Event 1: Youjin Cheng

My first event was an art show presented by Youjin Cheng. Her art show demonstrates sympathy to inanimate objects. In the first part of the show, there are lamps surrounding a sculpture, making the focus on the sculpture. However, Youjin wanted to show that the lamps represent an audience, all focusing on the inanimate object. The different lamps tell the story of having different perspectives and angles on the structure in the middle. Instead of having an audience focusing on the structure, it is a view on why people feel jealous about artificial things (Youjin).

Youjin's art piece showing difference in perspectives based on lighting

In the article On Creativity, Bohm introduces the idea of creativity. He says “there is a routine and mechanical kind of perception that we can carry out habitually, in dealing with what is familiar…But real perception that is capable of seeing something new and unfamiliar requires that one be attentive, alert, aware and sensitive” (Bohm). At first glance, Youjin’s art piece with the moving structure seems like the point of the art piece is to showcase the inanimate object. However, once the audience looks closely and sees that the lighting is also part of the artwork, we then understand that there are different points of views and we may not see the whole picture at first glance. This art piece enhanced my knowledge of the effects of having multiple perspectives, similar to what I learned from Flatland. In Abbott’s work, he had demonstrated the effects of looking at geometric shapes from different viewpoints and how that affects how one perceives society (Abbott).

In the second art piece, there is a video game where human hands touch inanimate objects. Once the hand comes into contact with the object, the hand changes color. There is also an intentional glitch in the game. Together, the glitch and hand changing color demonstrate self-destruction (Youjin).

Youjin's videogame showing human hands touching inanimate objects

Youjin’s art gave me a deeper understanding of the connection between art and science. The video game is the result of combining science and art to portray an inanimate object’s life. A video game is created through computer programming. However, the display depends on art. This combination is known as the third culture, where art and technology overlap (Kelly). Technology defines a whole new version of art: it allows users to experience the abstract concepts firsthand. Youjin makes it a firsthand experience by showing only human hands, making it look like we, the viewers, are looking down at our hands and moving towards the objects to touch them.

Youjin’s art pieces reflect the idea that Nicholas Gessler mentioned: making social science concepts more scientific (Wertheim). Youjin showcased artificial things with feelings through scientific and mathematical techniques. Every aspect is purposely portrayed in the art piece. To involve the viewers, the artist loops the music through the use of computer programming and math. Burk states that “when we digitally record a sound, an image, or even a temperature reading, we numerically represent that phenomenon” (Burk). We use different functions, frequencies, rates, etc. to produce sound from our computers and with the numerous sound effects; we can then put the sound together in various combinations to make up a song. This idea is very intriguing; I took an electrical engineering class where I learned how to produce a single sound by the end of the quarter in MATLAB, a program used for technical computing. I now have a better, well-rounded knowledge about both the computational and artistic sides of music.

Technology is a new way for artists to express their ideas. It is another medium of art. Instead of drawing art on a canvas, technology helps bring art pieces to life because it provides the audience an intimate experience.

It was truly an inspiring event and I would highly recommend it. The pieces were mesmerizing and say a lot about themselves. The art represents core ideas we have learned, but is also eye-opening to see the artist’s viewpoint of empathizing with inanimate objects as well.

A picture of a group of DESMA9 students with Youjin Cheng

References

Abbott, Edwin A. "Flatland A Romance of Many Dimensions." Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.

Bohm, D. "On Creativity." JSTOR. The MIT Press, Apr. 1968. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.

Burk, Phil, Larry Polansky, Douglas Repetto, Mary Roberts, and Dan Rockmore. "Chapter 2: The Digital Representation of Sound, Part Two: Playing by the Numbers." Music and Computers. Burk/Polansky/Repetto/Roberts/Rockmore, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.

" Youjin Cheng Interview." Personal interview. 11 Apr. 2017.

Kelly, Kevin. "The Third Culture." Science. American Association for the Advancement of Science, 13 Feb. 1998. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.

Wertheim, Margaret. "Things That Think: An Interview With Computer Collector Nicholas Gessler." The Institute For Figuring // Where the Wild Things Are. The Institute For Figuring, 2006. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.