Technology has played a big part in the development of modern art, constantly providing artists with new means of expression. For example, back in 2012 Coachella music festival, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre did the first live hologram performance with the hologram of Tupac Shakur, a deceased rapper.

But what's often overlooked is art's influence on technology; many new forms of technology are direct results of artistic influence, as pointed out by Professor Vesna. Using an advanced technology called cryostats, Lexus recently created the first realistic hoverboard that actually hovers above the ground, just like Marty McFly's hoverboard in the movie Back to the Future II.

(Marty McFly on a hoverboard in Back to the Future II)

It is safe to say that art and technology have progressed in a mutually beneficial relationship; however, technology has a way of systematizing the production of art, and many art piece loses its originality when it's being mass produced, explained by Benjamin in “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”. One great example is the iPhone. The clean, modern, and intuitive design was truly the masterpiece of an ingenious artist. But as it becomes mass-produced and easily accessible -- so easy that it becomes complimentary gifts of purchasing new phone plans. The design is no longer a novelty, and worse yet, copycats make a fortune from it.

  (the first iPhone)

After this week's lecture, I'm more aware of the influence of art on technology, and this has allowed me to look at normal objects in a completely different light.

Sources

Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. London: Penguin, 2008. Print.

Vesna,Victoria. “Lecutre Part 2.” Math + Art. 12 Oct. 2012. Lecture.

Back to the Future Part II. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Prod. Steven Spielberg. Perf. Michael J. Fox. Universal, 1989.

Tupac Hologram Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre Perform Coachella Live 2012. Perf. Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre. N.p., 17 Apr. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGbrFmPBV0Y>.

Risen, Tom. "A Real Hoverboard? The Future Is Now." U.S. News. N.p., 5 Aug. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2016. <http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/08/05/lexus-hoverboard-inspired-by-back-to-the-future>.

Math has always been my least favorite subject at school and I've never truly appreciated the usefulness of math. This weeks' lectures and readings taught me the importance of math in the artistic world and changed my perspective.

From Professor Vesna and "The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art: Conclusion", I learned that math and science ideas like Einstein's relativity and the golden ratio are the foundation of modern art. Before artists applied math techniques to their works, they weren't even able to paint realistic portraits because making every detail proportionate was difficult; however, artists like Leonardo da vinci raised the bar of modern art when they made math principles center to their art. Through the novel Flatland by Edwin Abbot, I learned that multi-dimensional art allows an art piece to seem different from various angles. 

Above is an painting of a hyper-dimensional space center that might seem confusing to viewers for there are building that seem to exist in different dimensions. This painting obviously required careful planning of the geometry of the buildings.

"The Last Supper" by Leonardo Da Vinci demonstrates an extensive use of the golden ratio.  All the key dimensions of the room, tables, and even the ornamentals are based on the golden ratio. Da Vinci truly mastered the combination of math and art.

After this week's lecture, it's safe to say that math, art, and science go hand in hand in the modern world. Artists need math to achieve the perfect proportion and science to add novelty to their works. Scientists need math to explore the unknown and art to make their creations aesthetic, like Steve Jobs did with the iphone. Last but not least, math, despite being my nightmare at school, is the backbone of modern society because everything we know today is related to math, from the tables we're sitting at to the tallest building in the world. Hence, regardless of how boring and difficult math can be, I should learn more mathematic principles so I can apply them to my career in the future. 

Source:

Abbott, Edwin. “Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions.” N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2012. <https://cole.uconline.edu/content>.

Henderson, Lynda. “The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art.” N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2012. <https://cole.uconline.edu/content>.

Vesna, Victoria. “Mathematics.” Lecture. CoLE DESMA 9. Web. <https://cole.uconline.edu/~UCLA-201209-12F-DESMA-9-1#l=Week-2-Assignment/id4287887>.

Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper, 1495-1498, oil/tempera on plaster

C. P. Snow’s concept of two cultures is based on the observation that scientists and 

artists are sometimes incapable of conversation and collaboration. Scientists are 

too disciplined by their learnings to appreciate novelty, while artistic people don’t 

enjoy the dullness scientific studies entail. Nevertheless, as technology advanced, a third culture that facilitates collaboration between art and science emerged — a nerd culture. “While nerd culture deeply honors the rigor of the scientific method, its thrust is not pursuing truth, but pursuing novelty”.

Growing up in a family that’s involved in the music industry, I see the clear distinction between artists and technological people, and collaborations between them really resonates with the idea of a third culture. I remember being at Hans Zimmer’s studio with a new musician/artist while a sound engineer teaches the artist how to create various sounds from a computer program. A few days later, the artist wrote a song that was completely different from his usual style. 

    Hans Zimmer's studio

On the other hand, UCLA’s separation of North and South Campus is a great example of division between two cultures. North Campus houses humanity majors, while South Campus houses science majors. Knowing people from both sides, I see the difference between them from all perspectives, but mainly their approaches to problem solving. In my opinion, UCLA should encourage North and South Campus collaboration to facilitate innovations, which could help bridge the gap between rich and poor. 

Sculpture garden at North Campus

  a very modern walkway at South Campus

Furthermore, as an aspired movie producer, I should keep in mind the innovative power of the third culture because that could be the key to my career.

Sources:

Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. New York: Cambridge UP, 1959. Print.

Kelly, Kevin. "The Third Culture." The Third Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 1998

Wilson, Stephen D. “Myths and Confusions in Thinking about Art/Science/Technology.” College Art Association Meetings. New York, New York, 2000. Print

Vesna, Victoria. “Toward a Third Culture: Being in Between.” Leonardo 34.2 (2001): 121-25. Web.

Hans Zimmer's Studio. 2010. Stuckincustoms.com, Los Angeles <http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2010/04/18/hans-zimmers-studio/>