Interterm 2014, Florence, Italy Professor Lia Halloran

Transcription

1 Art 329: The Origins of Art and Science: The Rise and Influence of Alchemy, Anatomy, Machines, and Astronomical Discoveries in Art of the Italian Renaissance. Dates: January 5- January 26 th Interterm 2014, Florence, Italy Professor Lia Halloran The spirit of research and conquest is the supreme essence of evolution. It penetrates all those who have ever dedicated their lives to art or science. -Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Course Description: During the Italian Renaissance both artists and scientist pioneered revolutionary understandings about the world that were explored in either concept or form, however both disciplines shared an affinity for turning to nature as a guide to contextualize the world around for invention and direction. Consequently the boundaries between the disciplines were not clearly defined and great creators and thinkers of this time overlapped. For centuries metaphysics, theology, and philosophy prevailed and science was nurtured by beliefs whereas objectivity and methodology have appeared only recently in science. Florence, Italy is known for the incredible density of artworks and creative energy that occurred during the Renaissance yet it is also a unique place to trace the rise of scientific invention, which was fueled and informed through collaborations and interdisciplinary thinkers. The course will look as of historical intersections of art and science and the contents of museums in Florence, Milan, Venice, and nearby cities. Students will study and explore various institutions, workshops, artists and scientists as the basis for creating their own work and partner with Studio Art Center International for studio time and space. This studio course will be divided into three primary themes and projects: the first will draw from the unique and early collection of 17 th century taxidermy and anatomical waxes at La Specola and the use of Alchemy in early Chemistry and Medicine. The class will go on a day trip to Venice to visit the Natural History Museum and look at taxonomy and early natural collections of animals and specimens. The second theme will be Leonardo s machines where we visit the town of Vinci, Leonardo s birthplace to see the largest collection of models made from his drawn inventions. Students will also visit Milan to see the Leonardo da Vinci Museo Nazionale of Science and Technology and Leonardo s famous painting The Last Supper. Lastly student will learn about the influence of early understanding of the skies, and placement and movement of the heavens and how this influenced architecture, artworks, and redefined our understanding of our placement in the universe. Well know Astronomer Galileo Galilee was one of the major players in the scientific revolution, but also was an art instructor Accademia delle Arti teaching perspective and chiaroscuro. Students will spend time in the Museo di Galileo studying early scientific instrumentation, maps, navigation tools as well as Galileos very first telescope which was used to discover the phases of Venus and the

2 movement of the moons of Jupiter that lead to the controversial discovery that the Earth was not the center of the Universe. Additionally student will have access to the unique library on the top floor of the museum for research of rare books and manuscripts. We will also study the role of sundials hidden in many church facades in Florence and the role the movement of the skies played in architectural planning. Students will stay in apartments at the historic Pallazzo Sannini, Residenza d'epoca in the center of Florence, a short 5 min walk to the main museums and studio space at SACI. Highlights: -Studio space at Studio Art Center International -Visit Leonardo da Vinci s birthplace -Live in a historical apartment in the center of Florence -Visit the famous works of art and art museums in Florence -Special use of the Galileo Museum rare book collection -Unique tour of the Hall of Skeletons at La Specola museum -Day Trip to Venice -Day trip to Milan to see Leonardo s The Last Supper and the Museum of Science and Technology. This course will satisfy upper division studio elective, Interdisciplinary Art 382, General Education requirements related to Artistic Inquiry, Social Inquiry, and Global Study. Course learning outcomes: -Students will explore three themes that have historic links to both Art and Science; Anatomy/Alchemy, Machines and Astronomy. -Students will complete three pieces of artwork based on each theme. -Students will complete two phases of each assignment. Research (documentation, museums visits, drawing, photographing, reading) and Artwork made in reference to each topic. Projects can be worked on simultaneously and due to the interdisciplinary nature of this course innovative thinking in various mediums for projects will be essential. -Students will complete weekly blog entries based on the theme discussed each week supported by at least 3 images, drawings or historical text. Reading: A collection of essays will be made into a Reader that students will draw upon for discussion and reference while in Florence. Methods of Evaluation: Students will be evaluated on the quality of the paintings they produce in terms of technical and conceptual sophistication, on the presentation of their work in class critiques, and on the participation in critique of the work of their peers. Further, students will be graded on their participation in class discussions of required readings. Grading: Your grade will be assessed using the following criteria: --3 Completed Art Projects demonstrating innovation, thoughtfulness in marriage of Art

3 and Science drawing from Historical references, 60% --3 written 500 word entries supported by visual materials. 30% --Participation in Critiques and Discussions/ Field Trip 10% Attendance: Attendance will be crucial; you are expected to be at every lecture and museum visit during the course, as discussions will happen on site. You are permitted two absences without damage to your grade. Three absences result in your grade being lowered by onehalf letter gade. Four or more absences result in possible failure of the course. Three tardies or leaving early will count as one absence. Resources: --Strosberg, Elanie, Art and Science --Shlain, Leonard, Art and Physics, Parallel Visions in Space, Time and Light --Kemp, Martin The Science of Art, Optical themes in western art from Brunelleschi to Seurat --Jones, Caroline A. and Galison, Peter, Picturing Scince, Producing Art --Dear, Peter, Revolutionizing the Sciences: European Knowledge and Its Ambitions, (Second Edition) --Ede, Sian, Art and Science Itinerary: November/ December 2013 dates TBD- Students will meet twice at Chapman University before leaving for Italy. WEEK 1 Sunday, January 5th Arrival into Florence! Welcome Dinner Monday January 6 th - Walking tour of the city, visit to the Piazza Michelangelo. Lecture on overview of course, objects, institutions, places that gave rise to art/ science intersections. