Event 3: "Movement" at CNSI Art Gallery

On May 12 I visited the "Movement" gallery put on by the UCLA Art Science Undergraduate Society (this actually occurred before what is listed as my second event). The showcase focuses on movement and how it can be interpreted on various levels such as in the arts, humanities, and sciences. 

The author at the event

The piece that caught my attention the most is Crossroads: A Web of Paths by Mickey Shi. Crossroads traces the daily paths of North and South Campus students and faculty across campus. Colors represent different parts of campus; red represents North Campus while Green represents South Campus.

Crossroads: A Web of Paths by Mickey Shi

From the paths we can see a lot of movement going between both parts of the campus. Contrary to what some might think, people from both sides of campus rarely keep to themselves. In fact, there appears a hot spot for movement appears to be the region located between the two parts of campus.

The intent of Crossroads is to bridge the gap between the division seen between North and South Campus. This brings us full circle to the first concept we learned: the idea of two cultures. As shown by Crossroads, there isn't a distinctive division between the two cultures. In this case portrayed by North and South Campus. In fact, it more resembles a medium between the two - representing the existence of the sought-after third culture.

Event 2: "Making Strange: Gagawaka + Postmotem at Fowler"

On May 15 I visited the Fowler Museum to see Gagawaka + Postmortem by Vivan Sundaram. The exhibit is actually a showcase of two different sets of Sundaram's works. Gagawaka consists of pieces made from garments created using recycled materials and medical supplies as a viewpoint on fashion. Postmortem, on the other hand, consists of mannequins to portray the human body in unique ways.

The author at the exhibit

One of the Gagawaka pieces I found particularly interesting is called Floater. The garment is made of inflatable plastics and Lycra orthopedic supports. It resembles a flotation device one might find in an airplane or on a boat. To most people, these everyday objects would not be perceived as pieces that can be assembled into clothing; but Sundaram does just that. By incorporating surgical pieces, he addresses the division often associated with beauty and illness. In Floater, pieces from both worlds can come together to make a single work that satisfies characteristics of both.

Floater

In Postmortem, one piece that stood out to me is Triangular Shelf . It is made of mannequins, fiberglass body organs/anatomy samples, paint, and wood. This somewhat disturbing work addresses the fragility of the human body and how easily it can be cast away. In a world increasingly dominated by material goods, Sundaram invites us to look closer and consider the human effort and sacrifice that goes behind our desires.

Triangular Shelf

In Making Strange, Sundaram's works serve as examples of a trend that many other modern artists that involves addressing issues such as life and death, pain and pleasure, as well as beauty and illness. By incorporating everyday materials in new ways he and other artists are helping us take not and understand the issues at hand.

Event 1: Hammer Museum

I attended the exhibit titled Provocations: The Architecture and Design of Heatherwick Studio showcased inside the Hammer Museum on April 24. Inside contained works of Thomas Heatherwick for projects around the world. For each project, a question was presented that posed as the main challenge going into the work. Through these questions, Heatherwick is able to showcase his inventive approach to each challenge.

One such example is called Extrusions. The questions posed is the following: "Can you squeeze a chair out of a machine, the way you squeeze toothpaste out of a tube?" To accomplish this, the studio worked with a factory to create a straight bench with a disfigured end that resembles the behavior of squeezing a tube of toothpaste.

Extrusions

Another piece, the Large Span Rolling Bridge, explores the question of "Is it possible to make a rolling bridge long enough to span the Thames River?" The project explores being able to roll up a bridge on one side through the use of a winch and a system of cables and pulleys.

1:15 Scale Model of the Large Span Rolling Bridge

Heatherwick's works appear to initially address engineering challenges, but a second look reveals each piece's questions serves as a foundations for what ultimately is an artistic expression that challenges modern architecture as well as everyday objects. This course constantly explores the combination of art with numerous technological aspects and I would personally say Provocations represents a blend of art and civil engineering/architecture.

The author at the event