Event #4: Provocations: The Architecture and Design of Heatherwick Studio

Provocation: an action or speech that makes someone annoyed or angry, especially deliberately.

I'm testing out Heatherwick's Spun chairs

Perhaps Heatherwick planned for his art to be unique in such a way, that would elicit intense emotion from the viewer. Maybe that is why his architecture, his art and his designs appear to be strange, to be… alien, in a way. The art and architecture in Provocations was truly unique, ranging from buildings whose structures regularly appear in science fiction to a truly delightful chair that uses the moment of inertia and balance to keep from falling over.

The Garden Bridge, stretching over the River Thames, is already in progress

Heatherwick’s architecture, however, is not for specifically art buildings. Structurally, his designs work to benefit the purpose of the building. For example, one of Heatherwick’s designs for a bridge creates a structure that traverses the Thames River in London, while supporting gardens simultaneously. This is a clear representation of combining science and art into a single form that serves multiple purposes. Architecture is an artform that naturally utilizes mathematics and physics to stabilize structures and minimize damage and death. Heatherwick takes this one step further, adding an additional purpose in the form of a garden.

A dissected Spun chair, displaying its natural balance

Heatherwick’s Spun chairs, composed of polyethylene, maintain a certain balance that is only possible due to its perfect symmetry and rotational form, a topic we covered in Lecture 2. The focus on a perfect symmetry is reminiscent of the symmetry that exists in nature’s Golden Ratio.

Me with the Provocations sign at Hammer Museum

Going to Heatherwick’s exhibit made me realize how much I’ve learned from taking DESMA 9 this quarter. Every exhibit I saw, in addition to those I’ve described in this posting, reminded me of something I learned in lecture, or in reading fellow student’s blog. 

Website:

http://hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/2015/provocations-the-architecture-and-design-of-heatherwick-studio/

Event #3: The People’s United Nations (pUN) – Pedro Reyes

I’m going to be honest here. Of all the events I’ve attended this quarter, Pedro Reyes’ exhibit, The People’s United Nations, is by far the exhibit I’ve enjoyed the most. Reyes uses a combination of science and art to create a social commentary towards the world today.

Me, with both the Disarm Clock and the Force Field Analysis

Disarm Clock, one of Reyes recent pieces, is a repurposing of various guns collected by the Mexican government into an art piece that designates time and serves as an instrument. It can regularly alarm according to time and is a beautiful rendition of peace. The purpose of The People’s United Nations is to emphasize and facilitate peace, open arms and an end to violence, and this piece is clearly that.

Another one of Reyes’ artworks, titled Force Field Analysis, depicts several figures in a perpetual tug of war. This piece, utilizing a simple, yet scientific approach via Newton’s Second Law of Physics, emphasizes to the audience that, in an argument, if no one is willing to compromise, goals cannot be met.

One of Reyes' more recent works, urging
for the universality of genetic science

Reyes' Drone Dove

The reason why I enjoyed Reyes’ exhibit was because this exhibit clearly displays the topic of our class, combining the two different cultures of science and art to generate a third culture that can spread the message to both the scientific community and to artists alike. In Reyes’ art, there is a certain depth of understanding to his use of science that clearly defines him as an artist that not only utilizes science, but is interested in it and is willing to learn what he can about it to apply to his art. 

Website:

http://hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/2015/hammer-projects-pedro-reyes/

Week 9: The Next Great Adventure

Star Wars Poster

This week’s topic, Space and Art, was an eye-opening lecture for me. Most people have, at one time, been fascinated with the idea of exploring new worlds and travelling through space. Under the influence of modern science fiction, space exploration has been glamorized and fantasized about for years.

Heliocentric Model

I’ve also gone through my phase of “space-fascination,” enamored by various science fiction novels and media, including Star Wars and Doctor Who. As a result, it was truly interesting to learn more about modern space technology and its origins, ranging from Copernicus’s Heliocentric Model (Universe Today) to the relatively contemporary idea of a “space elevator” (BBC).

The birth of NASA also appeared to be a starting point for revolutionary technological growth (NASA); it was only under NASA that the United States was able to extend its reach into the stars. But space exploration was not without its dangers. On several occasions, astronauts have been known to have died in their line of work, such as the loss of the Columbia (History).

The space shuttle Endeavor, taking its final flight

However, despite these setbacks, space exploration is growing more than ever; commercial space travel is no longer a fleeting thought. Virgin Galactic is working towards building a new tomorrow, with space travel on the horizon (Virgin Galactic).  I’m pretty surprised that we’ve come this far, and I am definitely excited to see what will become of humanity in the future, as space exploration only serves to improve more and more.

Sources:

"Columbia Disaster." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 1 June 2015.

"Heliocentric Model." Universe Today. 22 June 2009. Web. 1 June 2015.

NASA. NASA. Web. 1 June 2015.

"Should We Give up on the Dream of Space Elevators?" BBC. Web. 1 June 2015.

"Virgin Galactic, the World's First Commercial Spaceline." Virgin Galactic. Web. 1 June 2015.

Event #2: Waste Matters: You Are My Future by Kathy High

A picture of me with the guy making sure I don't steal the exhibits

In a secret room of CNSI on May 6^th, 2015, a mysterious fusion of art and science both astounded and disgusted me. I am speaking about Kathy High’s exhibit, “Waste Matters: You Are My Future,” in which High combines immune system functions and intestine biomes with art to generate a new perspective.

Poop a La Honey

One such piece was her unique usage of honey as a preservative; there have been several instances where honey from centuries – if not millennia – have been discovered, perfectly fine and edible. High demonstrates honey’s unique preservation by preserving various fecal samples in glass. Inspired by her own circumstances as a patient with Crohn’s disease, High creates art by combining images of intestines with images of children to stress the everyday reliance humans have on their interior – albeit sometimes disgusting – systems.

Intestines and humans, eternally linked

Kathy High’s art is an example of a “third culture,” as described by lecture 2. In short, she combines both scientific methods of preservation and the scientific idea of interior self-reliance with art to spread her knowledge and make her point. Furthermore, she references the topics of Week 4, anatomy, in her study of the relationships between bacteria and intestines. Her focus, the use of fecal microbial transplants and gut biomes, are also related to Week 6’s topic, biotechnology. Suffering from Crohn’s disease, High’s research into her own safety brought about her new artistic focus and a method by which she can be cured. 

Source: 

http://artsci.ucla.edu/?q=events/exhibition-waste-matters-you-are-my-future

Event #1: Making Strange: Gagawaka + Postmortem by Vivan Sundaram

Women's undergarments become...overgarments

I visited the UCLA Fowler Museum on May 1^st to view Sundaram’s exhibit, “Making Strange.” And strange it was, filled with clothing that may border – in some people’s perspectives – on the fine line between trash and eccentric art. Interestingly enough, Sundaram’s exhibit is composed of twenty-seven individual clothing garments created from recycled materials and medical supplies. Ranging from eerie to interestingly fashionable, these clothes share a basis with the course’s focus on the human body, the subject of Week 4’s lectures.  An image on the wall of the building stated, “Sundaram’s audacious line of haute couture […] points to the inseparability of fashion, or clothing, and the human body.”

Filled with pills and also a body

Sundaram takes his art even further, combining medical supplies, which are inevitably linked to the human body, with his art. The use of materials such as pill wrappers to create clothing reminded me of the Body Worlds exhibition I attended several years ago, in which medical technology is used to accentuate the human body. In Sudaram’s case, the relation between clothing and the human body only serves to emphasize how much time he – as an artist – has put into learning anatomy, a key point in Week 4’s lecture.

Is it hair? Or is it a wig?

Overall, I enjoyed this exhibit, but I was a little – or maybe a lot – shocked by the materials Sundaram used to create his clothing, such as a hair-like substance that was either a wig or a hair. However, I think that this exhibit serves as a good commentary on several points that people are trying to emphasize nowadays: recycling, the relationship between the body and medicine and the inseparability of clothing and the human body. 

A picture of me with the security guard. (I'm the taller one).

Website: 

http://www.fowler.ucla.edu/exhibitions/making-strange-gagawaka-postmortem-vivan-sundaram

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE

They’re everywhere. In the air, in the ground, in the water… even in the food we eat and the clothes we wear. What, you ask? This week’s topic: nanoparticles.

Graphene, an artificial nanoparticle that is surprisingly durable.

I suppose I was as surprised as the next person to learn that nanoparticles are everywhere – literally everywhere. I had always known that nanotechnology has been on the rise; I mean, the technology we use is getting smaller and smaller. We no longer need to have a giant boulder as a computer. We now have laptops and the even smaller notebooks. Phones are no longer the giant rectangles you see in old war films. We now have little, efficient handheld devices with more processing power than some not-so-distant computers (I mean, honestly, my phone runs faster than the computer my family was using up until the beginning of this decade).

Nanoparticle research is performed even by cosmetics comapnies!

What surprised me, however, was that nanotechnology – and nanoparticles – have been present in our society to such a large degree. For example, Dr. Gimzewski mentioned that Loreal, a major cosmetics company, is currently researching nanoparticles for their products and is one of the world leaders in nanotechnology patents (Helix).

A pretty neat diagram of how a STM (scanning tunneling microscope) works.

Feynman was ahead of his time, it seems. He predicted the shift in current technology, and even gave a decent estimation as to the natural role of nanoparticles in organic systems (Feynman). This could not have been possible without the use of the scanning tunneling microscope, which allowed scientists to actually analyze particles (Nanoscience Instruments, Inc). The creation of man-made carbon structures by usage of nanoparticles only served to prove the efficiency, and it soon became apparent that nanoparticles were already abundant in nature. Carmelized foods, for example, have carbon nanoparticles (grist.org). Many companies are taking advantage of the efficiency of nanoparticles in providing minerals and vitamins to our modern, limited diet.

Should we worry about nanoparticles? I, for one, will not. Many are natural, and those that are man-made are already spread out in food, vitamins, cosmetic products and more to the point where it may be difficult to discern their presence. However, you can always perform your own research into products if you’re worried about nanoparticle influence. Perhaps they’ve already taken root in our lives, providing external stimulants to our cells and triggering new types of DNA methylation – and, by extension, gene expression – from the very day we enter the world and take our first meal of baby formula. Maybe that’s why our current generations are getting bigger, faster and stronger. Maybe that’s why our athletes continue to break records and set new limits, despite the pure impossibility of some of these feats. Or maybe that’s just the effects of a healthy diet and proper exercise.  Only time will tell.

"Helix Magazine." Nanotechnology and the Science of Beauty. Web. 25 May 2015.

Feynman, Richard. "Feynman's Talk." Feynman's Talk. Web. 25 May 2015.

Malcolm, Chris. Art in the Age of Nanotechnology. Bentley, WA: John Curtin Gallery, 2010. Print.

"Nanoparticles in Your Food? You're Already Eating Them." Grist. 3 Dec. 2012. Web. 25 May 2015.

"Nanoscience Instruments, Inc." Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Overview. Web. 25 May 2015.

Degrees of Separation

This week’s lecture on the relationship between neuroscience and art was very insightful. Life is a culmination of obscurities and the unknown and at the forefront stands the mysteries of the mind. Professor Vesna, in her lecture, made a very good point: where does the brain stop and the mind begin? Where is the endpoint of the biology and beginnings of the consciousness?

Different regions of the brain (with different functions!)

These are all questions posed well before my time by many wiser – and by the sheer number of dissections, bolder – than I am. Gall was able to discern the natural compartmentalization of the brain and even created his “phrenology,” perhaps in an attempt to solidify his findings (The History of Phrenology on the Web). Regardless, Gall was able to create a hypothesis that was far ahead of his time, with nothing more than a scalpel.

Jung took analysis even further, insisting on his archetypes and stating that dreams – and the unconscious – were the source of creativity (Mostert). Even Freud, whose readings many of my psychology friends consider enjoyable, albeit outdated, has left a lasting impression in the neurosciences and, by extension, the psyche (Simple Psychology).

LSD-25 chemical structure

Neurochemicals, widely regarded as dangerous, was a surprisingly natural step to take in trying to decipher the mind. Through the various advocates of cocaine and LSD 25, it can be said that there presents an out-of-body experience when under the influence (LSD History).  

Perhaps, then, the mind and the body are not as separate as everyone believes them to be. If the body, influenced by neurochemicals, can induce hallucinogenic experiences that are most effective in the mind, the two should inevitably be linked. I enjoyed learning about the progression of neurosciences and tracking the development of the interpretation of the mind-body relationship over years of research.

Neuroculture - MRI butterfly-brain superimposed

I believe that, while the mind and body are surely linked, there still remains a certain void, a degree of separation, that lays between the two. I myself am not really sure how distant my mind is from my body, and just even beginning to think about it leaves me more confused than I was when I started. Artists such as Anker try to bring into reality the role of the brain by using examples like neuroculture, whereas scientists try to find conserved proteins in other species for potential analysis. Regardless, one thing is clear: the mind and body, while often considered individual entities, rely upon each other heavily for maintenance and well-being.

Frazzetto, G., and Anker, S. (2009). Neuroculture. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 10, 816-821.

"LSD History." History of LSD. Web. 18 May 2015.

Mostert, J. P. The Spiritual Problems of Modern Man in the Approaches of C.G. Jung and M. Eliade. [KwaDlangezwa]: [U of Zululand], 197. Print.

"The History of Phrenology on the Web." The History of Phrenology on the Web. Web. 18 May 2015.

"Sigmund Freud's Theories | Simply Psychology." Sigmund Freud's Theories | Simply Psychology. Web. 18 May 2015.

Of Superbugs and Bioart

 

The Infamous "Harlequin Coat"

Steichen's unique horticulture of delphiniums

Art, like life on this planet, appears to grow over time, adapting to the shifting opinions of the populace. Much like this growth of art, life itself adapts to the environment and populations evolve. The use of transgenics, mutations, recombinance and selective breeding act as a symbol for the development of the world itself. Orlan, for example, created the infamous “Harlequin Coat” to symbolize the unification of different races (Still Living, Symbiotica). Steichen and Gessert also bred flowers to generate their unique hybrid species (InsideOut), representative of the respective artists’ nature. Symbiotica itself is a representation of what they strive to achieve: a combination of different worlds to create something potentially amazing (Symbiotica). 

While we often separate art and technology in our minds, it appears that the two are always inexplicably linked. New technology always inspires the potential for new art based on those technologies. As opposed to other technologies, which are often viewed with seriousness and understanding for its potential to save lives, artistic technology is often seen as a joke. Even the professor mentions that scientists see Davis’s work in the artistic integration into the genome to be plain silly, regardless of his multiple art pieces such as the microvenus. Personally, I believe that, unless artists are trained properly to handle intensively dangerous bioorganisms, biotechnology restrictions should be more stringent towards artists. Kurtz, for example, should not have been culturing cells in a house, of all locations (New York Times). 

A "superbug" has the potential to resist antibiotic medication

Various types of cell growth techniques are reliant on utilizing antibiotic resistances, and mishandling of these techniques can result in the development of the feared “superbug,” resistant to nearly every type of antibiotic (Miller) and, as a result, potentially able to destroy human life faster than we are already destroying ourselves.

Sources:

"Charge Dropped Against Artist in Terror Case." The New York Times. The New York Times, 21 Apr. 2008. Web. 11 May 2015.

"EDWARD STEICHEN ARCHIVE: DELPHINIUMS BLUE (AND WHITE AND PINK, TOO)." InsideOut. Web. 11 May 2015.

Miller, Kelli. "Superbugs: What They Are and How You Get Them." WebMD. WebMD. Web. 11 May 2015.

"Still, Living." Symbiotica. Web. 11 May 2015.

"SymbioticA." : : The University of Western Australia. Web. 11 May 2015.

Week 4: Anatomy and Controversy

In this week’s lecture about the human body and medical technology, one unifying factor between each of the major advances in anatomy and medicine appears to be its controversial nature. This is no more prominent than in the growing discontent with the Hippocratic Oath; many feel that it is outdated and does not fit well with our large world influenced by a myriad of social, economic and political elements (Tyson).  

 

Performing an MRI Scan

Of course, this is not always the case. Many procedures are necessary to save lives and fulfill the Hippocratic Oath to one’s best ability, including the CT scan, the MRI and plastic surgery. However, there are many who would abuse or overuse this technology, knowing the many political and ethical factors that would accompany it. For example, excess use of the CT scan, or CAT scan, will cause a radiation buildup within the body (radiologyinfo.org) which has the potential to generate malignant and benign mutations (DNALC Blogs).

Warwick's Robotic Hand

Even amazing advances in technology and robotics are controversial; Warwick’s Project Cyborg, while amazing, intrudes upon the ethics of human testing. He is able to essentially run his entire building without moving a muscle (kevinwarwick.com). Warwick’s work on robotics has begun experimental trials on humans and many question the ethics of human testing.

From my experience, science is composed of a series of trade-offs. A large portion of modern biology utilizes model organisms, such as the rat, in order to continue research into biomedical topics (Genome). Consequently, all of these model organisms are killed, harvested or caged for the entirety of their lives, unable to live as they would in the wild. Regardless, the benefits from researching with model organisms far outweigh the ethical concern for their well-being. We do save many more lives in performing such research, such as the development of many vaccines and cures.  Personally, I believe that some ethics can and should be bypassed if there is a substantial benefit to the well-being of the community.

 

Common Model Organisms

"Body CT (CAT Scan)." Body CT (CAT Scan). 23 Sept. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=bodyct>.

"Cyborg 1.0." Cyborg 1.0. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.kevinwarwick.com/Cyborg1.htm>.

"Radiation Can Cause DNA Mutations, 3D Animation with Narration :: DNA Learning Center." DNALC Blogs. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.dnalc.org/view/15529-Radiation-can-cause-DNA-mutations-3D-animation-with-narration.html>.

Tyson, Peter. "The Hippocratic Oath Today." PBS. PBS, 27 Mar. 2001. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/hippocratic-oath-today.html>.

"What Are 'model Organisms'?" Genome. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://genome.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_wtd020803.html>.

Week 3: Industrialization, Tai Chi and Texting

Industrial Revolution, China. Source: US History Scene

Industrialization and the subsequent mechanization have, by all means, greatly shaped the world we live in. The development of the assembly line structure has not only improved the economy and increased the average standard of living, but has also generated a veritable amount of art and entertainment. Most of this art and entertainment was created in response to industrialization and its effect throughout the world.

Tai Chi Zero

One prominent example of this is a movie that I particularly enjoy, Tai Chi Zero, featuring both the birth of Tai Chi and the Chinese response to industrialization and European influence. In a combination of fantastic acrobatics and a refreshing steampunk-based enemy, Tai Chi Zero also represents the constant conflict between the new era (industrialization) and old tradition (martial arts). The production of a railroad that would, in essence, link China with the European world interferes with rural Chinese life in the Chen village. Culture and tradition are a significant part of any people’s history and, as a Chinese-American, I’ve been raised to value the history, culture and tradition of my people. It can only be expected that many people, Chinese or not, feel the same, and the birth of the Industrial Revolution brought about change for all cultures.

The first "Cyborg" I'd ever seen! Source: Teen  Titans

Even now, culture and tradition seem to clash with change and, by extension, industrialism. In the modern world, current values are being shifted all the time. Just yesterday, I had to remind my brother not to text while eating at a family dinner, knowing all too well that my father would look at him with disdain. In this ever-changing world, there is not much one can do but adapt with the times, which could be, I suppose, how the idea of the “cyborg” came about. As machinery and robotics began to overtake the roles of humans in their assembly line jobs, perhaps one author began to idealize of a man-machine hybrid, as a monster or as the next stage of human evolution. Regardless, while the past and the future will continue to forever collide, one can only move forward and try to maintain tradition while making the most use of new technology.

Benjamin, Walter, and J. A. Underwood. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. London: Penguin, 2008. Print.

"Industrial Revolution." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution>.

"Khan Academy." Khan Academy. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/big-history-project/acceleration/bhp-acceleration/a/the-industrial-revolution>.

Tai Chi Zero. Perf. Tony Leung, Angela Leung, Jayden Yuan. Huayi Brothers Media Corporation, 2012. Film.

"The Second Industrial Revolution, 1870-1914." US History Scene. 10 Apr. 2015. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <http://ushistoryscene.com/article/second-industrial-revolution/>.

DESMA 9 Week 2: Math and Art

Endosymbiotic Theory for Mitochondrion. Source: http://www.fossilmuseum.net/

People never really realize how complex the world is until they learn about the world around them. Education, it seems, is what allows us to grow both academically and holistically. The more we learn, the better perspective we have on our lives and the many relationships that we are unknowingly engaged in. Knowledge is power, and ignorance is bliss. Many, if not most, people live their lives without so much as a thought towards how much our lives have been influenced by things many would consider trivial, such as fresh air, water, and prehistoric endosymbiotic relationships. For example, without mitochondria and chloroplasts – the result of endosymbiosis – life on Earth would be radically different from the world we live in now. 

Likewise, I've always been ignorant in my own right about the complex relationship between mathematics and art. I've always taken ideas like the number zero for granted; I mean, since when has zero not been around? Yet, without zero, there'd be no way to mathematically differentiate the number one from the number ten. Efficiency in science, math, business, and even politics would be diminished by a factor of ten. 

