Event 1: Ecocentric Art and Science Symposium
The event that I
went to, Ecocentric Art and Science Symposium, was a series of lectures by
several experts all relating to the fields of art, science and ecology,
emphasizing the connection between these disciplines and how they have affected
the physical world. I was able to attend 2 of these lectures, one by Linda
Weintraub, and ecocentric artist and the other by James Gimzewski, a
nanoscientist. Both lecturers talked about various individuals who have used
various disciplines in art and science to highlight how the intersection
between the two fields can influence the world in both positive and negative
ways.
Viewers saw this image in Natalie Jeremijenko's exhibition
Linda Weintraub
mainly focused on several artists who used artwork and exhibitions to challenge
the thinking and notion behind the environmental impacts of our society.
Natalie Jeremijenko created an exhibition titled "Why are the Hudson River
fish and frogs on antidepressants?" that took place in bathroom stalls, in
order to show the viewer that the drugs they were taking were being excreted in
their urine, and as the water from the toilet flowed into the Hudson River, the
fish and frogs in the river were taking in small amounts of these drugs. It was
interesting to see how art exhibitions like that could help inform the public
of environmental matters, and not just through informative presentations or
pamphlets.
Set up of Jae Rhim Lee's exhibition
Another artist that
Linda Weintraub discussed in her talk was Jae Rhim Lee, who demonstrated how
humans can actually benefit the environment. In today's world, it seems like
humans have only harmed the environment, and only through technological
advances and various mechanical innovations have we been able to reverse some
of these harmful effects. However, Jae Rhim Lee has shown that it simply
through altering our diet, we can benefit the environment. In her exhibition,
she altered her diet so that her urine acted as a fertilizer, and grew napa
cabbage. She then used the napa cabbage she had grown to make kimchi, and
served it to people visiting her exhibit. Through Jae Rhim Lee's work, my mind
was opened to the possibilities of how art can change the way that we view our
relationship with the environment. Furthermore, seeing her exhibition expanded
my view of what art can look like, beyond the traditional paintings,
sculptures, and photography.
Dr. Marino Morikawa in the El Cascajo wetlands
James Gimzewski, a
nanoscientist, brought up several examples of how nanotechnology has influenced
and helped save the environment. One notable example, however, was the use of
nanobubbles in restoring the El Cascajo wetlands in Peru. Nanobubbles act as a
"magnet" for bacteria, immobilizing them and killing them as these
bubbles rise to the surface of the water, and are subsequently destroyed by
solar radiation and carried away as gas. The El Cascajo wetlands, previously
heavily polluted and covered in "water lettuce", was restored back to
its natural state thanks to the work of Dr. Marino Morikawa and nanobubbles. It
surprised me that throughout Gimzewski's talk, there were no explicit mentions
of artwork or art exhibitions in a traditional sense, however, the very fact
that this topic was included in the symposium suggested that nanotechnology is
art, in a non-traditional sense. This once again broadened my view of what art
can be, as it is not just something to be observed and admired, nor is it just
something informative, but art can also have a direct influence on the
environment it is in.
Before and after nanobubble treatment of the El Cascajo wetlands
From the Ecocentric Art and Science Symposium, I developed a deeper understanding of what art is - how art itself can be educational and informative, how it is not simply confined to paintings and sculptures, and how art can actually have a direct impact on ecology. I would highly recommend this event, as I think it challenges the idea of what art is and the lectures are very interesting, even for someone like me who has never had much interest in art or ecology. Because I have a broader view of what art is now, the possibilities for my midterm and final projects are much greater, and I do not feel confined to simply stick to the traditional forms of art.
Picture with an employee at the California NanoSystems Institute - proof of attendance
Hi Sarah, I wholeheartedly agree with the observations about thinking outside the traditional forms of art. As Jae Rhim Lee's display shows, art can be interactive and living, and art can also be science, such as nanotechnology, an art within itself. Topics such as these aren't normally considered to be "art" in the traditional sense (such as painting, sculptures, etc). However, this shows how far society has come in evolving the definition of the word "art." Now including science and interactive pieces, the subject of art has broadened to a world that most don't typically think about. This way, artists can create work that isn't limited to the traditional definition of the word and instead, think outside the box. Using their own experiences and passions, artists can express themselves in many ways, whether it includes science or actually showing science as a form of art itself (like Lee). I believe attending this event would be very beneficial for students in this course considering we have to be very creative for the upcoming midterm and final projects. Thank you for sharing your insights on this event.
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