Week 8: NANOTECH + ART

NanoTech is a field of science that I had no idea existed until now. I was familiar of the measure of atoms using nano units from studying Physics. Seeing how much art has been made using nanotechnology is fascinating but not shocking to me; I’m inspired by seeing things up close. I’ve read a few books written by Stephen Hawking and he mentions Richard Feynman throughout most of his books.

I think most people are curious to see things that are far away or far from reach, up close. Perhaps this is the reason why camera companies are constantly improving their product’s capacity for more megapixels. Each megapixel is composed of exactly one milion pixels in an image, being sort of a measurement similar to macro, micro, and nano but in different dimensions.

(http://www.vividlight.com/articles/3116.htm)

After watching Dr. Gimzewski’s lectures, I wanted to delve more into the artistic innovations that have been created and influenced by NanoTech. Artist Cris Orfescu, who works at, makes artistic images by using Titanium-Carbon bond compounds and then using synthetic coloring. This image is called “Black Eye NanoOctopus” and was printed onto a canvas.  

 (http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/01/17/technology/20080117_NANOART_SLIDESHOW_index.html?version=meter+at+2&module=meter-Links&pgtype=Blogs&contentId=&mediaId=&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&priority=true&action=click&contentCollection=meter-links-click) 

PBS showcased a few works submitted in the Materials Research Society’s “Science as Art” competition. Below is an image of a flower only two micrometers long. In this way, I think nanotechnology reinforces the idea of repetition in matter and energy, showing that things we don’t necessarily see with the naked eye still exist, and even in familiarized forms.

(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/art-nanotech.html)

Finally, I am curious about how much nanotechnology has shaped philosophers and authors in their views of society and the masses. The idea that we can take things a part at such levels, will allow us to see the world and even society much differently. As even in politics or economics, addressing issues at just the surface level will ignore much at the bottom. I believe those who understand the potential in using nanotechnology will allow people to create and innovate different technologies, products, or medicines, but also ideologies. 

As said by Axel Gelfert in the Sage Journal, "The emergence, allure, and implications of nanotechnology, it is argued, can only be fully appreciated if one looks beyond its immediate technical and scientific payoffs to its infrastructural and ideological aspects."

Lilley, Maiken. "The Art of Nanotech." PBS. PBS, 18 Nov. 2010. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/art-nanotech.html>.

Feder, Barnaby J. "The Art of Nanotech." Bits The Art of Nanotech Comments. New York Times, n.d. Web. 25 Jan 2008. <http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/the-art-of-nanotech/?_r=0>.

"Do More Megapixels Mean Better Photo Quality?" :: Digital Photo Secrets. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/333/do-more-megapixels-mean-better-photo-quality/>.

Hawking, Stephen, and Leonard Mlodinow. The Grand Design. New York: Bantam, 2010. N. pag. Print.

Gelfert, Axel. "Nanotechnology as Ideology: Towards a Critical Theory of ‘Converging Technologies’." 17.1 (2012): 143-64. Sage Journals. Web. <http://sts.sagepub.com/content/17/1/143.short#cited-by>.

Uconlineprogram. "Nanotech Jim Pt1." YouTube. YouTube, 21 May 2012. Web. 23 May 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7jM6-iqzzE>.