recognizable earthly art ? carlo h. séquin eecs computer science division university of california,...
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Recognizable Earthly Art ?Recognizable Earthly Art ?
Carlo H. Séquin
EECS Computer Science DivisionUniversity of California, Berkeley
The QuestionThe Question
Which of the artworks produced by the human race might be recognizable as “ART” by some future visiting foreign intelligences ?
Is It Art ?Is It Art ?
Sometimes “art” is indistinguishable from its surroundings
Is this “Art” -- Is this Special” ?Is this “Art” -- Is this Special” ?
YES – if it was done by your own child !
Another “Special” DrawingAnother “Special” Drawing
Medhia Mahmood, age 5, Gainesville, VA
Why are These Paintings “Special” ?Why are These Paintings “Special” ?
Is This “Special” ?Is This “Special” ?
They were painted by an Elephant in Thailand
Is This “Special” ?Is This “Special” ?
YES – painted by a robot
““Robotic Action Painter”Robotic Action Painter”
and its inventor / designer: Leonel Moura
Painting by “Robotic Action Painter”
Is This “Special” ?Is This “Special” ?
YES – painted by someone famous
YES ! – done by Jackson Pollock
Is this also “Special” ?Is this also “Special” ?
Perhaps … – believed to be done by Pollock
Is This “Special” ?Is This “Special” ?
NO – just a piece of a lab coat
Not really! – done by an on-line applet !
Pollock GeneratorPollock Generator
http://a.parsons.edu/~can/code/intro.html
Now also as an iPhone AppletNow also as an iPhone Applet
Importance of Background InformationImportance of Background Information
Background Knowledge is often the only reason why something is considered to be
– “art”
– or valuable
– or at least “special”
But what if no such information is available ?
Then the artwork/artifact has to speak for itself …
Little Background AvailableLittle Background Available
True for our most ancient known art pieces
Cave PaintingsCave Paintings
30’000 years old
Little Background AvailableLittle Background Available
True for our most ancient known art pieces
25’000 years old Discovered 1908
Is This Something Special ?Is This Something Special ?
Archeologists debate whether this modified stone was meant to represent a woman.
Was there a conscious mind at work to shape this stone into a tool ?
300’000 years old
SCIENCE VOL 323, Feb. 6, 2009SCIENCE VOL 323, Feb. 6, 2009
77’000 years old
Our Question -- AgainOur Question -- Again
Which of the artworks produced by the human race might be recognizable as “ART” to some future visiting foreign intelligences ?
By looking back we can gain some insightsof what it might be like for future intelligences
to puzzle over artifacts left by today’s civilization.
First of all, our “art” must be able to survive!
Whirled White WebWhirled White Web Breckenridge 2003 Breckenridge 2003
12:40 pm -- 4212:40 pm -- 42° F° F
12:41 pm -- 4212:41 pm -- 42° F° F
100’000 Year Doomsday Scenarios100’000 Year Doomsday Scenarios
Some virus wipes out almost all of mankind( as in George R. Stewart’s “Earth abides”). Civilization, as we know it, disappears.
Giant volcanic eruption covers everything with many meters of ash.
Some man-made stupidity destroys our habitat.
Some Things That Will NOT Survive:Some Things That Will NOT Survive:
Magnetic Tapes
CDs and DVDs
Books and Journals
Unprotected Paintings
• Today’s New-Media Art & Installations
More Stuff that Will Not Survive:More Stuff that Will Not Survive:
100’000 Years in the Future100’000 Years in the Future
Only inorganic materials survive
All museums have caved in
Most written / printed information is lost
Tapes, CDs, DVD’s are all unreadable
No background information available !
What objects can speak for themselves ?
Among the Artifacts that Do Survive,Among the Artifacts that Do Survive,
What Makes an Object “Special”?What Makes an Object “Special”?
It must stand out from its surroundings
Something that Stands OutSomething that Stands Out
Big stone structures in a flat landscape
Nothing Special . . .Nothing Special . . .
Just some dirty sidewalk with typical 20th century junk
A Precious Instrument …A Precious Instrument …
…with a sensible cover (Joseph Beuys: Center Piece)
Among the Artifacts that Among the Artifacts that DoDo Survive, Survive,
What Makes an Object “Special”?What Makes an Object “Special”?
It must stand out from its surroundings
Should not look “accidental”
““Unfinished Construction Site”Unfinished Construction Site”
Another installation by Joseph Beuys
A Manufacturing Mishap ?A Manufacturing Mishap ?
Why could the walls not be made straight ?Why could the walls not be made straight ?
Richard Serra
Richard Serra: Richard Serra: Torqued EllipsesTorqued Ellipses
Among the Artifacts that Do Survive,Among the Artifacts that Do Survive,
What Makes an Object “Special”?What Makes an Object “Special”?
It must stand out from its surroundings
Should not look “accidental”
Should exhibit a plan, conscious thought
Clearly a Special DesignClearly a Special Design
Nazca Lines in Peru
Art or Wallpaper ?Art or Wallpaper ?
Drawings by Sol LeWitt
Among the Artifacts that Do Survive,Among the Artifacts that Do Survive,
What Makes an Object “Special”?What Makes an Object “Special”?
It must stand out from its surroundings
Should not look “accidental”
Should exhibits planning, conscious thought
Appears to require some special skills
How Did They Build This ?How Did They Build This ?
