Art + Human Body & Medicine

This week we focused on how art can impact modern medicine. The Flemish anatomist Andreas Vesalius is credited as the first person to accurately describe the internal structures of the human body. His book De humani corporis fabrica (On the Fabric of the Human Body) greatly influenced modern medicine, including many current occupations. For example, a job that requires a combination of art, medicine, and technology is a medical illustrator. These highly skilled artists work closely with medical professionals to create 3-D models, drawings and animations of human body parts. These illustrations are used in medical textbooks, training videos, films, and pamphlets for patients. These graphics have helped expand the medical information available to the public and helps educate medical students.

A medical illustrator sketches during a surgery.

Another popular practice in today's society is plastic surgery, which began 4,000 years ago in India. It became popular in America during WWI, when it was used to fix facial injuries of the soldiers. When doing some research on plastic surgery, I was intrigued when I learned that shatterproof windshields exist due to the efforts of plastic surgeons, who were concerned about the high rates of facial abnormalities after car accidents. By meeting with representatives from the automobile industry, physicians helped improve the design and safety of cars. 

Today, many people without medical problems choose to get plastic surgery to help them enhance their features or change a part of their body that they do not like. Some people may have unrealistic expectations and have surgery in order to look like celebrities.

Kim Kardashian is an example of a celebrity who has had some work done to her face.

The French performance artist Orlan uses plastic surgery to challenge society's beauty standards. During her filmed surgeries, poetry and philosophical texts are read. She strives to get people to engage in a debate about the ethical dilemmas posed by modifying the body using modern technology and medicine.

Here is Orlan during one of her performances.

Some people may have a negative view of plastic surgery because they tend to associate it with those who are trying to conform to society's beauty standards. However, I think it is important to remember that it is also used to help those with conditions such as cleft palates, burns, and for reconstruction of the breasts after a mastectomy.

Cook, Elizabeth. "Orlan's Surgeries." Orlan's Surgeries. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://oldsite.english.ucsb.edu/faculty/ecook/courses/eng114em/surgeries.htm>.

"ExploreHealthCareers.org." Medical Illustrator / Animator. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/87/Medical_Illustrator>.

Haller, Christina. "Should You Go under the Knife?" SheKnows. SheKnows, 29 Oct. 2013. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/1015441/the-pros-and-cons-of-plastic-surgery>.

"History of Plastic Surgery." History of Plastic Surgery. American Society of Plastic Surgeons, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://www.plasticsurgery.org/articles-and-videos/history-of-plastic-surgery.html>.

"Learn About Medical Illustration." AMI. Association of Medical Illustrators, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://ami.org/medical-illustration/learn-about-medical-illustration>.

"Richmond Man’s Contribution to Medical Research Could Change Lives." WRIC. ABC, 16 July 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://wric.com/2014/07/16/richmond-mans-contribution-to-medical-research-could-change-lives/#.U8cx-5J6yOw.facebook>.

"TheCount.com." TheCount. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://thecount.com/2013/03/11/kim-kardashians-bloody-facial/>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Medicine+Technology+Art Lectures." Desma 9. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/346337/pages/unit-4-view?module_item_id=6472150>.

Robotics and Art

Industrialization has changed American society. From the invention of the printing press to Henry Ford's assembly line technique, mass production increased the availability of goods, art, and knowledge to the middle class. As a result, society began to rely more on technology. Robots are currently developed all over the world to perform a variety of beneficial functions.

Professor Kusahara's lecture on Japanese robotics demonstrated the cultural differences between Japan and the United States, specifically, the way the robots are perceived. In Japan, robots are often small and made in the form of children, so that people won't be afraid of them. In contrast, some Americans view robots as scary and a threat to human intelligence. The Transformers movies provide an example of how robots are a part of Western culture. It also shows that while technology has the potential to hurt us, it can also help us.

Optimus Prime, one of the many robots from the Transformers movies. 

Art and robotics are integrated with the creation of realistic-looking robots. Engineers are able to use art in their work to make the robots appear less like objects and more like humans. Similarly, David Hanson's Ted talk shows how robots are now able to mimic how humans are feeling. The goal is for robots to eventually empathize with humans. If scientists are able to achieve this, I believe that people will not feel threatened by robots and will see them as useful to society.

The video above features an android developed by Hiroshi Ishiguro. It is able to mimic the facial expressions of humans!

Humanity has greatly benefitted from the use of robotics. Modern robots are able to vacuum floors, take care of elderly people, and help rescue survivors of a disaster. According to the German philosopher Walter Benjamin, “Technical reproduction can put the copy of the original into situations which would be out of reach for the original itself” (Benjamin, 1936). Advancements in robotics allow disabled people to experience things that they aren't able to do on their own. For example, an art museum in San Francisco currently has two robots that can be accessed by people unable to attend the site in person. In the video below, a quadriplegic man is able to take a tour of the museum by controlling the robot from his home.

I believe that robotics can continue to benefit society, and as long as we don't rely on them to completely replace the jobs that humans do, we shouldn't worry about robots taking over the world in a negative way. 

Benjamin, Walter. "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." (1936). Desma 9. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
<https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/346337/pages/unit-3-agenda?module_item_id=6472143>.

"The Creepiest, Most Realistic Robot Ever." Fox News. FOX News Network, 07 Mar. 2011. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. <http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2011/03/07/creepiest-realistic-robot/>.

Hanson, David. "Robots that "show emotion". TED, Feb. 2009. Web. 18 

Apr. 2015. <http://www.ted.com/talks/david_hanson_robots_that_relate_to_you>

Kusahara, Machiko. "Professor Machiko Kusahara on Japanese Robotics." Desma 9. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/346337/pages/unit-3-view?module_item_id=6472144>.

Motes, Jason. "Optimus Prime Got A Makeover For ‘Transformers: Age Of Extinction’." ScienceFictioncom RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. <http://sciencefiction.com/2013/11/26/optimus-prime-got-makeover-transformers-age-extinction/>.

"Robots Open up the World of Art." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 1 Mar. 2015. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. <http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/robots-open-up-the-world-of-art/>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Robotics + Art Lecture." Desma 9. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/346337/pages/unit-3-view?module_item_id=6472144>.

Art and Mathematics

Before this week, I didn't really think that art and mathematics were related because they seem like such different concepts. However, after doing the reading and watching the lecture, I now realize how wrong I was. Mathematics has greatly influenced art and science.

One example that Professor Vesna discussed in lecture was drawing a face. In addition to providing attention to detail, an artist must make sure that there is an equal distance between the eyes and that the placement between facial features is realistic. When I would draw a face as a young child, I would incorrectly put the eyes toward the top of the head. However, if you look at a face drawn in proportion, the eyes are closer to the middle of the head, leaving enough space for the forehead. Artists can divide the head into shapes or lines before drawing the facial features to ensure the proportions are correct. 

 

   When math is used in art, the drawing of a face becomes more accurate. 

One of the main connections between math and art is the Golden ratio, which is approximately 1.618. In a Golden ratio, a line is divided into two parts such that the long part divided by the small part is equal to the whole line divided by the longer part. This ratio has appeared in art and architecture throughout history, including the Parthenon in Athens and the Pyramids of Giza. The ratio shows how math can help make art aesthetically pleasing.

The Golden ratio

The Golden ratio in the Parthenon

The Golden ratio also appears in nature, in the form of a Fibonacci sequence. The spiral can be seen in hurricanes, galaxies, flowers, shells, and pinecones. The inner part of the flower below forms a spiraling sequence. To learn more about Fibonacci sequences, click the link here: http://www.livescience.com/37470-fibonacci-sequence.html

This flower provides evidence of mathematical sequences in nature.

I was fascinated by Robert Lang's video about the math involved in origami. Using math to calculate crease patterns, artists are able to shape paper into any object they desire. The math involved in origami has even helped change science. For example, using an origami pattern, scientists have developed a heart stent that is small when it goes through the blood vessels, but is able to expand in order to hold open a blocked artery. I would have never thought that origami could assist scientists in the field of medicine, so I find this insight very interesting! It provides more evidence that there is an intersection between math, art, and science.  I hope that scientists, mathematicians, and artists can continue to work together to develop new ways to fix crucial problems. 

Clancey, Benjamin. "Half-Face Drawing." TwentyFirst Century Art and Design. N.p., 27 Mar. 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://benjaminclancy.com/visual-art/drawing/half-face-drawing/>.

