture Part 1). This, to me, poses the question of whether or not it is valid for artists to treat animals as test subjects or use them as vessels in creating art when it alters the natural chemistry of their bodies.  As such, bioart often involves the use of living organisms that may be harmed or killed in the process of creating the artwork and raises ...