Coded: Arts Enters the Computer Age LACMA 6/1/23 By: Anubhav Chandla

 Coded: Arts Enters the Computer Age LACMA 6/1/23 By: Anubhav Chandla

The LACMA is home to numerous unique exhibitions that showcase intersectionalities between multiple fields. This month, I had the opportunity to visit and view the Coded: Arts Enters the Computer Age exhibit which brought together digital technologies and artistic mediums of expression. As I walked through the exhibit, I noticed that there were numerous pieces ranging from canvases, projectors, objects, and even a printer that endlessly printed random phrases. Yet, in the chaos, there was a sense of understanding. I was able to depict the theme of the complexity of computers and the chaos served as a reminder of the fact that computers consume a large percentage of our lives. 

The complexity of computers are seen in this endless printing of the news as this machine physically through a computerized program

One of the most unique aspects of this exhibition was that it included a soundtrack by dublab’s Mark “Frosty” McNeill that showcased the evolution of computerized music. As a musician myself, I was taken aback by the influence of numerous tonalities and the coming together of digitized sound as well as pure instrumentation. This resonated with me as I play a classical Indian instrument the Tabla, but also play a digitized instrument, the Octopad which is a digitized percussion instrument. As I researched computerized music, I learned about a device by Harvard students that utilizes sound waves to encode data. This project utilizes foundational musical knowledge, coding properties, and physics to curate a new form of data collection which is a surprising collaboration between musicians and scientists (Irving 2).

This exhibit transcribed the math of the Mars Rover space landing using binary zeroes and ones, allowing a unique mix of art and math.

I also was able to view several pieces that reminded me of our topic of Math and Art. I noticed the influence of geometry and symmetry in the construction of pieces into art pieces that are enjoyed by diverse audiences. Geometry is largely based on perception, views, angles, and more which provide the audience to allow their imagination to flow (Muller-Schmidt 14). These exhibits instilled a sense of perspective and creativity within me to be confident in my perspective even though it might vary from someone else’s. Furthermore, geometry relies on patterns and foundational mathematical equations which is similar to machine learning as it is constructed upon repetitive, yet complex models (Symonds 3). Above all, I highly recommend viewing this exhibit as I had a great time exploring the wide array of possibilities due to the rapidly evolving nature of computers.

References

Irving, Michael.“Harvard’s Acoustic Computer Chip Uses Sound Waves to Encode Data.” New Atlas, 29 June 2022, https://newatlas.com/computers/harvard-acoustic-computer-chip-sound-waves/.

Muller-Schmidt, Mayra.Houston Teachers Institute - University of Houston. https://uh.edu/honors/Programs-Minors/honors-and-the-schools/houston-teachers-institute/. Accessed 17 June 2023.

Symonds, Jonathan. “Relationships, Geometry, and Artificial Intelligence - DataScienceCentral.Com.” Data Science Central, 12 Apr. 2018, https://www.datasciencecentral.com/relationships-geometry-and-artificial-intelligence/.

Selfie Picture (Proof of Attendance)