A: “How many pounds of meat do you have?” 
B: “Less than one.” 
A: “Can I have half a pound?” 
B: “I already told you I have less than one!”

And so on. 

The Parthenon and the Golden Ratio. Source: http://www.goldennumber.net

Math appears to permeate art throughout time, from the Greek Parthenon to the more modern Penrose tiling. First created by mathematician and physicist Roger Penrose in 1974, Penrose tiling

Penrose Tiling. Source: http://www.liefies.com/

 uses a pentagonal base and distinct colors to create a unique pattern. A now common sight in buildings everywhere, Penrose tiling has many features that can be correlated with math, including self-similar patterning and a lack of translational symmetry. However, the most mathematical feature is the presence of the pentagon in Penrose tiling and its innate mathematical characteristic, the golden ratio, in the ratio of chord lengths to side lengths in a regular pentagon.
Even though some people appear to just “wing it,” math still manages to appAdd captionear within art. Often, art that is geometrically pleasing has better reception. I agree with Henderson's idea in her paper “The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art: Conclusion" that we are motivated to use math in art, but I think that many artists subconsciously incorporate this aspect of mathematics into their art.



"Endosymbiosis - The Appearance of the Eukaryotes." Endosymbiosis. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Evolution/Endosymbiosis.htm>.

Gardner, Martin. Penrose Tiles to Trapdoor Ciphers. New York: Freeman, 1989. Print.

Henderson, Linda Dalrymple. A New Facet of Cubism: The Fourth Dimension and Non-euclidian Geometry Reinterpreted. 1971. Print.

"Penrose Tiles." -- from Wolfram MathWorld. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://mathworld.wolfram.com/PenroseTiles.html>.

"The Liefies." » Blog Archive » Bathroom Floor Tile. 19 Apr. 2008. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://www.liefies.com/?p=366>.

"The Parthenon and Phi, the Golden Ratio." Phi 1618 The Golden Number. 20 Jan. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://www.goldennumber.net/parthenon-phi-golden-ratio/>.

Born into a strong Asian American community in the United States, I often experienced the conflict of two cultures firsthand. While my family would continue to influence me to follow their beliefs and teachings, I would be similarly affected by school and others around me. At times, my teachers, primarily Caucasian, would have a completely different outlook on a subject than I would. In being raised in a Chinese family, I gained insight to my culture and the history of my people. In going to school, I similarly discovered new perceptions and knowledge.

Chinese? Or American? What about... both? Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140612075005-308025461-6-differences-between-teaching-chinese-kids-and-american-kids

UCLA Boelter Hall. Source: http://www.bruinsnation.com/

As a student at UCLA, this clear division is present in a more physical form. As a South Campus major, I hardly wander far from the efficient feel of the minimalist architecture. But, on rare occasions, I venture to the mysterious land of Romanesque architecture and philosophical sculptures. In doing so, I could instantly feel the Snow’s distinction between the two cultures of literature and scientific analysis.  However, despite the clear variation in subject and environment, each part of campus has had its hold on me in its own way. Despite heavy influences by South Campus, I can still appreciate the aesthetic nature of North Campus and its students.  

While I have encountered cultures on completely opposite ends of the spectrum, I’ve often taken what I consider the best of each culture and created a third, unique culture of my own. From adopting pieces of perspective from both different cultures and different campuses, I myself have become a rounded person. While I can certainly appreciate the benefits of a certain culture, I can step back and analyze it with an outsider’s opinion to generate my own subjective viewpoint. In short, I have gained my own perspective, an “independent thinking,” similar to Sir Robinson’s “divergent thinking.”

UCLA Royce Hall. Source: http://netecon.ee.ucla.edu/

Until this class, I’ve never particularly focused on the convergent aspects of my life that created this independent perspective. However, I share Huxley’s opinion in that both scientists and poets purify common language, albeit in different ways. I hope that, in the future, people can develop a combination, a third culture, and finally unite the two different cultures.

"Campus Tour." UCLA Mobile. UCLA Regents, 2010. Web. 05 Apr. 2015. <http://m.ucla.edu/tour/view.php?l=10#>.

Huxley, Aldous. Literature and Science. New York: Harper & Row, 1963. Print.

Robinson, Ken. "Changing Education Paradigms." YouTube. YouTube, 14 Oct. 2010. Web. 05 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U&feature=youtu.be>.

Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. New York: Cambridge UP, 1959. Print.

Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between." Leonardo. 34 (2001): 121-125. Print.