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The winning project of the category
Hybrid Art of the Prix Ars Electronica
2015: Plantas Autofotosintéticas
from Gilberto Esparza
Courtesy of: https://www.aec.at/aeblog
/en/2015/06/02/es-gibt-keine-bio-art/ |
As an individual who has always been fascinated by science, I have grown up feeling slightly limited as to what range my interests can contain. From a relatively young age, I have felt the restrictions of these two cultures, true to Snow's claim. I have further felt the division of Snow's assertions as a Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology major, and have fallen victim to the barrier of South Campus. Even while selecting my General Education classes, which have the purpose of providing students with a diverse understanding of humanity, I have felt a certain pressure to still choose classes that I view would fit better with my major, instead of opting to expand my knowledge in other fields.
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Victimless Leather created
by Tissue Culture & Art Project
(Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr), 2004.
Courtesy of: http://www.artnews.com/2013/03/
18/biotechnology-as-art-form/ |
However, by reading "Toward a Third Culture: Being in Between", I became aware that a bridge between these two cultures is possible, and may be necessary as a way for our society to move forward. As I have always wanted to expand my creative mind, this ideology has provided me with a sense of inspiration that perhaps I am not as limited as I once thought. A particular piece that provoked my interest was mentioned by Wilson. Artist have begun to use nature's simplest form of life as their art medium, the cell. As this directly correlates with my own major, this eased my transition from my fixed mindset about two rigid cultures, to one that is open to a blend between the two. The idea of bioart is promising to me in the sense that it allows artists and creative minded people to help accelerate the research on biological systems. The utilization of this third culture will be essential for both science and art to reach their maximum potentials.
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Results obtained from the art work
with fluorescent bacteria
in which genes that produce fluorescent
proteins have been inserted.
Courtesy of: http://www.ricardomutuberria.com/open-labs
/bio-art-lab-school-of-visual-arts-new-york-city/ |
Artists can have a unique influence on scientific fields because they recognize that science is essential to our current age, and can apply their creative talents to further evolve the fields. Wilson affirms that artists becoming more literate in research fields can vastly develop the way that science is perceived and executed. With the movement of artists increasing their knowledge of sciences arises, I feel particularly influenced to do the reverse. I now believe that increasing my personal knowledge of the arts can be essential to my success in this field.
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
Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. New York: Cambridge UP, 1959. Print.
Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between." Leonardo. 34 (2001): 121-125. Print.
"John Brockman: Matchmaking with Science and Art." Interview by Duncan Graham-Rowe. Wired UK. N.p., 3 Feb. 2011.
I too found the readings inspiring! It can be really difficult to do anything that seems worth it outside of the sciences now that we have picked our majors. It is encouraging to know that people are noticing this divide and trying to do something about it.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I found it really interesting how you felt that both artists and scientists could have impact on each others cultures. I feel that this way of thinking is one of many ways for our society to progress forward as a whole as the divide between the two cultures will only stagnate development. Especially with your major, extra input and mind power could only lead to greater and more positive outcomes.
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