Below I’ve posted the visual part of the presentation, but sadly there is not audio or video recording to go along.

Here is a brief summary of my 30-minute presentation to help you make sense [...]]]> Last week I had the great pleasure of of speaking to the National Cancer Institute about the relationship between art and science.

Below I’ve posted the visual part of the presentation, but sadly there is not audio or video recording to go along.

Here is a brief summary of my 30-minute presentation to help you make sense of the visuals.

I began by emphasizing that I am in no way an academic expert on the relationship between art and science.  I was, however, a rare example of someone formally trained in science, but working as an artist.  Then, before I got into the big picture of Art and Science, I spent some time discussing the similarity between working as an artists and working as a scientist. Both involve long hours of hard work for little pay or recognition, during which nothing ever seems like it’s working or going well or coming out the way you’d hoped; and this work is rarely punctuated by brief moments when the stars align, the universe unfolds and amazingly beautiful things happen. Finally, I emphasized the important role of community and criticism to both artists and scientists.

From there I touched upon some of the big picture relationships between art and science. They are the two great modes of human thought, both pushing the boundaries of what we know and how we know it; what we can perceive and how we perceive it. I quickly went over the role of aesthetics and experimentation in both. I pointed out that because art and science share so many things in common, it’s often suggested that the line between them is blurry. While I understand this suggestion is often made in an attempt to elevate both, I believe it actually diminishes both. We know there is a difference between art and science, but what is, and what can it tell us about their relationship and importance, we are still exploring.

Ironically, art and science differ most noticeably in the last great trait they have in common: communication. While both art and science are principally about communication, they differ in the direction in which they are communicating. Science begins with the physical, observable, concrete occurrences in the world and scientists generate abstractions that communicate their understanding of these phenomena. I used Newton’s law of gravitation as an example. He began (the story goes) by observing an apple falling from a tree. From this (and a lot of other observations and work) he generated his formulation of gravity, an abstraction that has nothing to do with apples or trees. It is pure science, a beautiful and clear abstraction, that is its power.

Art, I suggested, ran this reaction in the opposite direction. Artists begin with their abstract internal understanding, beliefs or feelings, something that exists within them. Artists then work to generate specific, concrete, physical manifestations of these abstractions: paintings, songs, dances, sculptures, etc.  As an example of this, I presented The Neuron Chamber as an attempt to take an abstract understanding of both how neurons work, and my experiences studying them, and create a sculpture that communicates that.

I discussed how this led me to think more explicitly about the role of education in my work, and how I viewed teaching as very close to generating artwork. I pointed out that when you teach, you are forced to take all the things you know about a topic, all the abstractions you understand, and communicate them using the solid and specific, usually speaking. I reminded them that when you teach something you often develop deep insights into what you are teaching. I suggested this was because you are forced to make the abstract concrete, you are in a sense working as an artist. I spoke about my work at the Exploratorium developing hands-on and interactive ways to teach science.

Finally, I encouraged them all to go and try this with their own work. To generate specific, aesthetic, physical representations of what they were studying scientifically. When forced to find a set of mappings between what you know and what you are creating, you develop a new understanding. I told them that just as they can get the benefits of exercise without thinking of themselves as athletes, or competing in the Olympics, they do not need to think of themselves as artists to get the benefits of creating art.

Of course, it was no real shock that it was such an amazingly original film.  McAbee is responsible for creating The American Astronaut, a much loved, black and white, [...]]]> Last night I, and about 15 Raygun Gothic Rocket crew, went to the SF premiere of Cory McAbees awesome new space western musical move — Stingray Sam.

Of course, it was no real shock that it was such an amazingly original film.  McAbee is responsible for creating The American Astronaut, a much loved, black and white, space musical about Sameul Curtis, a space privateer attempting to deliver “the boy who once saw a woman’s breast” to the all female planet of Venus, while being pursued by his odd nemesis Dr. Hess.  In The American Astronaut McAbee creates a gritty, grainy, lo-fi, lo-tech space scape inhabited oddball characters with penchants for singing, dance contests and bodysuits.

With Stingray McAbee’s taken all the style and humor of The American Astronaut, refined it, polished it and deepend it.  Stingray has the same lo-fi, lo-tech, black and white, all-singing, all-dancing, space-western world charm, but has an added layer of savvy political wit.  In Stingray, McAbee plays the title character, a fugitive cum lounge singer on a derelict Mars, who’s reunited with his old pal, and fellow fugitive (and olive lover), the Quasar Kid, on a mission to repay their debt to society by rescuing a little girl from the vain, disco-vaudeville villain Fredward. Interwoven with this live-action, rock-musical adventure are lovely, monty-python’esque animations developing the political background from which the characters emerge.  These vignettes are smoothly narrated by David Hyde-Perice.

In the Q&A time after the show McAbee said he wanted to take everything the world loves about American culture (sci-fi, DIY, rock’n'roll, dancing, and elaborate handshakes) an place it in a world representing the worst of American politics (exploitative prisons, corporate malevolence, and genetic shenanigans).  This admixture sharpens the point of the inherently witty plot.

