When Science Is Used As Art

"The mystery of mad itch"

 ANTHONY AMBROSINI AND LYNN ENQUIST

A couple of months ago I came across the article “The Art of Science”, written by Chris Palmer, which discusses Princeton’s 6^th annual Art of Science Exhibition. The exhibition includes forty-four “scientifically derived works of art.” Many of these works were discovered while in the process of research or experiments conducted by Princeton scientists and engineers.

This article proved that there are many beautiful elements in scientific research. The images posted along with this article are what originally attracted me to reading it. With Art Education being my major, I am always interested in finding different ways of integrating other subjects with Art. I think it would be great to show these images to students for a lesson in aesthetics. It is a great example of how something not normally thought of as beautiful, such as the worms, can actually be aesthetically pleasing.

I thought it was interesting how many of the scientists got very excited when they discovered their exhibition pieces as they worked. I do not think any of them planned out the images, they were simply stumbled upon. Many of them remind me of abstract paintings I have seen. I find that interesting because now I believe that some of these abstract paintings, surely not intentional, are actually portraying something very realistic.

Not only are these images impressive pieces of art, but I think the Art of Science Exhibition gives people another perspective of science. These images can peak an interest in a topic one is not familiar with. They also can help the viewer understand a complex process more easily by providing a visual aid.  I think it is a great way to introduce people to a side of science that they do not generally see. I have posted a link to the article below.

http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/36123/title/The-Art-of-Science/

Unit Plan Canvas Remix

     

 One of the features that PLAYground has is that it allows you to "remix" someone else's canvas. I decided to try this feature on the canvas entitled Introduction to a Unit on Emotion in Music. I remixed this canvas to integrate a lesson in visual arts. When I first came across this canvas, my thoughts went right to Abstract Expressionism. Many Abstract Expressionists’ works were influenced by the emotions they felt in music. I included images of some of these paintings along with a short video about Jackson Pollock, The Museum of Modern Art actually put together a CD containing the jazz songs that Pollock listened to while he painted. I also included a video of a demonstration of a contemporary artist painting while feeling the emotion of music. The links I provided give further information about Abstract Expressionism as well as a link to the original canvas I remixed. Usually the original canvas is supposed to carry onto the remixed version, but there seemed to be a glitch in the system. I did not eliminate any of the information from the original canvas because I believe it provides the information needed to become familiar with “Emotions in Music”. I think that an integration of these topics works because they support each other naturally. Musicians also have been inspired to create music from works of art. You can visit my remixed canvas by clicking on the link below.

http://www.play.annenberginnovationlab.org/play2.0/challenge.php?idChallenge=2566&mode=view#network6

Video Making in the Art Classroom

       There are many different ways to incorporate the making of videos into the art classroom. I was able to experience creating many of these various projects in a course I took last year. I think they are fun and use many of the technologies students are familiar with, but, may introduce them to new tools as well.   One project that can be fun and challenging is having the students work together to produce an instructional video. In the video, they can demonstrate a particular art technique or a “How to.” They can experiment with speeding up some of the frames, adding music and voice-overs. Another enjoyable project would be for them to create a documentary on an artist. This can take the place of a written essay. The students would download still images and import them into iMovie or a program similar to this. They then can add music, voice-overs and the Ken Burns effect. The Ken Burns effect is when the images are zoomed and panned over. It’s amazing the effect that this produces only using still images. They also can construct a short movie, where they create the script, storyboard and props. The movie can be about a local or global social issue.  The students can also create a documentary about themselves. If there is a planned art show at the end of the year, you can have the students interview and film each other in the actual “creation process” throughout the year. They can then present the final video at the art show. These are just some of the various ways to incorporate video making into the art classroom.

Unit Plan Canvas

       I just created a PLAYground canvas. It is a great tool for teachers that can serve as an introduction to a new unit. My canvas is on Color Theory. Here my students can find many helpful widgets pertaining to the various topics that they will learn throughout this unit. I began my canvas with an open ended question about color for reflection. I then added a text widget that contains what the students can expect to learn from this unit and also what they could find on the canvas. I included two galleries of images. One gallery has examples of the color wheel labeled with important terminology along with the different color harmonies. In the other gallery, I included images of famous paintings where the students are encouraged to try and recognize the color harmonies within each painting. There is a great video that explains the effect that color has on us. I also included widgets that lead to three websites for further reference about color meaning, the emotions they can convey and how colors affect each other. Two of these websites are interactive. The NJCCCS are included as well. As much as I enjoyed creating my canvas, there were, however, some glitches. For example, for some reason I could not use my PC to create or view my canvas, I had to use my MacBook. Nevertheless, I still think it was worth the time and the frustration that came along with establishing this informative tool.

http://www.play.annenberginnovationlab.org/play2.0/challenge.php?idChallenge=2294&mode=view#network6