Nanotechnology and Art

This week’s topic is Nanotechnology and Art. From the word Nano, it is not hard for people to tell what nanotech is about. It is something in a small scale, nanometer. According to Wikipedia, nanotech is defined as “the manipulation of matter on atomic and molecular scale.” It is another new modern technology that is developing rapidly just like biotech and neuroscience. In this week's the lecture, professor Gimzewski, an scientist who works on Nanotech, introduces nanotechnology in detail. He talks about the allotropes of Carbon, the Scanning Tunnel Microscope, and applications of these inventions in many fields. However, how can nanotech be related to art? I start to understand the connection between nanotech and art by finding couple interesting examples in this week’s readings.

Nanospace.

<http://www.artabase.net/exhibition/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology>

One of the interesting examples is Nano-space created by Christa Sommerer and Laurent Mignonneau. These two artists aim to make the Nano-world to be touched through this artwork. By wearing magnetic rings, users can move their hands over table and experience atomic properties caused by magnetic forces, for example, attraction, repulsion, etc. This example shows how artwork can contribute to science study. Nanotech is invisible. Thus, it is sometimes very hard to describe how things work in nano world. However, this artwork makes invisible things to be touchable. People can have a better feeling that the nanotech.  

another picture of nanospace

<http://www.artabase.net/exhibition/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology>

Another great example is Nanomandala created by our Professor, Victoria Vesna, and James Gimszewkski.  This team itself can be considered as a combination of nanotech and art since Professor Vesna is an artist while James is a pioneer in nanotechnology. According to Professor Vesna, visitors can touch the sand as images of this grain of sand are projected from its molecular structure. Therefore, the images of this single grain of sand can be visible and form a wonderful artwork. This artwork is a perfect combination of art and nanotech. Nanotech allows people to see the molecular structure of tiny things and artist uses this technology in order to create artwork. Below is a video of Nanomandala. 

Nanomandala

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OerNS-Lu2Fg>

From the examples above, people can see that how nanotech is changing the art performances. Just as Professor Vesna said, after working on this topic for over 10 years, “ [nanotech] is about a shift in our perception of reality from a purely visual culture to one based on sensing and connectivity.” After this week's study, I have been more convinced that art and technology can never be separated. They are working as a whole and develop together. 

Works Cited

Curtin, John. "Art in the Age of Nanotechnology."Artabase. N.p., 30 Apr 2010. Web. 24 Nov 2013.<http://www.artabase.net/exhibition/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology>.

Gimzewski,  Jim and Victoria Vesna. "The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of fact & fiction in 

the construction of a new scienc." Technoetic Arts. 2010. Print. 

Gimzewski, James. “Nanotech for Artists” Youtube. 21 May. 2012. Web. 24 Nov. 2013

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7jM6-iqzzE>

"Nanomandala."UCLA. n.d. Web. 24 Nov.2013

<http://nano.arts.ucla.edu/mandala/mandala.php>

“Nanotechnology”  Wikepedia.  13 Nov. 2013. Web. 24 Nov.2013

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology>