van Tassel's Legacy

It was a rough Friday morning getting to the Integratron. I got a bit turned around on the drive, hit traffic and had to speed my way down the open roads to make the sound bath. When I arrived, I immediately felt like I was in a sacred space. I walked towards the large white dome and let myself in. I walked upstairs and saw that the whole class was taking pictures, minding the view and getting settled.

Our leader, had acquired the Intregratron back in 2008, if I remember correctly-- just before the stock market economy crisis went down! Encouraged by Huell Howser and her sister felt in their hearts it was where they needed to be; they wanted to preserve van Tassel's legacy, hard work and intentions. They opened it up to the public a few years after and have been able to sustain it in turn. I found the scandals around George van Tassel, the inventor of the Integratron to be the most fascinating thing our leader told us. He worked closely with genius and inventor, Nikola Tesla to design an electromagnetic space that would reenergize the mind, body and soul.

Below is a photo of Tesla and his coil.

Tassel's sudden death seemed quite odd. Especially when his family returned to find that all of his research and planning, including Tesla's notebooks, had vanished and the Dome was stripped of its parts.

What remains today is a simple wooden dome, comprised of 18 pillars built by ship builders in Washington, the rounded pillars are faceted together on their own-- no nails or glue used! Most interestingly in the center is a cement circle, which was recently verified by an architect to be capable of holding up "a school bus for a 100 years, at least." The sacred geometry within in the buildings physical form are no secret. And when one stands at the center of the room, just below the circle, they hear sound in a way that they have never heard. The room harbors and spirals sound vibrations so amazingly-- our sound bath was rejuvenating and soothing, you could feel the vibrations all around.

Our guide also spoke of the location, how the building stands just above where two rivers converge and there are other natural hotspots nearby, making it prime real estate for anything electromagnetic.
Though the Integratron is still much of a mystery, it is a beautiful notion that it is still being kept and shared with the world. Anyone and everyone is invited to see and experience the magic of van Tassel's legacy and we were beyond fortunate to have gotten to go. I certainly plan on visiting when I am next in Joshua Tree and continue to share it those that I meet.

SMAP

The SMAP project was selected as there has been a rise in concerns about climate change, and how we can help slow the process. As the data collected by SMAP will be available for public usage, governments can keep track of areas with lower or

 Out of the dozens of projects that astrophysicists and scientists propose at NASA, directors chose SMAP.

            I believe that SMAP will be a crucial tool in weather prediction. It seems as if SMAP will make it much easier to track dangerous weather patterns and that it will help all nations in prepping for major disasters. This, however, is a mere speculation and it may not help with that at all.

            I found the spinning aspect of SMAP to be the most interesting. SMAP spins at 14rpm in order to increase the special reading coverage of the device. Without the spinning mechanism, SMAP's swath would significantly decrease. I also found the fact that the satellite can only work within a certain signal bandwidth to be interesting because one would think that as a government agency, the group would be able to use the optimum bandwidth for data collection. With weather being the driving force of agricultural production, being able to track it in a more efficient and detailed manner will greatly increaae the ability for us to make the best decisions when it comes to planning for the future, as water resources continue to dwindle. 

Shrinking the space between our borders and viewing the planet as a (universal) shared space aids in important realizations about our environment. I believe that SMAP has the potential to unite all global citizens under the notion that we need to work collaboratively in order to continue to survive on this planet. Although that may be an overly optimistic idea, I know that SMAP can only aid in the process. Although it is not the most overwhelmingly fascinating mission, SMAP addresses very real concerns about our planet and will hopefully force us to reexamine our choices when it comes to water usage.

Past/Present Astronomy

The drive up to the observatory was unnerving to say the least, and I was unsure of how well I would feel the rest of the trip. As soon as I set foot on the top of the mountain, all was well. Seeing the telescopes from the outside felt surreal. To think that these structures had been built nearly a century ago completely baffled me.

Exploring the ground with our seasoned docent provided me with an exciting introduction to the observatory. Seeing the clash of the past with the present, the decades-old lockers, one inscribed with the name “Hubble” filled me with a sense of the true humanity involved in the search for extraterrestrial knowledge. When we toured the largest telescope, I could;t help but visualize the astronomers working all night on the precarious equipment, making groundbreaking discoveries that completely changed not only the field of science, but the way that humans perceive the universe. To be in such a charged space was a unique experience that I knew I would not encounter in other courses. 

Above all, seeing Saturn in the eyepiece of the 60' telescope blew my mind. It was difficult to comprehend how I could see something so unimaginably far away with nothing but the aid of a very old piece of equipment. 

