PaigeMaceachernDESMA9

This week’s intersection of art, medicine, and technology challenged how I think about the human body, not just as a biological body, but as a site of expression and transformation. In the lecture, Professor Vesna discussed Raymond Vahan Damadian, the pioneer of the MRI machine. What amazed me was the fact that Damadian’s graduate students volunteered to be the first test subjects inside the machine. That trust and risk-taking speak to the collaborative spirit behind medical innovation. The article "Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as Mirror and Portrait" helped me see how MRI scans are not just diagnostic images; they are reflections of identity, memory, and mortality.  “The Full-Body Imaging Movement: A Strategic Upgrade for MRI.” Imaging Technology News , 4 Mar. 2024, https://www.itnonline.com/article/full-body-imaging-movement-strategic-upgrade-mri . Accessed 23 Apr. 2025. While MRI lets us see beneath the surface, plastic surgery transforms that surface. Originally deve...

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend Patricia Cadavid’s exhibition, part of the Atmosphere of Sound: Sonic Art in Times of Climate Disruption series in the Fowler Museum at UCLA!  Her installation, Electronic_Khipu_ , blended ancient Andean technology with modern sound art in a way that truly amazed me.  The installation draws inspiration from the Incan quipu, an ancient system of knotted strings used to record and store information. Cadavid reimagines this concept by integrating it with analog synthesizers. What made the experience even more immersive was the opportunity to listen with headphones, where I watched the performance Khipumancy with Patricia Cadavid and Paola Torred Núñez del Prado. This performance explored the interplay between tradition and technology, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Andean quipu while blending it with modern sound and technology. Electronic_Khipu_ wasn’t just about hearing sounds, it was about experiencing them physically...

This week’s lesson on robotics and art, especially through the lens of reproduction and industrialization, really made me reflect on how we view authenticity, identity, and our connection with machines. Walter Benjamin’s The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction argues that mass-produced art loses its unique "aura," its original presence in time and space. But Douglas Davis challenges this in The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction (1991–1995) , claiming that digital art doesn't erase aura, it transforms it. In an age where technology personalizes everything, our relationship with machines is no longer cold or distant; it’s deeply emotional and intertwined with our identities. Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction . YouTube, uploaded by Then & Now, 8 Mar. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=blq9sCIyXgA&t=24s . Accessed 16 Apr. 2025. Two films came to mind: Ron’s Gone Wrong (2021), a Disney animated movie, and M...

Throughout history, mathematics has been deeply intertwined with both art and science. This week’s materials helped me see that math isn’t just about solving equations. It is also about patterns, perspective, and the structure behind creativity. Piero della Francesca’s paintings, such as The Flagellation of Christ , demonstrate his mastery of linear perspective and geometric proportion. In his treatise, De Prospectiva Pingendi , he laid out detailed instructions on how to use mathematical ratios to create realistic space and depth in art. His focus on symmetry and color harmony reveals how math can bring balance and structure to visual storytelling. "De Prospectiva Pingendi." Wikipedia , Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_prospectiva_pingendi. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025. "Flagellation of Christ (Piero della Francesca)." Wikipedia , Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flagellation_of_Christ_%28Piero_della_Francesca%29 . Accessed 9 Apr. ...