The idea of art and science working together is not a new one. After all, decades ago Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam impacted the world as a powerful work of art, however few notice the brain outlined behind god in the painting.
To me, this symbolizes the creation of man not only as an artistic and spiritual idea but also one done with scientific precision and detail. Personally, the connection between art and science has always peaked an interest in me. Growing up, I spent hours, if not days painting and drawing all of my thought. A blank canvas seemed so powerful as it could one day be an astronaut flying to the moon or the next day a dinosaur rummaging through the forest. As creative as I was I also had a great passion for helping others and it was because of this that since the age of five being a surgeon is all I wanted to become.
Painting I made when I was 14
Drawing from when I was young of my favorite movie
Today, I am a pre-med neuroscience major struggling to find time to activate my artistic side. With all of the studying to do, I always find it hard to sneak a little art in my life. This week’s readings really helped me reflect on the “third culture” that is now beginning to exist as predicted by C.P Snow in his work The Two Cultures and The Scientific Revolution. His piece opened my eyes to show me that perhaps my childhood passion can become a part of my major as I enter into adulthood. While the bridge between the two is still a brittle one as discussed by Victoria Vesna in her Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between, it is necessary if not essential for the other to exist. This view, however, is not a popular one. Even amongst the students of a single school, UCLA, the fight between north campus majors and south campus majors is very strong. I agree with C.P Snow in saying that the education system being so specialized helps create this gap as UCLA campus is split almost to avoid distractions between the two opposing types of people. I, however, believe that by embracing both the artistic and scientific side pioneering ideas may emerge.
Bohm, D. "On Creativity." JSTOR. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2013.
Kelly, Kevin. "The Third Culture." The Third Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 1998
Michelangelo. The Creation of Adam. C. 1512. Sistine Chapel.
Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. New York: Cambridge UP, 1959. Print.
Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between." Leonardo. 34 (2001): 121-125. Print.
Your insight about the brain depiction in the Creation of Adam is really perceptive. I have personally never thought about how Michelangelo hinted at the relationship between the two cultures in this painting. It's almost as if he suggests that the human soul is born out of this place in between the two cultures. I really enjoyed this post!
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you linked the Creation of Adam into this week's readings and lecture. I completely agree with you in how humans were created, by whatever force you believe in, to be a perfect mix with both scientific and spiritual characteristics. I see no reason behind why humans would be created to be good in either science or art, instead of being able to enjoy both equally. On another note, I think it's really good that although you are a pre-med student, you are still trying to spare time do follow your artistic interests. I think every person should have a balance between the two, in order to develop a brain that is more divergent and used in different fields of work. All in all, creating art while you study a really hard scientific major might help you destress. :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed how you included the artwork you have created over the years. This made the blog that much more personal and nicely displayed your artistic side. The specific example of division between North and South campus here at UCLA helped your argument. The way you incorporate the Creation of Adam was also very interesting and a perfect way to tie in the two cultures.
ReplyDelete