Week 5: Nanotechnology + Space + Art

To be honest, prior to this week’s lecture I had no idea what nanotechnology really was nor was I aware of the vast scope of things it encompassed. At first, I found the concepts of nanotechnology and nanoscience hard to grasp because it was on such a small scale and I had difficulty visually conceptualizing this. I agree with Professors Gimzewski and Vesna in their statement, “this new science is ultimately a shift in our perception of reality from a purely visual culture to one based on sensing and connectivity.”

For this reason, I was very interested in the emerging trend that artists seen to incorporate nanotechnology into their artwork by bringing it to sensory level that humans can more easily perceive. For example, Boo Chapple’s work displayed in the John Curtain Gallery attempts to use nanoparticle of bone matrix to produce audible sound to humans (Artabase). Additionally, Professors Vesna and Gimzewski worked on their project entitled the “Nanomandala” which was “inspired by watching the nanoscientist at work, purposefully arranging atoms just as the monk laboriously creates sand images grain by grain” (Nanomandela). In this work, Professor Vesna shows both the physical representation of the sand, but also the sand at the nano-level, giving a whole new sense of definition of the sand to the audience. A video of her work can be seen below.

In terms of space and art, I had no idea of the vast artistic movements that have occurred and are occurring today, except for television and film adaptions of space. Curator Kathleen Forde explains that many of the exhibits in “Dancing on the Ceiling: Art and Zero Gravity” are inspired by the “condition of weightlessness (like that of space) on earth”.  Artist Erin Dekyndt portrays this by showing a suspended, massive ball that seems to defy the laws of gravity in work pictured below.

"Ground Control"- Erin Dekyndt
<http://www.nippertown.com/2010/03/22/artbeat-dancing-on-the-ceiling-art-zero-gravity-empac-31810/>

Engineer and artist B.E. Johnson is a visioneer at the Leonardo Space Art Project which aims to increase awareness of space endeavors and exploration by communicating to the public via art. Below is his depiction encapsulating a moment of history.

"The Shot Seen 'Round the World" B.E. Johnson
<http://imperialearth.com/paintings.html>

Perhaps the most exciting artistic interaction with space, in my opinion, is The Mars Patent's aim of physically sending works of art from earth to Mars. They use a technological device called the HRM_1.0n to "transform the vision of a viable martian place for your objects into reality and the mode of global sharing"(Von Oldenburg, Reiche). It is interesting to think about who might read our information in the future, wether from our planet or not!

 Bibliography:

"Art in the Age of Nanotechnology." Artabase. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 July 2013. <http://www.artabase.net/exhibition/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology>.

Forde, Kathleen. "Dancing on the Ceiling: Art and Zero Gravity." Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 July 2013. <http://zerogravity.empac.rpi.edu/>.

Gimzewski, Jim, and Victoria Vesna. "The nanoneme syndrome: Blurring of fact and fiction in the construction of a new science." Technoetic arts 1.1 (2003): 7-24.

"Leonardo Space Art Project Visioneers." Leonardo Space Art Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 July 2013.

"NANO | Nanomandala." NANO | Nanomandala. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 July 2013. <http://nano.arts.ucla.edu/mandala/mandala.php>.

Von Oldenburg, Helen, and Claudia Reiche. "MARS PATENT: Welcome." MARS PATENT: Welcome. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 July 2013. <http://www.mars-patent.org/welcome/welcome.htm>.