Tag Archives: art

The Museums

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I agree with both Romanticism and the Enlightenment. Through a perspective of purely unsentimental and will to live an effective life, the Enlightenment ideals has some really strong points. Sometimes as humans we really do need to think with our heads. Put our emotions aside so that we can do what is best for all people rather than perhaps what is most appealing in the emotionally gratifying sense. We sometimes have to give up what would make us feel good to make a decision that is better in the long run. That is part of life. This kind of thinking and reasoning comes from the Enlightenment. However, I do also agree that if life was pure reason and a mechanical rationale, then life would be dull. The ideas of the Romantics allow us to be more than a “machine”. They allow us to feel and to look at a beautiful picture of a mountain. When staring at that image, we can say to ourselves, “Wow isn’t that beautiful.” Then you feel good and happy even if just for a moment. Maybe, it would make you even want to visit that mountain and you save up and work hard so you can afford to travel and one day you final get to see that mountain in real life. This kind of thinking of the romantics allows us to get in touch with the beauty of the world. But just as travelling is fun, you must also have the reasoning and the drive to say that you are willing to work hard to afford a trip to a beautiful place. That is the Enlightenment, putting aside the unpleasant emotions that you get from having to work so that in the end you can discover something great. I believe that we need both Enlightenment and Romanticism in our lives to have a fulfilled and happy life.

Learning about these two movements impacted the way that I view our contemporary western culture because I see how much of both of these movements impact this culture. As a native San Diegan, I have been going to the museums that are in Balboa Park for my whole life. The Fleet Science Center, in Balboa Park, is a museum that shows the impact of the Enlightenment on our culture. In the Science Center, there are many examples of great discoveries that were found using the scientific method and it even emphasizes how important that method is. However, in the same park is the Museum of Art, which is completely opposite of the Science Center. Everything is focused on how beautiful and aesthetically pleasing art is. There is no explanation on the exact method and reasoning that the artists did to come up with their art. Rather, it shows how perspectives and color and paints and oils all come together to do one thing, make someone feel. Feel happy, feel sad, feel strong or feel weak. We as a culture have both museums, one on discovery and reason and another on feeling and emotions.

The most important take away from this class for me is really what I said above. I realizes that as someone who loves science and reason, I also need emotions and feelings in order to have a happy life. I actually decided to start getting into film photography as a way to get my mind off all the “school” and work stuff I do all the time. This allows me to have an outlet of creativity that makes me happy. (Even if my photos look terrible ha ha) This class really helped me put in perspective how important it is to have that balance.

Haystacks at Chailly by Claude Monet, at the San Diego Museum of Art

Art, Subjectivity, and the Limits of Reason

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I personally agreed most with the Romantic movement. Their focus on Beauty and Art, as well their insistence on the primordiality of subjective experience resonated more than the cold and dry Enlightenment principles. Furthermore, I think that Romanticism sprung up precisely because of a distrust of Reason, a distrust with which I am sympathetic. Modern science and analytic philosophy are the progeny of the Enlightenment–fully realized versions of what were new and young principles in the time period we were reading. Contemporary society thus has the pitfalls of the Enlightenment to the extreme as a consequence of this–and Goethe and Schiller’s critiques seem all the more relevant.

Learning about the Enlightenment and Romanticism I feel has given me an even clearer view of today’s society. As I argued above, because I think that today’s society is in many ways approaching the logical extreme of the Enlightenment (and in some ways perhaps not), I think that reading thinkers from both movements helps understand our current situation in a deeper manner–the positives, negatives, problems, solutions, values, etc.

I think that the most important takeaway from this class is the idea that art and science are not mutually exclusive. It is often times an assumption that science walks a path that is both methodologically and analytically distinct from art. I think that Professor Watkins has done a good job at arguing that this is an irrational position (i.e. by citing studies indicating that doctors who look at artwork tend to treat patients more accurately and better). Decreased attention to the Humanities (in particular, philosophy, art, and literature) is to our peril. And while the Enlightenment provides us with many important tools, the importance of recognizing its limitations and its negative consequences were relayed very effectively in this course.

The picture, “A Moonlight with a Lighthouse, Coast of Tuscany” painted by Joseph Wright, is meant to capture the Romantic skepticism of the Enlightenment’s Reason.

Serenity is bliss

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The picture is a harmonious blend of intellectual with the sensual. The sky’s dark blue make the rich and bold red roses pop. This beautiful, rich and smooth blend of colors is very aesthetically pleasing and provides the observer with a sensual experience.The film camera effect, the angle of the click, and the techniques used to edit this picture give the picture an intellectual and mysterious quality. Furthermore, these techniques evoke an observer’s curiosity in figuring out a purpose or a meaning behind this picture and hence the picture becomes open to multiple interpretations. The aesthetic attribute of this picture can evoke many emotions, feelings and ideas but most importantly, a sense of peace. Serenity leads to a blissful state because you are devoid of any negative emotions such as anger and frustration. When people experience inner peace on a micro level, individual peace can lead to a ripple effect and improve society on a macro level.

Plane Trees

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Image result for plane trees ii ruth asawa
Plane Trees II – Ruth Asawa

This abstract artwork depicts plain old trees. Yet for some reason, these abstract trees are mesmerizing to look at. The first time I saw this piece, I thought I could stare at it for hours. And why? It’s only these weird looking trees!

Each tree is a part of the same plane – hence Asawa’s wordplay in the title of the piece (Plane Trees). The uniformness of all the trees in the plane differs from how trees in forests usually are – on slight hills, small valleys and inlets, etc. Very rarely is a walk in the woods completely flat. Yet the way Asawa puts all her trees in the same plane gives me the feeling of getting lost within them and being one with the trees. The viewer is also in the same plane as the trees. The viewer is one of the trees.

Yet each tree is also lacking leaves. Maybe it’s just winter, or maybe the trees are dying. Either way, it evokes some unexplained sadness from the viewer. This piece is beautiful because it makes the viewer feel something. It shows the sadness that comes with the death of nature. Schiller would argue that the beauty of this piece can make us better humans by showing us the importance of nature: the unity between humans and nature, the need to preserve nature.

Our Responsibility

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With the recent fires in Australia, many of us are aware of the mere existence of forest fires. However, it is hard to grasp the impact of such fires as all we see on the news are just some trees on fire and not the millions of animals affected by forest fires. The image speaks sensually as we feel remorse for the disappearing monkey who is vanishing due to the forest fires that we humans have caused. It speaks to us intellectually as it informs us of the true impact of forest fires and that we need to act in order to see change. These sensual and intellectual feelings merge to create a sense of responsibility as we feel guilt and seek change. This also helps us become morally better people as it tells us to fix the problems we have created since it not only affects us but others as well.

Are Math and Art Mutually Exclusive?

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“Euler’s Identity is the most beautiful math equation!”

– literally every single math professor

EULER’S IDENTITY

Euler’s identity is often regarded as “the most beautiful math equation” because of its foundational role in mathematics. It relates to many aspects of math, such as trigonometry, imaginary numbers, natural logs, etc. In a very simple and concise equation, Euler’s identity ties together many different mathematical concepts. Each one of the symbols and numbers represents a fundamental idea in math. For instance, ‘0’ is a unique and only number that represents Null or None out of all the different mathematical expressions. ‘1’ is precisely the complete opposite of 0, and all numbers is a summation of ones. ‘e’ is a unique constant that often describes many natural phenomenons. ‘i’ is the definition and stem of imaginary/complex numbers, an entirely different system of irrational numbers. ‘pi’ is the constant that is almost guaranteed to appear when dealing with rotations and waves, such as circles, spheres, traveling waves. Euler’s Identity, outside of its theoretical significance, also is a useful tool in many different disciplines; It is useful in electrical engineering, quantum physics, multivariable calculus, physics, etc.

Nonetheless, it is interesting how one equation can be used to describe many things in nature. Many different theories, disciplines, and reasoning all somehow lead to this one equation. Aesthetics is defined as “a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art.” Euler’s Identity, despite its somewhat confusing mathematical representation, might be an indication that the creation of our world isn’t entirely based on chance. Perhaps, this is the beauty of math; It connects our fragmented knowledge into a cohesive understanding. Perhaps, math is just another tool for us to realize the beauty and order of nature. On this note, maybe math isn’t so different from art. This sparks a series of questions: What makes math and art different and similar? Does math has its limits? What is the end goal of scientific studies? Is it be possible that there is an unknown principle law, analogous to Euler’s Identity in math, that governs our life?

Music and the Mind

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Music is arguably one of the most important languages of all time. It transcends common limitations many languages face and connects us in a way that is only rivaled by mathematics. It is, by definition, aesthetic. Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy, is an amazing example of this phenomenon. It is a piece designed to be played by a pianist and has no lyrics, yet it still seems to convey a message. From its composition and harmonious melodies, it tells a story from nothing. It expresses the highs and lows, happy moments and sad moments, and even the fleeting and lasting moments of life. It merges the emotions we gain from listening to this beautiful piece of music to something more tangible. It connects it to something on a more intellectual level. In essence, we derive something (meaning) out of what appears to be nothing. This is something that is truly unique to humans and what sets us apart from every other sentient being that we know exists. It also gives us a duty. A responsibility, even. We must be the moral authority that all creatures look to on this planet. Humans have the amazing ability to see beyond what is in front of us. This already makes us better morally in relation to all other creatures on this world. However, does it make us better than one another? The answer can be both yes and no. I think the answer is irrelevant in the eyes of a secure person. Rather, we should be using our gift to simply help one another. To promote a better future and have a fulfilled life. By doing that, we will have proved Schiller; we will have become morally better. And to think, it was a song with no lyrics that spurred us down this path of righteousness. Music is truly a gateway to a better mind and existence.

What Monet says

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This is one of the most famous painting by Monet. It actually belongs to a series of three paintings, called Woman with a Parasol. This is the first one and it depicts his wife Camille and their son. Camille was diagnosed with cancer when Monet drew this painting. Instead of expressing his grief in the painting, he used bright colors and captured this joyful moment of their family.  When I first saw this painting, I can only feel the happiness and pleasure until I was told the story behind it. Besides creating a sense of empathy, I’m also impressed by his great skills and his attitudes towards life. Paintings can be a great example of merging the sensual and intellectual. The contrast between the story the painting appears to tell and the actual story behind it can be really effective in telling people how to live a proper life. It reminds people to be positive and to value every moment we are experiencing. I think it is also saying that every single person is an individual entity, family and friends are important but we have our own lives to live and our own goals and missions.