HESH0009

The book start with the introduction of art, technology, and science, I learned the differences and similarities between art and science. Followed by exploration of elaboration on the approach of art as research,  some successful art and science/ technology collaborations are: Parc Pair ( http://www.pair.xerox.com/), Banff Center for the Arts( http://www.banffcentre.ab.ca/CFA). The next chapter states the biology, to my surprise, I never thought there are any relations between arts and biology, but actually a lot of visualized images are generated in a artistic way, which combines science and art, some of example are below:

Interactive Brain-wave visual analyzer (copyright by IBVA 〈http://www.ibva.com/〉). Commercial brain-computer
interface.

Prof. Adriaan van Oosterom, Bioelectricity Group, Medical Faculty, University of Nijmegen. Illustration of the
electric potentials on the body surface (left) and magnetic field just outside the torso (right) as generated by the heart’s electric activity (middle) 〈http://www.utwente.nl/bmti/bmti/part-kun.html〉.

There are even some artistic working with microbiology example, which is like open a gate to the new world to me, one example I really like is :

Eduardo Kac, GFP K-9 (in progress). Diagram showing how the transgenic dog will be created with green fluorescent protein.

We are living in the world of artificial intelligence, in later chapter, the book illustrated algorithms, mathematics, fractals, genetic arts, and artificial life. I understand the evolution of technology can not live without the form of art, no matter how advanced the science/technology or algorithms are, they need to be presented in a acceptable visualization, some examples are:

Ken Rinaldo, The Flock. Three computer-controlled arms integrate emergent behaviors, such as flocking, with
viewer interactions. Photo credit: Liz Zivic.

Louis Bec, Hypozoologie. Upokrinomeme. An exploration of artificial animals.

My biggest surprise from the book is that art is even related to telecommunication, which consist of telematic art, radio art,  even web art. Some example that we may not notice is like:

Nell Tenhaaf, Neonudism. CUSeeMe-based event that explores voyeurism.

Lastly, art also has lots of connection to computer media, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and even surveillance.

After reading through the book, I realized none of science, technology or art is isolated to the other, understand and explore all of them will be beneficial for a good project and self- improvement.

 

 

Inspiring example of interactive art.

Name of the interactive art: Illusion

Created by Laia Cabrera and Isabelle Duverger

Interactivity by Aniol Saurina Masó

Music and Sound design by Nana Simopoulos with Mary Ann McSweeney

Location: Flutter Art Gallery, LA

Year: 2019

Illusion is a video and sound immersive interactive art installation, created by awarded filmmakers and visual artists Laia Cabrera and Isabelle Duverger in collaboration with interactivity designer Aniol Saurina Masó, that offers the chance to step into an illusion of infinite space.

Audiences’ bodies are projected on the wall together with mirrors, augmented reality, music and merging these with variable background such as fire, water, energy,etc. It encourage customers to explore what they see and experience, create a space with real and imaginary part, users will experience a sensational journey onto magical realms. “Illusion”, like what the name means, is like a mirage, this art installation creates a blurred line between the real and imaginary, merges the physical and digital worlds.

In “Illusion”,  a sense of proximity are created with elements that audiences are used to be surrounded by, contrasting with how differently we relate to them. It is like opening the door to unexpected landscapes, from the universe to the infinitesimal and interacting at all time with them, all audiences are like in a world with free motion and  without gravity. In this art project, users can also experience space travel, which makes them immersed in the beauty of the nature and different forms of themselves.

After exploring this project, I found this project is inspiring and thought-provoking as creators are able to engage audiences to think deeply into our surroundings, it is like opening doors to unexpected landscapes, I find that users actually tend to explore the beauty of unleashed nature willingly. Audiences may think outside from the box that what we could be under different circumstance, how we are portrayed as a “Illusion”. In addition, there is tremendous fun ( one of the reason why this gallery is created) playing with this project. Personally, I can’t stop seeing my surrounding differently after this project, I keep thinking this world may actually be in the form totally different from what our eyes perceive both from macro to micro. Besides, “Illusion” may not just constructed from how we see the world, in other means, we may be illusions to the world surrounding us.

We used to perceive this world in a subjective approach, but after this project, let us rethink:

What is real? What is imaginary ? Illusions may not just illusions, mirages can be real.