Event 3: Color Light Motion by Professor Marko Pelijhan

 Event 3: Color Light Motion by Professor Marko Pelijhan

The last event I attended this quarter was "Color Light Motion" by Professor Marko Peljhan. The presentation focused on the connection between art and technology, first introducing the historical framework of California's aerospace industry. Professor Peljhan shared his personal journey from radio to satellite technology and remote sensing, demonstrating how various engineering disciplines, such as materials science, computation, physics, propulsion, and communications, converge in the aerospace field, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of modern art.

Robert Rauschenberg

Professor Peljhan also introduced the prominent American artist Robert Rauschenberg, who is known for his innovative and influential contributions to modern art. Rauschenberg is well-known for bridging the gap between art and technology, which was achieved through his collaboration with engineer Billy Klüver to co-found Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.). They believe that cooperation between artists and scientists would greatly benefit society. The speaker referenced the film Taking Venice, which provides a comprehensive overview of Rauschenberg's impact on the art world, combining street debris and pop culture images to become a grand prize winner.

Taking Venice

From the lecture, I was particularly amazed by Getulio Alviani's aluminum on woodwork, Superficie A Testura Vibratile Opera Programmata 4019. This artwork breaks the two-dimensional surface of a hanging wall piece and enters the viewer's space. At the same time, the different protrusions of the aluminum reflect light, creating and encouraging interaction with the artwork through visual perception (David Bermant Foundation). For example, the colors the piece emits depend on the warm or cool light shining on it. This reminded me of the ancient art piece, the Lycurgus Cup, mentioned in the Week 9 lecture. The cup contains nanoparticles and changes color based on the observer's position due to the metal dots' electrons.

Proof of Attendance: Getulio Alviani's aluminum on woodwork

I highly recommend this event because it showcased the intersection of art and technology from various historical perspectives. It also illustrated how art can influence society, as seen in Robert Rauschenberg's works. I found Professor Vesna's assistance during the lecture very helpful, as she shared links in the chat for us to delve deeper into the topics discussed by the speaker.

Proof of attendance

References:

“Experiments in Art and Technology: (E.A.T.).” Experiments in Art and Technology, www.experimentsinartandtechnology.org/. Accessed 6 June 2024.

“Superficie A Testura Vibratile Opera Programmata 4019.” David Bermant Foundation, 27 Nov. 2021, davidbermantfoundation.org/artist/alviani/.

Vesna, Victoria. “Nanotech for Artists Part 1 - Dr. Gimzewski.” Nanotech + Art | Lectures, youtu.be/q7jM6-iqzzE. Accessed 2024. 

Images:

Taking Venice, www.takingvenice.com/. Accessed 6 June 2024. 

Tomkins, Calvin. “A Tiny Masterpiece by Robert Rauschenberg.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 30 May 2017, www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/a-tiny-masterpiece-by-robert-rauschenberg.