"Cool Kids Drawings Inspiring Creativity While Having Fun." Cool Kids Drawings Inspiring Creativity While Having Fun. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://www.drawing-pencil-sketches.com/kids-drawings.html>.

Hague, Matthew. "In Search of the Golden Ratio in Architecture." The Globe and Mail. N.p., 13 Aug. 2014. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/architecture/in-search-of-the-golden-ratio-in-architecture/article20040240/>.

Hom, Elaine J. "What Is the Golden Ratio?" LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 24 June 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://www.livescience.com/37704-phi-golden-ratio.html>.

"The Math and Magic of Origami." Robert Lang: The Math and Magic of Oragami. TED, 2008. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://www.ted.com/talks/robert_lang_folds_way_new_origami#t-34142>.

N.p., n.d. Web. <https%3A%2F%2Fsavoiaonline.files.wordpress.com%2F2012%2F05%2F4_pink-daisy-img_assist_custom-600x595.jpg%3Fw%3D640>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Math + Art Lecture." Desma 9. Web. 10 Apr. 2-15. <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/346337/pages/unit-2-view?module_item_id=6472138>.

Two Cultures

In 1959, Charles Percy Snow, an English author and physicist, talked abut the division of art and science that emerged during industrialization. He acknowledged that it exists all over the world.

Similarly, UCLA can be divided into North Campus (Humanities and Arts) and South Campus (Sciences and Math). Students often take classes within a specific campus and don't always get to spend a lot of time in the other part of the university. However, I partially disagree with Snow's assertion that universities are to blame for the separation of art and science.  College general education requirements allow students to be exposed to a variety of subjects, including the humanities and sciences during their undergraduate studies.

Personally, I do not feel connected to one campus more than the other here at UCLA because I have had to take both science and humanities classes as a psychology major. In cognitive psychology, art is used to help us understand the way our brain interprets sensory information. Illusions provide an example of how the brain can create false perceptions of reality.  

It's true – these circles are not actually moving!  

However, we have previously been taught that everyone has a dominant hemisphere of their brain. If a person is good at science, their left brain is thought to be dominant. If someone is creative and artistic, their right brain is said to be dominant. Like Professor Vesna said in lecture, this is incorrect. Researchers have found that people use both sides of their brains equally and the two hemispheres work together.
You can read more about it here: http://www.lamag.com/wellbeing/two-minds/.

Even though I see examples of the combination of art and science in my daily life, I agree with Stephen Wilson who argued that the two cultures need to expand and become more integrated. Just as the two different hemispheres of our brain communicate with each other, scientists and artists should collaborate more often. Knowledge from both cultures can help develop new ideas and enhance the way we think.

Angelozzi, Claire. "La Rue En 3 Dimensions Selon Edgar Mueller."Street Art Magazine. N.p., 03 Nov. 2012. Web. 04 Apr. 2015. <https://instreetart.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/la-rue-en-3-dimensions-selon-edgar-mueller/>.

Beck, Zach. "Cat Reacts to Optical Illusion - MainFRAME Review."MainFRAME Review. N.p., 11 Mar. 2013. Web. 02 Apr. 2015. <http://mainframereview.com/cat-reacts-to-optical-illusion/>.

Goldman, Jason G. "Right Brained, Wrong Brained: How Caltech Neuroscience Became a Buzzfeed Quiz."Los Angeles Magazine. N.p., 09 Feb. 2015. Web. 02 Apr. 2015. <http://www.lamag.com/wellbeing/two-minds/>.

Miller, John. "The Art and Science of Content Creation." Web log post. The Art and Science of Content Creation. N.p., 13 May 2013. Web. 02 Apr. 2015. <http://www.scribewise.com/blog/bid/281900/The-Art-and-Science-of-Content-Creation>.

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

"Tag Archives: Right Brain."NeuroBollocks. N.p., 22 May 2013. Web. 03 Apr. 2015. <https://neurobollocks.wordpress.com/tag/right-brain/>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Lecture Part II."Two Cultures Lectures. Web. 02 Apr. 2015. <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/346337/pages/unit-1-view?module_item_id=6472132>.

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