Space + Art (week 9)

This week's topic of "Space" is the perfect concept that embraces all the ideas that we've studied throughout this quarter. Cosmos is the most complexed entity we are involved in. Its single organism works highly complicated and accurate cosmic system -- many scientist indicates that the cosmos is the "complexity machine". Human beings have awed its existence and continuously tried to explore the mysteries it has. Since long time before even the science technology couldn't have developed yet, people made several efforts in quest of outer space. Professor Vesna introduced Copernicus as the prominent astronomer back in the days. His devotion to the study for space is admirable and several theories (such as Heliocentrism) he developed against conventional studies eventually brought the space age forward.

heliocentrism by Nicolas Copernicus

After the Soviet Union invented Sputnik in 1957, this caused the whole new era scientifically and politically as well. The space science research in the United States had been accelerated tremendously in the US out of the fear of the Soviet Union. This period of space race between the US and the Soviet Union brought another big progress in space studies. During the Cold War, the political containment policy against Soviet Union and vice versa encouraged both countries even though it was originally to prepare for the war to destroy each other.

Cosmos is the most mysterious and unknown space even until today. The curiosity that human beings have had was expressed through many artists' films, writings, paintings, and photographies. Firstly, artist Yann Arthus-Bertrand -- who took a picture of both earth and space, then compared its similarities -- says that there's a certain pattern of beauty across the earth and the whole universe. When we carefully observe the photographic patterns, the universe and earth look alike in some ways. It seems somewhat contrived. Even though, the great observation and original interpretation from different perspective produced an unique work of art. The artist is well utilizing art, nature, and science as the source for another artistic work.

Second artistic interpretation is "Powers of ten (1977)" by Eames. It shows the macro and micro world zooming in and out the world. The camera took the whole universe in one frame. This video encouraged me to realize that a human being would be another entity of the universe. The organisms of cells and molecules look like the universe as we've observed above that the universe is also similar to Earth and nature. It means that eventually we are connected to the universe at the end, the space organism isn't different from the ones that consist of our bodies.
It is generally very hard to recognize how we are small part in the humongous universe, or we have never recognized the bigger assemblage that we are involved. We might be a part of another human body. Apparently, the universe and the human body doesn't relate to the other, it makes a certain harmony in a mathematical mechanism; powers of ten. The designers Charles and Ray Eames (who took the Power of tens) are the representative artists who are applying third culture ideas to their design who combine the scientific ideas with their artistic desire.

Ciatations:

"The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel: Sci, Space, Tech." 'The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel: Sci, Space, Tech' N.p., 23 Jan. 2015. Web. 31 May 2015. <http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2015/01/the-universe-is-a-complexity-machine-intelligent-life-and-technology-may-be-common-in-the-cosmos.html>.

8 Space Pt1. Dir. Victoria Vesna. Lecture, n.d. Web. 31 May 2015. <https://youtu.be/6ZIqTR332l8>.

8 Space Pt2. Dir. Victoria Vesna. Lecture, n.d. Web. 31 May 2015. <https://youtu.be/hLZMDpoP-u0>.

Heaven and Earth. Youtube. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2015. <https://youtu.be/lj7_zkk6i4o>.

Powers of Ten. Youtube. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2015. <https://youtu.be/0fKBhvDjuy0>.