Page 5 - 06 - 2009
P. 5

PARTICLES OF INTEREST: TALES FROM THE MATTER MARKET                                                                              THE SEARCH FOR MEANING THROUGH THE MYTHIC IMAGINATION

05 NOVEMBER 2009                                                                                                                                                                                                          15 JANUARY 2009
CNSI ART|SCI GALLERY                                                                                                                                                                                  EDA, UCLA BROAD ART CENTER

Particles of Interest was an interactive                                                                                                                                                                        This lecture uncovered the common
installation of poetic meditations from                                                                                                                                                                         stock of symbolism related to quest
around the world that allows visitors                                                                                                                                                                           stories. Consciously or unconsciously
to encounter the global chorus on                                                                                                                                                                               we are contributing to the evolution
nanotechnology, culture, and property.                                                                                                                                                                          and emergent fabric of this linguistic
The installation creates a sonic-                                                                                                                                                                               device in which complex, culturally
simulation of particle data scanning                                                                                                                                                                            specific meanings are communicated
gestures.                                                                                                                                                                                                       simply. Psychologist-storyteller
                                                                                                                                                                                                                Jonathan Young drew on his work with
Nanotechnology involves the manipulation                                                                                                                                                                        Joseph Campbell to explore the symbolism
of materials and the creation of                                                                                                                                                                                in the Legends of the Holy Grail, the
structures and systems that exist at                                                                                                                                                                            architecture of quest stories and the
the scale of atoms and molecules. A                                                                                                                                                                             subterrain of nonverbal communication.
nanometer (nm) is one billionth of
a meter. By way of comparison, a DNA                                                                                                                                                                            Jonathan Young assisted Joseph Campbell
molecule is roughly 2.5 nm, a red blood                                                                                                                                                                         at seminars and served as founding
cell 7,000 nm and a human hair cell a                                                                                                                                                                           curator of the Joseph Campbell Archives.
whopping 80,000 nm wide. The existing                                                                                                                                                                           As a professor, he created and chaired
body of toxicological literature                                                                                                                                                                                a department of mythological studies.
indicates that nanoparticles have a                                                                                                                                                                             His books and articles focus on personal
greater risk of toxicity than larger                                                                                                                                                                            mythology and the creative process. As
particles.                                                                                                                                                                                                      director of the Center for Story and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                Symbol in Santa Barbara,
The particle sniffer prototype by the
Particle Development Team is a sniff-                                                                                                                                                                           Dr. Young lectures widely on uses of
scan technology that captures nano-                                                                                                                                                                             symbolic imagery and consults for
scale elements, such as nanoparticles                                                                                                                                                                           content creators in film, visual art,
of carbon 60, titanium dioxide and                                                                                                                                                                              advertising, and writing.
zinc oxide that have clustered on or
beneath the skin of individuals who
have unknowingly been using nano-
based particle products ranging from
transparent suntan lotions, a large
number skin care products, and a wide
variety of makeup products to some types
of fabrics.

ARTIST ART+ACTIVISM COLLABORATION COMMUNITY EDUCATION LECTURE PUBLICATION RESEARCH RESIDENCY ROBOTICS MIXER SYMPOSIUM ||||       ARTIST ART+ACTIVISM COLLABORATION COMMUNITY EDUCATION LECTURE PUBLICATION RESEARCH RESIDENCY ROBOTICS MIXER SYMPOSIUM ||||
     || SPRING SUMMER FALL WINTER ||||| 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 ||||| UCLA CNSI DMA BEYOND |||||  ||||| SPRING SUMMER FALL WINTER ||||| 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 ||||| UCLA CNSI DMA BEYOND ||
   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10