Event #4: DMA Senior Exhibition - Staring in the Age of Destruction (S.A.D.)

On June 2nd, I attended the opening reception of the DMA Senior Exhibition - Staring in the Age of Destruction (S.A.D.). This is the first Design Media Arts Exhibition I have participated in and it was a great experience. Though I might not resonate with most pieces, it is quite interesting to read through their descriptions and understand the artists’ motivations through them. The pieces are all incredibly creative in their own way, from the media chosen to the topics covered. I found it rather hard to connect the topics the pieces are trying to convey, however. I was not able to get hold of most artists since they are probably walking around and enjoying the exhibit themselves. I would love to have the chance to talk to them about their pieces in the future!

Fortunately, I did had the chance to learn about one of the pieces from the artist himself. The piece is a paper model of several buildings resembling skyscrapers found in just about all major cities around the world. A projector is used to illustrate the appearance of the buildings throughout the day. As explained by the artist, this piece reflects the lack of identity in cities nowadays. Since the model is so generic, it is hard to pinpoint the exact city it portrays yet at the same time, portrays most if not all cities around. I agree with the artist regarding the uniformity of the cities. Due to globalization, the architecture all around the world are getting more and more similar. Apart from cityscape, the once disparate cultures are slowly merging together as technology allows for the quick exchange of information across regions. The artwork brings attention to the downside of globalization, which is often overlooked for the advantages.

The artwork is a prime example of what I think art should be: bringing issues that need to be acknowledged into the limelight in a more understandable and viewer-friendly manner. As I read through the other artworks’ descriptions, I began to understood that these pieces are like a gateway to understanding the artists behind them. They represent issues that they care about and expressed through media that they enjoy working with. It is an enjoyable experience getting to understand and admire these artwork as well as learn to see the world from the artist's’ point of view.

Event #5: ART + BRAIN and MORPHO Nano Catalogue Launch

On June 2nd, I attended the ART+BRAIN and MORPHO Nano Catalogue Launch at the ArtSci Gallery in UCLA California NanoSystems Institute. The event started off with brief introductions from Professor Victoria Vesna of UCLA, Professor Patricia Olynyk of Washington University, Professor Mark Cohen of UCLA, David Familian of UCI, and Professor James Gimzewski of UCLA. They all provided an overview of the work they do as well as their contribution to the projects mentioned. It is interesting to learn about how artists and scientists can work together to create something this interesting and thought-provoking. Afterwards, we were encouraged to talk to the speaker regarding their field of interest as well as their work in academia. There were copies of the projects both in digital and printed format for us to read and gain a more holistic understanding of these collaborations between art and science.





Being the last event of the quarter, the reception certainly did not disappoint. Throughout the quarter, we have learned so much about the relationship between art and science, how artists and scientists work together to come up with amazing innovations. This event provided a chance for us to not just understand more about the collaboration but also learn about it directly from artists who have been working with scientists and vice versa. As mentioned by the speakers, I believe that art+science is indeed going to be a powerful force moving forward if the materials we learned in the course was any indication.

It is also nice to see how these projects can bring academics and researchers together, not just across fields but also institutions. While the majority of the speakers are from UCLA, these projects also brought along Professor Olynyk and Familian from their respective institutions to speak to us about their work. Overall, I enjoyed the event. It provided us with the opportunity to meet and talk to innovators face-to-face, understand their work and see them through their point of view. It was also a great chance for them to showcase what they have been working on and present their idea to the public.