Event 3: Weak or No Signal

This past week I attended the MFA Design Media Arts Thesis Show titled: Weak or No Signal. Upon entering, I could already tell that the exhibit would be especially relevant to the content in this course. Weak or No Signal featured pieces that made the observer contemplate the social commentary that surrounds modern social media relations, artificial intelligence, emerging technology, and “the increasing fallibility of the image” (Weak or No Signal). I personally enjoyed the exhibit very much; I’ve always been a fan of science museums and seeing these students’ works combine art and technology was fascinating. I would highly suggest this exhibit for any student trying to experience something that compiles the course material into a single, mind-blowing, collection. 

One of the exhibits that particularly stood out to me was Bound in Points (Zero Point Field according to artist’s handout) by Elí Joteva. Not only was it incredibly visually stimulating, but reading about the technology that went into its creation reminded me of how many of the tools I learned about in chemistry and life sciences labs can also be used as instruments like IR depth laser scanning to create breathtaking displays of art (Wall text for Zero Point Field).

Zero Point Field. Throughout the video I used

the camera to focus on different parts of the 

display to better capture how it looked to the

naked eye.

Another exhibit I enjoyed was the collection compiled by Sarah Rosalena Brady consisting of three pieces titled: The Desert, The Animist, and The Virus. All three displays took inspiration from nature and used 3-D scanning technology to assist in the modeling and eventual assembly of these stunning pieces. The Animist took inspiration from bald eagle talons and combined these talons with robotics to make an exhibit with very artificial, “random” movement. What I mean by this is that compared to robots assembling cars in Tesla’s “inhuman” factory (DeBord) or robots cooking full meals (Huen), this piece’s short, jolted movements embodied the humble beginnings of robotics and artificial intelligence.

The Virus

I also had the pleasure of being immersed in one of the pieces titled Waking the Giant Within by Kristin McWharter. This VR piece placed me in a surreal experience involving waiting seemly endlessly in a waiting room while a voice continually prompted/encouraged me to just “wait a little longer” because it “would be worth it.” I didn’t make it to the end, which according to Kristin would be after a “very long” time.

Me in a virtual waiting room as part of Kristin
McWharter's contribution to the exhibit:
Waking the Giant Within.

Overall, I look forward to attending to more exhibits like this next year on campus. 

References

DeBord, Matthew. “Tesla's Future Is Completely Inhuman - and We Shouldn't Be Surprised.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 20 May 2017, www.businessinsider.com/tesla-completely-inhuman-automated-factory-2017-5.

Huen, Eustacia. “The World's First Home Robotic Chef Can Cook Over 100 Meals.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 31 Oct. 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/eustaciahuen/2016/10/31/the-worlds-first-home-robotic-chef-can-cook-over-100-meals/. 

UCLA Design Media Arts. Weak or No Signal. New Wight Gallery: UCLA Design Media Arts, 2018. Print.

Wall text for Zero Point Field, by Elí Joteva. Weak or No Signal, 18 May-31 May 2018, New Wight Gallery, UCLA.