Only a few thousand years ago,and we already have trouble figuring out how it was done
Anybody could do this …Anybody could do this …
Richard Serrra: Lead Piece, 1968
How Did They Build This ?How Did They Build This ?
Among the Artifacts that Do Survive,Among the Artifacts that Do Survive,
What Makes an Object “Special”?What Makes an Object “Special”?
It must stand out from its surroundings
Should not look “accidental”
Should exhibits planning, conscious thought
Appears to require some special skills
Other . . .
Missing Background InformationMissing Background Information
. . . will lead to misinterpretations !
Discovered in NYCDiscovered in NYC
Celebration of . . . ?
And what might this be ?And what might this be ?Celebrating the end of the war with the Indians ?
??????
Some special Antenna from the Electronic Century ?
Another Mysterious ObjectAnother Mysterious Object
Propeller for motor boat ?
Grinder head ?
Galactic force concentrator ?
Hyperbolic Hexagon II, BronzeHyperbolic Hexagon II, Bronze
Installed Feb. 27, 2009 CITRIS headquarter reception area, U.C. Berkeley.
A collaboration between: Brent Collins
(sculptor), Steve Reinmuth
(craftsman), Carlo Séquin
(computer scientist).
Brent Collins: Brent Collins: Hyperbolic Hexagon IIHyperbolic Hexagon II
Brent Collins: Stacked SaddlesBrent Collins: Stacked Saddles
Scherk’s 2Scherk’s 2ndnd Minimal Surface Minimal Surface
Normal“biped”saddles
Generalization to higher-order saddles(monkey saddle)“Scherk Tower”
Hyperbolic HexagonHyperbolic Hexagon by B. Collins by B. Collins
6 saddles in a ring
6 holes passing through symmetry plane at ±45º
= “wound up” 6-story Scherk tower
Discussion: What if … we added more stories ?
or introduced a twist before closing the ring ?
Closing the LoopClosing the Loop
straight
or
twisted
“Scherk Tower” “Scherk-Collins Toroids”
Brent Collins’ Prototyping ProcessBrent Collins’ Prototyping Process
Armature for the Hyperbolic Heptagon
Mockup for the Saddle Trefoil
Time-consuming ! (1-3 weeks)
Sculpture Generator 1Sculpture Generator 1, GUI , GUI
V-artV-art
VirtualGlassScherkTowerwithMonkeySaddles
(Radiance 40 hours)
Jane Yen
Collins’ Fabrication ProcessCollins’ Fabrication Process
Example: Vox Solis
Layered laminated main shapeWood master pattern
for sculpture
Slices through Slices through Minimal TrefoilMinimal Trefoil
50% 10%23%30%
45% 5%20%27%
35% 2%15%25%
One thick slicethru sculpture,from which Brent can cut boards and assemble a rough shape.
Traces represent: top and bottom,as well as cuts at 1/4, 1/2, 3/4of one board.
Profiled Slice through Profiled Slice through HeptoroidHeptoroid
Emergence of the Emergence of the Heptoroid Heptoroid (1)(1)
Assembly of the precut boards
Emergence of the Emergence of the HeptoroidHeptoroid (2) (2)
Forming a continuous smooth edge
Emergence of the Emergence of the HeptoroidHeptoroid (3) (3)
Smoothing the whole surface
The Finished The Finished HeptoroidHeptoroid
at Fermi Lab Art Gallery (1998).
Construction Photos from Construction Photos from
Steve Reinmuth Bronze StudioSteve Reinmuth Bronze Studio
Eugene, OregonEugene, Oregon
The Master Mold for The Master Mold for Hyperbolic Hexagon IIHyperbolic Hexagon II
A Clean Wax CopyA Clean Wax Copy
Adding Sprues and RunnersAdding Sprues and Runners
First Sprues and Runners AddedFirst Sprues and Runners Added
Details of Sprues and RunnersDetails of Sprues and Runners
Into the Kiln – Burning out the WaxInto the Kiln – Burning out the Wax
Bronze PourBronze Pour
Polish and PatinaPolish and Patina
Hyperbolic Hexagon IIHyperbolic Hexagon II at CITRIS, 2/27/09at CITRIS, 2/27/09
Will this survive ?Will this survive ?
Will it be recognizable as something special ?Will it be recognizable as something special ?
Yes . . .
if it is not turned into bullets for some future war!
or will be used as a source of copper …
Helaman Ferguson: Work in stone !
Helaman Ferguson: Helaman Ferguson: Two CanoesTwo Canoes
Keizo Ushio: Keizo Ushio: Oushi Zokei,Oushi Zokei, Ono City 2004 Ono City 2004
Q U E S T I O N S ?Q U E S T I O N S ?
Helaman Ferguson: Helaman Ferguson: Two CanoesTwo Canoes
Original model by Helaman Ferguson, 1995
Helaman Ferguson: Helaman Ferguson: Two CanoesTwo Canoes
How it was assembled
ISAMA, San Sebastian 1999ISAMA, San Sebastian 1999
Keizo Ushio and his “OUSHI ZOKEI”
Schematic Model of 2-Link TorusSchematic Model of 2-Link Torus
2 knife blades rotate through 360 degreesas they sweep once around the torus ring
360°