Stingray also has an emotion depth missing from The American Astronaut.  McAbees Stingray is a soleful, polite, anti-hero who handles confrontations with wit, song and dance rather then blasters and punches.  There is allot of instant truth in the “little bit nice and litte bit mean” camaraderie between the Quasar Kid and Stingray which was no doubt a result of Quasar being played by McAabee long time band mate (and first time actor) Crugie.  The same can be said of Stingrays relationship to the rescued little girl who is played by McAbees own daughter, Willa Vy McAbee. I’ve recently been quote saying that great art is made with great friends and Stingray Sam definitely backs that up — McAbee mentioned that may of his band mates and friends played major roles in the film.

And as if the set, story, animation and acting were not enough to rave about there is also the music.  Like The American Astronaut, the soundtrack is provided by McAbees band, The Billy Nayer Show.  There is no denying the awesomeness of Stingrays soundtrack of strange, witty post-punk rock songs about men mating with men to make more men, and a man who’ll give birth to a stingray.  These rock jems are accompaniedy by a lovely lullabie, and a ballad about a wicked mother and a peg-legged father.  I’ll be listening to these songs for years to come, as I have the songs from The American Astronaut.

The final noteworthy aspec of McAbees new work is that in addition to creating a true indy, DIY, all digital movie, McAbee is also handling all of the distribution and promotion of the work himself.  To this end he has focused many aspects of the production to insure that Stingray is just as enjoyable on the small screens of iPhones as it is on the big screens of theaters.  He also wrote the entire work as a series of stand alone, old-school style serials.  This makes the digital promotion and distribution of Stringray even easier.

So, the bottom line is you need to:

1- Go watch Stingray Sam right now online.  It’s worth way more then the $8.

2- Tell your friends to watch it.

3- Go rent The American Astronaut.

While you are doing that take a liste to the opeing song Mars:

Mars

Damm, I allredy want to see it again.

Get more here at Cory Mcabees site.

Each worm/worm gear pair reduces the speed of the motor by 1/50th. Since there are 12 pairs of gears, the final speed reduction is calculated by (1/50)12. The implications are quite large. With the motor turning around 200 revolutions [...]]]>

This machine was inspired by dreaming about gear ratios and considering the unexpected implications of exponential powers.

Each worm/worm gear pair reduces the speed of the motor by 1/50th. Since there are 12 pairs of gears, the final speed reduction is calculated by (1/50)12. The implications are quite large. With the motor turning around 200 revolutions per minute, it will take well over two trillion years before the final gear makes but one turn. Given the truth of this situation, it is possible to do anything at all with the final gear, even embed it in concrete

You can listen it it here.

Swine flu has been sequenced.  More out of curiosity than anything else, I wrote code to translate a key gene into a piece of ambient music:

Swine Flu Hemagglutinin (mp3, 6.7 [...]]]>

I bet you’re wondering what the Swine Flu genome sounds like?  Well, luckily Stephan Zielineki has converted it to music.

You can listen it it here.

Swine flu has been sequenced.  More out of curiosity than anything else, I wrote code to translate a key gene into a piece of ambient music:

Swine Flu Hemagglutinin (mp3, 6.7 megabytes)

The algorithm I used is a bit complicated, but just in case you’re curious: since the gene is expressed as a surface protein antibodies can sense, it’s considered as a string of amino acids.  Each beat corresponds to one amino acid, and the piece is in 3/4 time, so each six measures would correspond to five turns around the alpha structure.  (I’m weaseling because I haven’t the foggiest idea how the protein actually gets folded.)  Amino acids with side chains that are neither aromatic not aliphatic control the piano and organ: the nine non-hydrophobics the piano, and the four hydrophobics the organ. The three amino acids with aliphatic side chains control the low synthesizer, while the four with aromatics control the percussion.  Strictly speaking, this is a version of swine flu hemagglutinin, FJ966952:

MKAILVVMLYTFATANADTLCIGYHANNSTDTVDTVLEKNVTVTHSVNLLEDKHNGKLCK
LRGVAPLHLGKCNIAGWILGNPECESLSTASSWSYIVETSSSDNGTCYPGDFIDYEELRE
QLSSVSSFERFEIFPKTSSWPNHDSNKGVTAACPHAGAKSFYKNLIWLVKKGNSYPKLSK
SYINDKGKEVLVLWGIHHPSTSADQQSLYQNADAYVFVGSSRYSKKFKPEIAIRPKVRDQ
EGRMNYYWTLVEPGDKITFEATGNLVVPRYAFAMERNAGSGIIISDTPVHDCNTTCQTPK
GAINTSLPFQNIHPITIGKCPKYVKSTKLRLATGLRNVPSIQSRGLFGAIAGFIEGGWTG
MVDGWYGYHHQNEQGSGYAADLKSTQNAIDEITNKVNSVIEKMNTQFTAVGKEFNHLEKR
IENLNKKVDDGFLDIWTYNAELLVLLENERTLDYHDSNVKNLYEKVRSQLKNNAKEIGNG
CFEFYHKCDNTCMESVKNGTYDYPKYSEEAKLNREEIDGVKLESTRIYQILAIYSTVASS
LVLVVSLGAISFWMCSNGSLQCRICI

