Event #3: Hammer Museum

Living so close to the Hammer Museum, it’s a shame that I hadn’t visited it sooner, even knowing that it was free to attend. It’s actually a really cool place to visit. It’s very colorful and seems more fun and inviting than the conventional museum and I would recommend to anyone to come visit, especially for being free.

The “Game Room” exhibit was one of the most interesting things that I’ve experienced. It breaks away from the traditional interactions that one might have at a museum. It is used as an escape for people to come and relax and play with art. This connects with the class in terms of the math and geometry used in each of the art pieces to create a fun, interactive environment. Going back to one of the first lectures with the intersection of math and art and science, it could be argued that aspects of the pieces in the room represent the golden ratio of lines in proportion to one another.

This piece, Glued to You by Cameron Jamie, was one that really intrigued me. Some of the first things that came to mind were a jellyfish and the brain. In terms of the brain, I thought of the lines extending down from the cluster axons and neuron channels. When reading about the artist, I found a connection. His work “deals with American history and culture, in particular their dysfunctional manifestations. Jamie’s sharp critical gaze often focuses on popular culture and its impact on everyday life and the psyche” (Vergne 1). This, i realized connected really well with the lectures on neuroscience and understanding the brain and why people do the things that they do.

Another piece that interested me was Ruby I by Mary Weatherford. It’s a form of abstract art, but with a scarce but impactful use of light and electricity. “The neon causes a push-and-pull with the viewer’s attention, at times drawing the eye towards it, and at other times disappearing into a negative space that frames the paintings underneath, highlighting the canvas” (Williams 1).

Proof that I attended the event:

Bibliography

"Game Room - Hammer Museum." The Hammer Museum. Hammer Museum, 2012. Web. 10 June 2015. <http://hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/2012/game-room/>.

Torrelio, Sebastian. "“Game Room” Exhibit at Hammer Museum Encourages Interaction." Daily Bruin. Daily Bruin, 3 Dec. 2012. Web. 10 June 2015. <http://dailybruin.com/2012/12/03/game-room-exhibit-at-hammer-museum-encourages-interaction/>.

Vergne, Philippe. "HOW LATITUDES BECOME FORMS : Cameron Jamie." HOW LATITUDES BECOME FORMS : Cameron Jamie. Walker Art Center, n.d. Web. 10 June 2015. <http://latitudes.walkerart.org/artists/indexe106.html>.

Vesna, Victoria. “Conscious / Memory (Part 1).” Lecture. 16 Nov 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DLVQIwOn7o8>.

Williams, Maxwell. "Art In America." Mary Weatherford: L.A. Confidential. Code and Theory, 19 May 2014. Web. 13 June 2015. <http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/news-features/news/mary-weatherford-la-confidential/>.