CodySchrierDESMA9 - Week 8 Blog
Week 8 Blog - Nanotechnology + Art
According to Professor Vesna, nanotechnology is expanding our knowledge and bringing new aspects of life to our experience for the benefit of both art and technology (Vesna 0:30). The techniques that were once useful to science and society are evolving into much more expansive ideas.
Everyone knows for the most part what nanotechnology is, but we do not really appreciate how important it is to our everyday lives. Finding out how small a nanometer actually is is interesting, considering how vast the concept of nanotechnology is. The nanometer was introduced in Lecture 1, and its actual size is difficult to comprehend. Dr. Gimzewski's comparison of a nanometer to three scales of a thousand was a very good way to understand the actual size. Comparing its size to that of the human body in meters, an ant in millimeters, cells in micrometers, and viruses in nanometers made it much easier to comprehend. Because a nanometer is so much smaller than what our eyes can see, art and nanotechnology combine to produce these images of objects that are invisible to the human eye. This highlights how important it is for technology to have an impact on science (Gimzewski 1:25).
Screenshot from Lecture 1 (5:40)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7jM6-iqzzE&t=341s
It also intrigued me how scientists ignore the true appearance of the molecule. Through the use of lines, sticks, balls, and other objects, we employ art to create various representations of the invisible (Gimzewski 7:07). We couldn't view the surface of atoms until Gerg and Heini's invention of the scanning tunneling microscope. Scientists were able to take the first-ever picture of the surface after scanning it with "the finger," or a thin needle ending by a single atom.
Stained glass has this same effect since different colors are portrayed using different particles (Gimzewski 2:50). I had assumed that the colors on the glass panels were only paint, but after seeing Lecture 3, I realize that there is much more going on. Looking deeper into this week's materials, I investigated the Art in the Age of Technology exhibit (Art in the Age of Nanotechnology A Perth International Arts Festival Exhibition), which attempts to create a tangible experience to investigate a spatial envelope between the scientific and metaphysical worlds. Similar to the Lycurgus Cup and stained glass art, scientists and artists collaborate to produce amazing works of art.
Resources:
“Art in the Age of Nanotechnology A Perth International Arts Festival Exhibition.” Art.Base, 11 Mar. 2010, art.base.co/event/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology#9.
Gimzewski, Jim. Nanotech Jim Pt1. YouTube, YouTube, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7jM6-iqzzE&t=341s. Accessed 21 May 2024.
Gimzewski, Jim. Nanotech Jim Pt2. YouTube, YouTube, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEp6t0v-v9c. Accessed 21 May 2024.
Gimzewski, Jim. Nanotech Jim Pt3. YouTube, YouTube, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0HCNiU_108. Accessed 21 May 2024.
Patowary, Kaushik. “Lycurgus Cup: A Piece of Ancient Roman Nanotechnology .” Amusing Planet , 16 Dec. 2016, https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vijG5D5WBAw/WFOLCoTg68I/AAAAAAABRBM/igZh01Qp2RM/lycurgus-cup-32.jpg?imgmax=1600. Accessed 21 May 2024.
Sowers, Robert W. “Chartres Cathedral: Stained-Glass Rose Window.” Britannica, 11 June 2021, https://cdn.britannica.com/75/211275-050-C6417801/rose-window-transept-France-Chartres-Cathedral.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop. Accessed 21 May 2024.
Thomas, Paul, and Kevin Raxworthy. “Naniessence.” Art.Base, 2009, http://dvky8w5zdi7l.cloudfront.net/uploads/event_images/art/008/018/maxHD_Paul_Thomas_Picture_9.png?1438242714. Accessed 21 May 2024.
Vesna, Victoria. Nanotech Intro. YouTube, YouTube, 26 Mar. 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ3y6TkXJ6Y. Accessed 21 May 2024.
Hi Cody! I really enjoyed reading your discussion post and learning more about nanotechnology. Dr. Gimzewski’s comparison really helped me gauge the size of a nanometer. I was also surprised to learn that the colors on the glass panels in stained glass windows were not only paint. When art and science collaborate, very beautiful work is produced. Overall, your post highlights how nanotech is a revolution in both science and art.
ReplyDeleteHi Cody! Its interesting the way you were able to conceptualize the size of a nano meter, even after watching the lectures I was having trouble understanding the size, but they way you simplified it helped me grasp the concept a little more, great work!
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