Event #2: Art|Sci Pop Up Lecture - Anne Niemetz

A piece from Niemetz's 'Drone Sweet Drone'

On May 3rd, I attended a lecture hosted by Anne Niemetz, a media artist and UCLA alumni. During the hour-long lecture, Niemetz briefly introduced her work in interactive installation and wearable technology as well as the work by her students in World of Wearable Art, a leading international design competition.

Dancer Performing Standing Waves

The lecture started off with a short yet engaging introduction to her work in installation and stage, namely REVOLVE, Standing Waves, and The Dark Side of the Cell, giving the audience a insightful look into the artist's process. Throughout her presentation, she repeatedly stressed the importance of science in her work. I am particularly impressed by the presentation she gave regarding Standing Waves, a piece integrating the study of sound and sleep patterns into dance choreography. She showed a thorough understanding of beats as well as the human physiological cycle. Through the use of different frequencies, she was able to demonstrate the concept of beats in a simple yet comprehensive manner. This is rather surprising since it never occurred to me that artwork can be such a useful tool in introducing scientific concepts! I remember learning about the same concept in a physics lecture and although the professor tried using demonstrations to make it as interesting as possible, Niemetz did a much better job at explaining the basics in a more straightforward manner.

'Ura ra' by Rachel Hockin

She then moved on to introducing some of her students' best works in World of Wearable Art. WOW is described as a annual gathering of the most innovative minds in the field of wearable art, and needless to say, the work presented are stunning and beyond impressive. The way technology is integrated into the designs are spectacular and is the perfect example of how technology and art can join forces to create something both beautiful and functional. Out of all the garments presented, Rachel Hockin's work 'Ura ra'  is the most memorable piece. This piece is inspiring not only because of the level of through behind each and every piece of this elaborate costume but also the way technology is incorporated to take it to the next level.

Compared to the first art|sci event I attended, I enjoyed this event a lot more and would recommend it to anyone interested in design. All the pieces presented are truly fascinating and I am grateful for the chance to be introduced to such wonderful pieces of art.

Anne Niemetz and I