Week 8 NanoTech + Art

This week’s course material really refreshes my understanding of nanotechnology. I agree with Jim Gimzewski and Victoria Vesna’s idea that ‘seeing is believing’ does not apply to nanotechnology. Nanotechnology introduces a whole new area into our lives as well as touching beyond everything we have known so far. Art and nanotechnology intersect in a unique way. This new science is ultimately about a shift in our perception of reality from a purely visual culture to one based on sensing and connectivity.

 Nano-Art experimental combination surprises with Anti-HIV effectiveness

The unique works on a previous art exhibition at John Curtin Gallery demonstrates innovative examples of contemporary art and scientific collaboration. One artist featured in this exhibition is Boo Chapple with his Transjuicer. She has been working on a project to make audio speakers out of bone. Through the piezoelectric nature of the bone, she is able to cause the bone to vibrate and generate sound. Boo Chapple’s intent is not only to produce art from nanotechnology bust also to explore the human’s capacity to sense and amplify these interactions. By implementing a femur bone in nanotechnology, she is able to apply it to the human scale.

Transjuicer by Boo Chapple

Another example is Christa Sommerer and Laurent Mignonneau’s Nano-Scape that makes the nano-world accessible through touch. A wireless magnetic force-feedback interface allows users to touch invisible nano particles, creating an ever-changing invisible sculpture, which modifies its shape and properties as users interact with it and with each other. This innovation helps us understand something human eyes cannot see.

Nano-scape by Christa Sommerer and Laurent Mignonneu

The lecture videos and reading provide me a new sense of the intersections of art and nanotechnology. Being an engineering student, I used to think I was familiar with nanotechnology since I was trained to use nano-indentor to do research for several years. However, I did not realize nanotechnology can go that far in different field. The nanotechnology I am familiar with is just a small portion of the entire nano-world.




References

"Art in the age of nanotechnology." Art.Base. N.p., 11 Mar. 2011. Web. 30 May 2017. art.base.co/event/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology.

Vesna, Victoria. " Nanotech intro." YouTube, uploaded by Uconlineprogram, 16 March 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ3y6TkXJ6Y.

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. Web. 28 May 2017. vv.arts.ucla.edu/publications/publications/02-03/JV_nano/JV_nano_artF5VG.htm.

Gimzewski, Jim. " Nanotech Jim pt1." YouTube, uploaded by Uconlineprogram, 21 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7jM6-iqzzE.

Gimzewski, Jim. " Nanotech Jim pt2." YouTube, uploaded by Uconlineprogram, 21 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEp6t0v-v9c.

Gimzewski, Jim. " Nanotech Jim pt3." YouTube, uploaded by Uconlineprogram, 21 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0HCNiU_108.

Gimzewski, Jim. " Nanotech Jim pt4." YouTube, uploaded by Uconlineprogram, 21 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHCuZetAIhk.

Gimzewski, Jim. " Nanotech Jim pt5." YouTube, uploaded by Uconlineprogram, 21 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OWc8nmHJmY.

Gimzewski, Jim. " Nanotech Jim pt6." YouTube, uploaded by Uconlineprogram, 21 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL9DBF43664EAC8BC7&v=oKlViSKkPd0.



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