Final

ART 122, Section … Pages Module 7 Commentary: Science / Spirituality!

Module 7 Commentary:

Science / Spirituality

Science / Spirituality Part A: Audio Commentary

Science / Spirituality Part B: Audio Commentary

The final learning module for the course brings together two

themes that are particularly challenging to contemplate: science

and spirituality. In them, we will find topics and issues that

represent some of the most highly debated questions of our

time. For many people, science and spirituality present such

opposed ways of thinking that the concept of finding

convergence or reconciliation between the two is inconceivable.

Others, however, believe there is commonality to be found in

that both science and spirituality seek understanding of and

insight into life's most enduring mysteries. In this final module,

we will be introduced to artists whose work represents some of

today's most exciting and provocative explorations of these two,

very timely themes.

Science

The relationship that exists between art and science is one that

intersects through many years of shared history. It is a

relationship forged in the manners of investigation that inspire

both scientific and artistic inquiry—the desire to discover, to

explore new ideas, and to transform familiar material into

something new. It is a relationship that, quite aptly, Robert

Eskridge (2003) of the Art Institute of Chicago® describes as

an "enduring" one. In his account of this relationship, Eugene

Garfield (1989), an information scientist and a founding editor

of the journal, The Scientist , claims prehistoric cave paintings

(such as the ones found in Altamira, Spain) are sites for the

original linkings of art and science, describing them as the "first

merging" of these two fields (p. 55). Most historians, however,

begin their discussions about the connections of art and science

with the “rational traditions” that informed so much of ancient

Greek culture and society (Garfield 1989 , p. 56) and which re-

emerged as a defining influence during the European

Renaissance of the 14th–17th centuries. The Renaissance

served as a source for what Garfield describes as some of the

“more notable figures in the history" of the two disciplines (p.

56).

Of these “notable” figures,

none is perhaps more

renowned than Leonardo da

Vinci , the Renaissance

artist revered not just for

the works of art he created

but for his forays into

scientific and medical investigations and for his feats of

engineering. Leonardo's scientific investigations touched on

fields as diverse as anatomy, zoology, botany, optics, and

aerodynamics (MOS 1996 ) and it was his observation and

participation in the dissection of cadavers that contributed to

the artist's remarkable ability to create images of the human

form.

There are other artists of this era whose work also provides us

with examples of the relationships that existed between art and

science. Eskridge (2003) writes of how one can, for example,

find an “exploratory spirit” in the work of 17th century Dutch

artist, Johannes Vermeer and cites the artist’s famed painting,

The Astronomer (1668), as particular evidence of the time’s

confluence of art and science. Another work by Vermeer that

could also be described this way is The Geographer [1668–69],

which is oftentimes mentioned in connection with the

Astronomer. As pendants (paintings created especially to be

hung side by side), these works exalt two science-based fields

—cartography and astronomy—that made possible the sea

explorations that were so vitally important to 17th century

Dutch society and culture. The 19th century witnessed a

particularly important scientific development that radically

altered the work of artists. This, of course, is the invention of the

modern photographic process. Subsequent advances in

photographic technologies exerted a liberating influence on

pictorial representation in painting and in photography’s rapid

emergence as an art form in its own right. Garfield (1989)

writes that technological advances in photography “brought a

new understanding of physical events and processes that had

previously occupied a realm beyond human perception” (p. 57)

and, quite literally, enabled individuals to see the world in

entirely new ways. The breadth and depth of photography’s

impact on the work of artists (and on how viewers responded to

visual images) can be readily seen throughout the history of 20th

century art.

In today’s world, the intersections of art and science are as

strong as ever and, in some ways, the boundaries between the

two

have

all

but

disintegrated. We find artists such as Alexis Rockman who

uses knowledge from a variety of scientific disciplines to create

detailed, realistic paintings that envision what the ecology of the

world will be like far in the future and whose works are equally at

home in museums of natural history as they are in art museums.

We'll consider the philosophical issues raised by the work of

artists such as Eduardo Kac . Kac creates bioart , which is a

form of artmaking that focuses on the "artistic investigation of

biotechnology" and uses living forms as the material to create art

that employs scientific techniques such as those found in genetic

engineering (Broadhurst 2005 ). We'll also learn about artists

such as Mona Hatoum and Gary Schneider who use medical

bioimaging and photomicroscopy (respectively) to create art

that focuses on interior self imaging. Finally, we'll discover how

some artists, such as Josiah McElheny , use science-based

processes in an attempt to find ways to "make sense" of and to

express their appreciation for the beauty of the universe

(Robertson & McDaniel 2009, p. 262).

Spirituality

The relationship of art and spirituality is an especially long one

and, in reviewing the history of art, it is easy to find numerous

examples of this relationship that cross broad ranges of time and

culture. The Neolithic monuments of Stonehenge on England's

Salisbury Plain , the temple at Angkor Wat in Cambodia and

the Great Pyramids at Giza, Egypt each present breathtaking

testimony to the spiritual impulses of the ancient peoples that

built them. In Europe, Medieval cathedrals such as those located

in Chartres, France (begun in 1145 A.D.) and Cologne,

Germany (begun in 1248 A. D.) are deeply representative of

the strength and fervor of Christian religious beliefs of that time.

During the Renaissance (14th – 17th centuries), the Catholic

church, serving as patron, sponsored the creation of some of the

world's most revered works of religious art such as the murals

painted by Michelangelo for the Sistine Chapel . We can also

find allusions to personal and more individual spirituality in

historical works. The sublime landscape paintings of 10th

century China and the "visual poetry" of Persian miniature

paintings are two examples of art that suggests inspiration

from a more personalized source of spiritual meditation (Herbert

2001).

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edu/renderimage/4904|align=elms_left-col]

In more recent times, however, the connections between

spirituality and art have seemed tenuous and, at times, overtly

contentious. In the essay

"Regarding Spirituality,"

author Lynn Herbert (2001)

writes that although the "link

between art and spirituality

has been vital and rich,"

artists have, at times, been

"pulled" toward more

"secular subjects" (p. 68).

Herbert goes on to identify

the 20th century as an

example of a period when

artists seemed to retreat

from addressing spiritual

matters in their art. Nonetheless, there are numerous 20th

century artists whose works sometimes overtly and, at other

times, more subtly address the spiritual. The deeply meditative

works of artists Agnes Martin (1912–2004) and Mark Rothko

(1903–70) are two such examples.

In today’s art, we find many artists who are, once again, willing to

explore the spiritual in their work and in startlingly diverse ways.

Sometimes this work is overtly demonstrative of the depth of the

artist’s spiritual faith, such as in the fiber works of American

artist Xenobia Bailey . Other times, however, artists explore

their uncertainty about faith and the role of religion in their lives.

Robert Gober , for

example, has created work

that attempts "to come

terms with the absence of

religion in his life"

(Robertson & McDaniel

2009, p. 287). Robertson &

McDaniel also note that,

with the increasingly global nature of contemporary art, the

spiritual explorations by artists in their work frequently includes

"encounters between different religions and spiritual practices"

(p. 291) representative of the hybrid spiritual and religious

beliefs so common today. Betye Saar , her daughter Allison

Saar , and Ana Mendieta are three artists whose works

sometimes demonstrate this kind of hybridity. We also find

artists willing to bring together the sacred and the secular,

sometimes in whimsical ways. We find such whimsy in the work

of Ghanian artist Kane Kwei who builds coffins in the shapes of

popular culture icons such as cars and airplanes.

Lynn Herbert (2001) observes that, thus far, it seems numerous

artists in the 21st century are experiencing a renewed interest in

exploring spiritual matters in their work and that this may signal

a "revitalized union of art and spirituality" (p. 109). She

concludes her essay with these thoughtful reflections:

Art, as we have seen, has that rare ability to make us pause,

reflect, and explore our innermost being. It is a key that can

unlock countless doors, opening our eyes, our minds, and our

hearts. As Thomas Merton, one of the twentieth century's great

theologians, has written: "In art we find ourselves and lose

ourselves at the same time." (p. 109)

Special Focus: Sebastião Salgado

Fe a t u re d L i n k : Fe a t u re d L i n k : A multimedia website about the work of Sebastião Salgado

(from PDN's Legend Online series)

Photo District News (PDN) is a monthly print magazine designed

to provide professional photographers with up-to-date

information about the photographic industry. PDN online

provides news and analysis, interviews, and portfolios of

contemporary photographic work. PDN also has an extensive

website. One feature of PDN's website is the "Legend Online"

series, which presents galleries of the work of selected

contemporary photographers. In addition to images of each

artist's work, the galleries also include biographies, links to

external resources, interviews, and discussion/demonstration of

darkroom techniques. Some of the photographers profiled in this

series include: Steve McCurry, Joel Meyerowitz, Jerry Uelsmann,

David LaChapelle, and Sebastião Salgado.

The photographer featured here—Sebastião Salgado—is

reknowned for taking images that shed light on the universality

of the human experience and, most especially, the plight of

displaced persons. Salgado's "Legends Online" biography

describes the photographer's images as "iconographic" and

notes that although his subjects are "vast" each one "shows

Salgado's view of human individuals in a certain situation....[and

that] He shares with us his view of human experience on both the

grandest and the smallest scale, and he reaches our hearts by

engaging his own."

Artist Profiles (Science): Patricia Piccinini

and Eduardo Kac

Following the discussion of each theme, the chapters in the

Themes of Contemporary Art textbook include extended profiles

of select artists whose work is discussed in the context of that

particular theme. The profiles present discussion of the different

ideas and approaches used by each artist. This section of each

course module represents an online extension to the profiles

provided in the textbook by presenting access to multimedia and

external links that are relevant to each artist and which provide

further illumination about his or her work.

Patricia Piccinini

Australian artist Patricia Piccini states that all her art "is

concerned with the definition of how what we consider artificial

and natural is changing—the role that technology plays in our

contemporary imagination." The video below provides an

opportunity for the artist to discuss her work and how it both

explores and comments on the relationships between the

artificial world of technology and the natural world.

Artist Patricia Piccini speaks about her work.

Eduardo Kac

Artist Eduardo Kac is an internationally recognized for his

telepresence and bio art. A pioneer of telecommunications art in

the pre-Web '80s, Eduardo Kac (pronounced "Katz") emerged in

the early '90s with his radical works combining telerobotics and

living organisms. His visionary integration of robotics, biology

and networking explores the fluidity of subject positions in the

post-digital world. His work deals with issues that range from the

mythopoetics of online experience (Uirapuru ) to the cultural

impact of biotechnology (Genesis ); from the changing

condition of memory in the digital age (Time Capsule ) to

distributed collective agency (Teleporting an Unknown State );

from the problematic notion of the "exotic" (Rara Avis ) to the

creation of life and evolution (GFP Bunny ). (KAC)

Artist Eduardo Kac speaks about his work in this short video (Part 1)

Artist Eduardo Kac speaks about his work in this short video (Part 2)

Artist Profiles (Spirituality): José Bedia

and Bill Viola

José Bedia

Bedia's work explores the artist's long-standing interest in the

"indigenous cultures of Africa and America" (Interciencia

Organization ). His paintings, drawings, and installations reflect

the artist's interest and involvement in Afro-Cuban and Native

American beliefs and religions. The video shown here presents a

rich visual montage of selections from the artist's work.

A video montage of the artist's work, 2007.

Bill Viola

An excerpt from the artist's online biography describes Viola

as:

a pioneer in the medium of video art and [that he] is

internationally recognized as one of today's leading artists. He

has been instrumental in the establishment of video as a vital

form of contemporary art, and in so doing has helped to greatly

expand its scope in terms of technology, content, and historical

reach. For over 35 years he has created videotapes, architectural

video installations, sound environments, electronic music

performances, flat panel video pieces, and works for television

broadcast. Viola's video installations--total environments that

envelop the viewer in image and sound--employ state-of-the-art

technologies and are distinguished by their precision and direct

simplicity. They are shown in museums and galleries worldwide

and are found in many distinguished collections. His single

channel videotapes have been widely broadcast and presented

cinematically, while his writings have been extensively published,

and translated for international readers. Viola uses video to

explore the phenomena of sense perception as an avenue to self-

knowledge. His works focus on universal human experiences--

birth, death, the unfolding of consciousness--and have roots in

both Eastern and Western art as well as spiritual traditions,

including Zen Buddhism, Islamic Sufism, and Christian mysticism.

Using the inner language of subjective thoughts and collective

memories, his videos communicate to a wide audience, allowing

viewers to experience the work directly, and in their own

personal way.

The video (6:03 min.) presented here provides a view of the

artist's presentation at the Venice Biennale 2007, Ocean

Without a Shore , a work that explores "the presence of the

dead in our lives" (Bill Viola , 2007).

Bill Viola, Ocean Without a Shore, 2007.

Commentary Sources

1. Broadhurst, S. 2005. "Bioart: Transgenic Art and

Recombinant Theatre ." Body, Space & Technology Journal

(5)2. School of Arts at Brunel University, UK.

2. Eskridge, R. 2003. "The Enduring Relationship of Science and

Art." URL:

http://www.artic.edu/aic/education/sciarttech/2a1.html .

Accessed: 16 June 2009.

3. Garfield, E. 1989. "Art and Science, Part 1: The Art-Science

Connection." Current Comments (12)8: 54–61. URL:

http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/essays/v12p054y198

9.pdf

4. Herbert, L. 2001. "Regarding Spirituality." In Art:21 Art in the

Twenty-first Century (Companion Book), pp.68–109. New

York, NY: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

5. Kelly, A. 1993. "Art-Science Connections: An Investigation of

Creative Innovation." URL:

http://murphylibrary.uwlax.edu/digital/jur/1999/kelly.pdf .

Accessed: 16 June 2009

6. Kuspit, D. 2003. "Reconsidering the Spiritual in Art."

Blackbird (2)1. URL:

http://www.blackbird.vcu.edu/v2n1/gallery/kuspit_d/reconsi

dering_text.htm . Accessed 17 June 2009.

7. Museum of Science (MOS). 1996. Leonardo da Vinci:

Renaissance Man (Scientist). URL:

https://www.mos.org/leonardo/scientist . Accessed: 1

March 2017.

8. Robertson, J & C. McDaniel. 2009. Themes of Contemporary

Art. 2nd. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Tender creatures at Artium

One on One - Eduardo Kac - 23 Feb 0…

One on One - Eduardo Kac - 23 Feb 0…

José Bedia

Bill Viola - Ocean Without a Shore - V…

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