MUSEUM VISIT II

ACTIVITY 2

Written Analysis: Find two different works to do a comparative analysis.

Both of these pieces take inspiration from Jorge Luis Borges’s Book of Imaginary Beings (1957), a collection of over one hundred beasts from folklore and literature. The beasts in this book exist on the border of the natural and mythical. In a similar fashion, Oxman's beings improve, merge, and adapt nature to explore future possibilities for human biology and experience – a field of design practice Oxman calls "material ecology." This series explores the human body systems such as the skeletal, pulmonary, and muscular systems, giving a glimpse into a future where natural tissues and biological processes might be digitally augmented or replicated.

Both of these works were 3D-printed in acrylic polymer using the Stratasys 3D Printer. Therefore, both works are composed from the same medium.

The overall composition of the two works echo one another — both being symmetrical and having rising shoulder blades that taper off above. However, Arachne's shoulder blades seem to wrap around the user's head while Doppelganger's jut out at an angle, similar to a butterfly's wings.

Also, the two suits seem to have different textures. While Arachne has a multi-faceted, prism-like surface, Doppelganger has a checkered, intricate surface. Because of this, Arachne has a more geometric form while Doppelganger has a more irregular, organic form.

Arachne takes inspiration from Arachne, the ancestor of all spiders from Greek mythology whereas Doppelganger takes inspiration from the double walker, which is a living human's paranormal double from Finnish and Egyptian mythology that lurks on one's peripheral vision.

Due to Arachne's entomological origins, it has an exoskeleton-esque pattern and structure. However, the broader structure is modeled after a human ribcage in order to shield bony tissue and provide muscular flexibility. Therefore, its primary function seems to be to provide protection for the torso.

As for Doppelganger, it's modeled after a bat, but it still bears a rough resemblance of a human ribcage to facilitate human users. Being based on a bat, however, the suit's primary functions are to mute flight sounds and optimize aerodynamics. Due to its multitudinous facets, this suit also has to the ability to reflect light away from the user as well as absorbing heat at specific angles.

ACTIVITY 3

Visual Annotation

Reflection

The most interesting aspect about this show was the themes that were addressed. It was centered around this field called Material Ecology that merged principles of nature, biology, design, and architecture. The work in this exhibition were not to be regarded as finished stand-alone art pieces, but instead, demos for the future applications of the materials, fabrication methods, designs, and technologies on display.

I especially liked Arachne from the Imaginary Beings series because of its inspiration from mythology and the anatomy of insects to make a wearable suit with practical implications. In terms of visuals, it also had a simultaneously geometric and organic form and bold lines emphasized the cell-like pattern it had going on. I also liked the work Silk Pavilion II because of the themes and fabrication methods it used. It touched on the theme of working with nature to construct things, so fittingly, it was made by placing living silkworms on a scaffolding, making a self-fabricating structure.

Finding this deeply fascinating, I would really like to try out the idea of fabrication based on natural principles. Another example of this is Aguahoja. Resembling giant leaves and biological membranes, it was 3-printed using biopolymers and a cutting-edge water-based synthesis method. To go the extra step, it was even implanted with living bacteria. In my future pieces, I would like to experiment with natural materials such as wood, polymers, and silk to weave them or additively fabricate them. Although ambitious, I would like to attempt at incorporating living bacteria or algae into my work.

Also, I noticed in a lot of the pieces, the idea of nature wasn't just aesthetically mimicked. It was reflected in the materials that were used (e.g. wood, biopolymers, silk, metals) and the processes (e.g. 3D printing that mimics growth processes). Therefore, I would like to push this aspect of my art as well to improve synthesis.

I can really relate the works from the exhibitions to my inquiry because in essence, they merge principles of design, fabrication, and technology with natural growth processes and structures. In a way, it is a merging of humanity and nature.

Sources

https://www.moma.org/magazine/articles/315

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/185300

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/185298?artist_id=46441&page=1&sov_referrer=artist

https://neri.media.mit.edu/exhibitions/details/natural-artifice3.html