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The second part of the From Forces to Forms series explored the topic of Morphogenesis. The presentation, led by artist Ellen K. Levy, spotlighted five different artists. The artists presented works in which they utilized natural processes in different ways to create their art. Morphogenesis is defined by google as “ the origin and development of morphological characteristics” or “the formation of landforms or other structures”. In this way, this event relates to the Two Cultures phenomenon because it interconnects scientific concepts with art.  The first artist that stuck out to me was William Lamson and his “Badwater” exhibition. This collection of art survives under a climate controlled environment in order to create cyclic flooding and drought conditions, inspired by Death Valley’s Badwater Basin. The gallery displays these geologic forces and allows them to persist and develop without intervention from the artist (Lamson). In essence, it displays the inherent relationship betw...

The intersection between medicine and art isn’t an idea I’ve come across often, but this week’s lectures and readings have provided me with a new viewpoint on the ubiquity of art. Like professor Vesna, I discovered an unlikely creative inspiration from studying the human body. In my first-ever anatomy class, I realized that the material I was learning extended to my art and it helped to considerably improve my skills with proportions. Because of this experience, the topic that piqued my interest during this week's lectures was the history behind anatomical art. Throughout the Renaissance period, anatomists and artists frequently worked together to create anatomical illustrations; it was necessary for an artist to be nearby when dissecting or studying cadavers because of their quickly-decomposing nature (Kornell). Some anatomists even became artists themselves to further bridge the gap between representation of the body and scientific knowledge of the body (Kornell). Contrastingly, ...

The industrial revolution was an incredibly influential period both economically and culturally. The era introduced new labor-saving technologies such as mass production, which had various pros and cons. Among such pros were the rapid disbursement of knowledge and other products; on the other hand, it proved to be detrimental for workers in terms of job opportunities and working conditions (Rafferty). It is these problems where the idea of robots derived from, serving as a response to the mechanization of labor (Vesna).   Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.   Walter Benjamin’s “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” talks about the threatened authenticity of art, referring to its detachment from tradition and ritual. The authenticity of art stems from “its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be” (Benjamin). The mechanical reproduction of art jeopardizes this uniqueness because the reproduced art is no longer imbue...

This week’s lecture was incredibly enlightening, notably the topics on perspective and the golden ratio. In one of my favorite and most influential art classes, I was taught about the theory of perspective by studying some of Filippo Brunelleschi’s works. As stated in the lecture, Brunelleschi’s mastery of geometry and other mathematical principles manifested themselves in his carefully crafted line work and discovery of the vanishing point. These techniques have greatly improved my art ever since learning of them. With this knowledge, I’ve also been able to dissect and reference paintings with ease; you can say I’ve gained an entirely new perspective on the use of math in art. Filippo Brunelleschi   (1377 – April 15, 1446)   On the topic of geometry, the article “The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art” by Linda Henderson proved to be a surprisingly interesting read on the matter. Henderson writes about how the concept of the visualization of a fourth ...

                              A painter at work on a scene from Pinocchio. Source:  Walt Disney Productions Photofest https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2010/03/disney-animation-girls-201003 Learning about the "Two Cultures" phenomenon solidified an idea that has subconsciously persisted in my head for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, I was primarily interested in creating art and even dreamed of pursuing a career as an animator. Now, as a sophomore STEM major, it’s safe to say that my plans have made a complete 180. Looking back, I was definitely influenced by the stereotypes surrounding careers in art/the humanities. Both my first-generation guilt and the 'starving artist' clich é were constant reminders that I would have to forgo my passions and strive for a “prosperous” career.  From the sources provided, I understand that this divide between the "literary intellectuals...