INTERDISCIPLINARY IMAGINATION COLLABORATION PROJECT
Iren Harutyunyan
DESCRIPTION
This project combines science (magnets) and art (creativity). After attending a
lecture about magnets and their ability to move bacteria around, we want to explore
magnets’ power to move other elements. In our case, unique and individualistic
pieces of art will be created depending on the audience’s movements. This project
proposal could be unrealistic but we decided on a proposal that could one day come
to life. We based our project on the audience. The installation we will set up will not
be considered art until someone interacts with it. We think creating mediums for
people to create their own art would be more beneficial than creating art that
remains unchanged no matter who approaches it.
The project will have a wall installation of iron lead shavings. Each person in the
audience will put on a catsuit containing magnetic elements and will interact with the
iron lead shavings. Depending on the person’s distance from the wall and
movements, the installation will transform and become unique to that person. After
each person is content with his/her artwork, they will push a button and will get a
3D-printed mini model of their artwork as a souvenir. In the next room, people will
have the option to display their models and talk about what it means to them.
Displayed in a museum/gallery, an entire wall will be covered with iron lead shavings
and the audience will be in catsuits made of magnetic material. Since iron is attracted
to magnets, each movement will trigger a movement in the iron pieces, which then
will form unique patterns.
RELATION TO SCIENCE LECTURE
In the Physics 6B lecture, the professor explained his research in cancer
therapy with magnetic bacteria. The bacteria, also known as magnetotactic
bacteria, have magnetic nanoparticles that form a bar magnet inside the
body. The bacteria are anaerobic so they require low oxygen or oxygen
deprived environments. Using their magnetic nanoparticles, they are able to
follow magnetic fields to find low oxygen regions. The research done relies
on the properties of the MTB in order to cure tumors. Tumors try to grow
new vasculature but do a poor job, which results in many low oxygen
regions within the tumor. The low-oxygen cancer cells don’t die and
become resistant to most treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. So
that’s where the bacteria come in play. They move toward tumors because
they need low oxygen environments to survive. The professor’s research
involves finding a way to make the bacteria deliver toxic agents in order to
destroy the cancer cells in the tumor.
From this lecture, we found inspiration from the use of magnetism, which is
the core to the professor’s research on cancer therapy. The complex way
that bacteria can be used to fight tumors stems from the simple fact that the
bacteria have magnets inside their body. Similar to how the bacteria react
to the magnetic fields, the iron shavings on the wall installation will follow
the magnetic field created by the movement of magnets. But the iron
shavings can’t move by themselves, which is why they’ll be controlled by
the magnets in the catsuit. Depending on the way a person is moving in the
catsuit, different magnetic fields will be created, and therefore form a
unique image.
Emily Dawoodjee
Audrey Chow
CONCEPTUAL SIGNIFICANCE IMAGES/CHARTS
In Ariane Koek’s article, “Where Art and Science Collide”,
mentions the artists’ residency programme that she created
located at Cern, the world’s largest particle physics laboratory
and home to the large hadron collider. The idea behind this
residency plays on the main topic in our 7D class which is art
and technology intertwined and how the two fields work
together and both have similarities such as creativity, use of
technology, and rigorous methodology by ordering, observing,
and experimenting. Koek set up this residency program to
create a space that is imaginable and free to experiment.
Koek also mentions the four strands that connect art and
technology, with the fourth strand representing how our
project contributes to a scientific and technological inquiry.
The fourth strand is defined “as a fluid interchange between
science and art where their different methods and processes
are allowed to co-exist and thrive” (Koek 2011). In the
Physics 6B lecture, where the source of inspiration arose
began with the professor’s research on cancer therapy with
magnetic bacteria which lead to the main concept of our
project which combines science (magnets) and art (creativity)
both interactive and will be dependent on the audience's
movements to carry out design strategy and overall objective
of the project.
The conceptual significance of our project is how concepts
arise out of experience. The experience comes from the
scientific researchers and artists who are both working
towards a goal, for the Physics professor it is finding a way to
make the bacteria deliver toxic agents in order to destroy the
cancer cells in the tumor to help an individual survive and for
us (the artist’s) want to create an experience for the audience
and let their minds run ramped on how and why the iron lead
shavings interact with the movement of the magnetic catsuit
creating different magnetic fields.
Both science and art are created through different processes
but together “are driven by curiosity, discovery, the
aspiration for knowledge of the world or oneself” (Koek
2011). Our project’s main focus is not the end result of the
unique forming image, but it is all about the process, how the
material’s work together, how the audience works and
responds, which then lead to a discovery and understanding of
how science and art have different methods and processes “to
co-exist and thrive, then a real art/science collaboration and
aesthetic will emerge” (Koek 2011).
SOURCE: Ariane Koek "Cern: Where Art and Science Collide",
The Art Newspaper (Oct. 2011)