K Hart - Final Statement

FINAL STATEMENT : “Shoebox”    

           

            Drawing inspiration from early photographers Joseph Nicéphore Niépce and Hippolyte Bayard , along with the light bending experimentation of the Surrealists, I created a series of pinhole photographs. This rudimentary form of light writing combines the most straight-forward aspects of arguably the most cohesive combination between art and science: photography.  Early photographers were true scientists and pioneers of both chemistry and physics.  It was merely a new way to document the physical world, a cataloguing system of sorts to present to future generations. The pinhole camera is a direct descendant of the camera obscura, used to essentially do the same thing and aid painters in more accurately rendering their subjects. By reverting back to the earliest form of photographic imaging, I got in touch with the origins of my favorite medium. Calling upon the boundary-breaking experimentation of the surrealists, I played with multiple techniques in order to further the mystical elements of photography.

            Shoebox can be interpreted as a literal illustration of the scientific method, the hypothesis being that a simple cardboard painted black with a hole poked into it can produce images. With numerous experiments and varying findings, I then created positives out of the negatives created on the light sensitive photo paper. With further altered experimentation, I made a few polished final results. Early photographers photographed their surroundings, and themselves, in order to document the specificity of the space around them. In art and science, the general impetus behind making work and experimenting is to just the same--attain a broader understanding of who we are and why we are here. and how our surroundings impact us, and how we impact our surroundings. 
            I view this project as extremely hands on and interactive as an artist. I created not only the works, but the tools with which to create the images—the camera itself. Although each image garnered differing results ranging from completely blurred, indiscernible, light leaked images to ghost-like self portraits, the process remained almost identical. I would like to continue on with this project and further experiment with
            Chance also plays a crucial role in the series. Each image is a set of trial and error, and although the conditions can be remarkably similar, no settings will create the exact same image with the exact same specifications.  Chance and variation are what make the field of scientific experimentation fascinating to me. When an outcome is completely unexpected, or just slightly different than what one would expect,, it makes the entire process worthwhile. 

            I find that period of experimentation and discovery to be intrinsic to both scientific and artistic practice. With art, one must experiment with a medium for years before truly mastering it, and as soon as you truly “master” a particular medium, you must find some way to deconstruct it in order to create something worthy of interest.  

Becker_statement

RACHEL Z. BECKER ARTIST STATEMENT THE INTERSECTION OF ART + SCIENCE

The prevalence of geometric form is undeniable in both scientific and religious articulation. These shapes, beginning with a circle, square, and triangle at their most basic levels, have been referred to as the “building blocks of the universe”, and the “blueprints of creation”. They are the foundation of all other complex forms, and recognized as the most harmonious and balanced. Whether found in the symmetrical pattern of a Catholic stained glass window, an ancient Egyptian pyramid, or the structure of an electron, these fundamental shapes are intrinsic to our perception of our existence.

The purpose of this piece is to explore the innate spirituality and dynamic relationship of humankind to the universe/nature, as demonstrated by the use of geometric forms in science and religion. Inspired by ideals of sacred geometry and by patterns/cycles naturally occurring throughout our known universe, the resulting artwork consists of an altar installation built around a central collage piece. All elements and imagery included were chosen for their relationship to this theme, either visually or conceptually.

Through my examination of scientific and religious aesthetics, I’ve found strik- ing similarities in the way the two seemingly opposite disciplines make use of these forms. I am most interested in how both use a cyclical, spherical shape to express creation, infinity, the origin of the universe, the cycle of life/ death, “god”, etc. Somehow bridging the two, the ancient Greek Pythagoreans believed that mathematics has an innate mysticism and ritual nature, and that the limits that create these shapes and numbers were necessary to give form to the boundless, emphasizing the dichotomy between the limited and the limitless, the micro and macro, the above and below, within and without – a balance I explored through the creation of this piece.

Drawing from both scientific diagrams and mandalas, the use of mainly circular and spherical imagery & media emphasizes the cyclical patterns of nature and the idea of everything radiating outwards from a center origin. I was particu- larly interested in the “Vesica Piscis” which is created in the equal intersec- tion of two circles, forming an almond shape commonly found in nature, in our own bodies (eyes, lips, female genitalia) as well as astronomical occurrences such as the birth of a star. Because of these reasons the Vesica Piscis is commonly referred to as the “womb of creation”. I found this shape to be very compelling, particularly in the form of a human eye, and the religious creation of an “all-seeing” being/god.

The altar and collage were created with a degree of playfulness and kitsch to create a commentary on religious worship of human-shaped idols v. scientific examinations of our lives. Scientific imagery and geometric shape juxtaposed with aesthetic elements of fantasy and glamour add dimension to the piece, as well as inspiring curiosity and wonder in the viewer as they experience the installation for themselves. Ultimately, this piece represents my own personal approach to spirituality and an innate worship of the fundamental construction of nature.

Research and exploration of this topic includes but is not limited to: Pythagoras, the Platonic solids, religious architecture & artwork, space explo- ration, religious & scientific creation theories, mathematical structures, the Golden Ratio, the Large Hadron Collider, cell replication, ancient megalithic structures, mandalas, sound & color frequency, crystal structures, vortexes, meditation, astronomy, human anatomy, and the aesthetics of scientific diagrams.

Sam- Artist Statment

Artist Statement

    My experience during the sound bath at the integration was the inspiration for my installation piece. The sound bath meditation was a powerful experience for the entire class, it proved to be not only be an auditory experience, but one we could experience with multiple senses. After the meditation I became fascinated with the idea that an auditory experience such as the sound bath could lead to visualizations. As we concluded the sound bath, all members of the class has some experience of sight, whether they were seeing various colors, shapes, or patterns. One scientific concept that inspired my work is the phenomenon known as ‘synesthisia’, this is an ability that  a small percentage of people possess in which the boundaries between our senses break down. For example, certain sounds can evoke color visualizations or a touch can evoke a particular taste. The sound bath provided was such an intense stimulation for the auditory sense that it blurred the boundaries between our own senses and lead us all to experience a form of synesthesia.
    I also became interested in the significance of the various colors the class reported seeing during the meditation. According to eastern healing, each color one sees during a meditation corresponds to a different chakra or energy center in the body. Therefore, the color seen during meditation represents the chakra that is healing itself and becoming renewed. In this view, the sound bath can be seen as a healing experience in which the frequencies of the sound vibrations can alter our energy states and therefore affect our emotional, mental, and spiritual condition.
    Upon my initial research I was inspired by contemporary scientific studies on the affect of meditation on the brain. I was curious as to what processes were occurring in the brain during the sound bath meditation that allowed for our visualizations to occur. fMRI scans have allowed scientists to develop a greater understanding of brain function in a meditative state. During meditation, scientists discovered a decrease in beta waves, and a great slowing down in the frontal cortex and other areas of the brain, indicating that the brain is processing information. Scientific studies have shown that meditation increases our focus, creativity, and memory while lowering our anxiety and stress levels.
    I see the intersection of art and science in my piece through my visual representation of the multiple sensory experience we had at the sound bath. Using the audio I recorded at the sound bath I am attempting to re-create the meditation experience by having the class look at my own visual interpretations of the sounds. For my installation I am using both the scientific principles of sound vibration and frequency in conjunction with my personal visual representation of the sounds. With the viewer’s willingness I intend for my installation to transport others into the mindset of the sound bath, allowing them to focus on the sound and accompanying visuals I have created.

Garrett_Artist Statement

For my final project I was interested in the recently captured image of the cosmic web. The cosmic web is made up of veins of gas and dark matter that form connections between galaxies, transporting matter throughout the Universe. Up until this year the cosmic web was just theoretical and there was no photographic evidence of its existence. Thanks to a quasar lighting up the gas in the web, researchers at UC Santa Cruz were able to capture the first image of the cosmic web. I was inspired by the idea of such a large structure that transports the materials everything is made of remained invisible until something bright enough lit it up for us. I decided that I wanted to make a series of images where the cosmic web is visible when in front of bright celestial bodies. These images will show that even though we cannot see the cosmic web most of the time, it is still there even in front of the nebulas, galaxies, and quasars in the images taken from the Hubble telescope.

Because the concept I chose involves light and science I thought it would be fitting for the medium I use to do the same. I am a lab-tech in the chemistry and physics labs here at Chapman, and my supervisor told me about cyanotype prints. Cyanotype is an easy and cheap form of photography introduced in 1842 by the astronomer John Herschel. Herschel used cyanotype to recreate notes and diagrams. Cyanotype was brought to photography by Anna Atkins who used it to document various plant life. Atkins is considered to be the first female photographer.

 The cyanotype solution is a mixture of Potassium ferricyanide and Ferric ammonium citrate. The solution is applied to whatever material that the image will be printed on. After it has dried it is placed out in the sun for 10 to 20 minutes with a negative or various objects placed flat on it. The chemicals react to ultra violet light so the more an area is exposed, the darker it will be in the final image. After the image has been exposed for long enough it is washed for five minutes then left to dry. The washing causes the image to finish developing and turn the blue color that cyanotype is known for. This also washes off the rest of the chemicals so that it is no longer sensitive to UV rays.

Though many people consider art and science to be on complete opposite sides of the spectrum, art has been used to communicate scientific ideas for ages. Throughout time scientists would jot down observations with sketches or illustrate concepts through diagrams. Before photography was invented, drawings and paintings were how many things were documented, including scientific break throughs.

This works the other way around too in that many art mediums involve and can be explained by scientific processes. For instance both ceramics and photography are forms of chemistry. The world of science has influenced the world of art just as much as art has influenced science.