Emma Tavella - DESMA 9

    In lecture, Professor Vensa discussed the intersection of art, medicine, and technology, specifically art's impact on the medical field and our understanding of the human body. My experience breaking my sacrum last year allowed me to understand the importance of the intersection of art and medical technology. When I was told that I had a "3rd-degree stress reaction" in my sacrum, I did not even know where my sacrum was or what the difference was between a "2nd-degree" and a "3rd-degree" stress reaction. However, when I went to the doctors, they pulled up my MRI scan and explained what I saw. The MRI image allowed my doctor visually show me what was going on in my body, allowing me to understand my diagnosis. This image also allowed my doctor to accurately diagnose my stress reaction grade, enabling her to provide me with a recovery plan.      In “Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations between Science and the Art...

     Before this week's lecture, when I heard the word "Robotics," I instantly thought of my high school robotics class and how they spent the whole year creating a machine or robot that would accomplish a task that their teacher had given them earlier in the year. However, this lecture expanded on my view of what constitutes robotics. According to the professor, "Robotics is in everything we do related to manufacturing."       In the past, robotics was viewed in a negative light. Walter Benjamin, the German philosopher, wrote a book titled "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," where he discussed the intersection between technology and art. According to the lecture, this book is still referenced "by anyone interested to see how mass production system influence culture art and the way we work in general." In this book, Benjamin discusses how mechanical reproduction puts an end to authenticity and uniqueness, and he believes ...

Yesterday I attended the Nanobiotech and Design exhibition. This exhibition featured 2 different projects created by Professor Venesas Students last quarter; Jess Rivera, Maxine Gonzales, Bela Chaunhan, and Louis Gluck.      The first project was titled Human Print and was created by Jess Rivera, Maxine Gonzales, and Bela Chaunhan. Together they made 2 outfits that aimed to criticize the beauty industry. In the first piece, they projected very close-up pictures of their loved one skin onto a white dress. I loved this idea as it helped me understand and think deeper about the issues with beauty culture and how humans are separated from earth and nature. Animals do not cover up their "fur" or skin. Yet, as animals, we cover ourselves with makeup and criticism and feel insecure about natural and beautiful sin because of societal pressures and unrealistic beauty standards.       For the second piece, the artists sewed pubic hairs into a tan long-sleeve sh...

 Week 2: Mathematics This week in the lecture, Professor discussed the juxtaposition of mathematics, art, and science such that mathematics bridges the gap between art and science. This concept was new to me as, in school, I was told that I was terrible at numbers; therefore, I believed that I could only be good at art. R. Buckminster Fuller, in "Education Automation," explains this as he believes that the education system "de-geniuses" us, preventing us from moving through both cultures even though we are all born to do so.  Mathematics is a system of symbols, rules, and calculations that organize numbers. Mathematics is HIGHLY important in art as it allows artists to draw, paint, and sculpt irregular shapes and 3-dimensional spaces on flat surfaces. With mathematical formulas, artists can create proportionate and realistic art. For example, in the painting below, Duccio attempted to develop impressions of depth without using mathematics but instead relied on his i...

Week 1: Two Cultures Hi everyone, I am Emma Tavella, a 4th-year student-athlete at UCLA studying Psychology and running Cross Country and Track and Field. Growing up, I have always enjoyed art and painting and prided myself on being the most creative in my family. However, I despised writing but thrived in my chemistry and physics classes. I could utilize my artistic side by drawing out physics problems and then my mathematical side by solving them.  Artistic aspect:                                                  Math aspect However, when coming to UCLA and choosing to major in Psychology, my learning was restricted to the humanities. I agree with Charles Percy Snow that the school's curriculum is to blame for this separation of art and sciences. There are only 3 scientific courses required for my major! Psychology Major UCLA Course Requirements  Aldou...