During the months October through December 2002, inhabitants of Amsterdam were invited to be equipped with a tracer-unit. The tracer unit is a portable PDA (Personal Digital Assistant such as an i-Paq or Palm Pilot), which is connected to a GPS unit (Global Positioning System). Using satellite data the tracer calculates its geographical [...]]]> Amsterdam Real Time

During the months October through December 2002, inhabitants of Amsterdam were invited to be equipped with a tracer-unit. The tracer unit is a portable PDA (Personal Digital Assistant such as an i-Paq or Palm Pilot), which is connected to a GPS unit (Global Positioning System). Using satellite data the tracer calculates its geographical position accurate to 5-7 meters. The data from the tracer is sent in real-time to a central point. By visualizing this data against a black background, lines appear. From these lines a (partial) map of Amsterdam constructs itself. This map does not register streets or blocks of houses, but consists of the sheer movements of real people. Another component of RealTime is that it shows the intensity of use. The longer you stay or the more often you visit one certain location, gradually the intensity of color that represents this location changes. White is the least visited, changing to yellow to red for most often visited locations.

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I’m very intrigued by the possibility of creating highly complex, repeating, organic constructions by  harnessing the high-precision capabilities of robotic construction.

This is an obvious and natural continuation [...]]]> I recently found out about the architectural work of Gramazio & Kohler who use industrial robots to build highly patterned brick walls.

.

I’m very intrigued by the possibility of creating highly complex, repeating, organic constructions by  harnessing the high-precision capabilities of robotic construction.

This is an obvious and natural continuation of the democratizing of precision that began with machine tools, and has grown rapidly with advances in CAD/CAM/CNC and rapid prototyping.

I’ve been told that the industrial robots Gramazio & Kohler use were original used in car manufacturing, but have been replaced by more advanced models.  These and other types of industrial robots are going to be increasingly available for use by artists … so start thinking about what you would do if you had one of these in your studio/shop.

]]> http://www.almostscientific.com/blog/2009/04/03/brick-laying-robots-and-the-democratizing-of-precision/feed/ 0 http://www.almostscientific.com/blog/2009/03/31/reuben-margolin-video/ http://www.almostscientific.com/blog/2009/03/31/reuben-margolin-video/#comments Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:30:45 +0000 Alan http://www.almostscientific.com/blog/?p=1174 Reuben Margolin is a fantastic, kinetic artist who makes stunning wave machine.

Take a few minutes out of your day and watch this Make video featuring him.

Reuben and I are fellow member of  Applied Kinetic Arts.  Speaking of AKA, we are doing another show at Maker Faire this year and Almost Scientific will be installing The [...]]]> Reuben Margolin is a fantastic, kinetic artist who makes stunning wave machine.

Take a few minutes out of your day and watch this Make video featuring him.

Reuben and I are fellow member of  Applied Kinetic Arts.  Speaking of AKA, we are doing another show at Maker Faire this year and Almost Scientific will be installing The Neuron Chamber (assuming it makes it back from Ireland on time).

As far as high voltage art [...]]]> While I was away at the Lightwave show in Dublin I took a brief side trip to Paris.  While there I went to a really great exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo called Gakona where I saw this piece by Roman Signer called Paraphuie I.  (paraphuie is french for umbrella)

As far as high voltage art goes this is not very ingenious, however, I really enjoyed the design of the two Tesla coils, and found great humor in the use of the umbrellas (which I might have displayed open rather then closed).

One element of this piece that I really liked was the audience reaction, which is lost in this video.  Now most people have no idea what a Tesla coil is, so when they see this piece they have no idea what will happen, and they were kept roped off so they could not get too close or see that much.  It also did not go off that often, and when it did, it was really, really loud.

So there were always a few people, who had seen it go off last time, gathered around it waiting for it to go off again.  When new people walked in they were draw to the the small crowd that was already there.  This would draw more new people in.  And the crowd got bigger.  Everyone would be really quiet, wondering why everyone was fascinated by this instillation that you could not see very well.  Then, suddenly, the arc would strike and everyone would jump and laugh nervously.  That release of the tension, coupled with the realization that only then were you experience the piece, compounded by the shock and of the sudden noise and light, created a really powerful reaction by the group and the individuals.

They first had them study some pre-made automata and then had them make their own.

In true Exploratorium sprint they emphasized the playful and artistic elements [...]]]> I just got back from a very interesting talk by the PIE group at the Exploratorium.  They spent ten days in India teaching Tibetan monks simple scientific concepts with cardboard automata.

They first had them study some pre-made automata and then had them make their own.

In true Exploratorium sprint they emphasized the playful and artistic elements of the automata.

The aesthetic connection the monks made provided the opportunity for them to then form insightful and intuitive connections with the complex concepts (for them) at play in the automata, despite both their very limited background in science and the language barrier.

Check out the video below, and go here for more information.

Tinkering with monks: cardboard automata from Learning Studio on Vimeo.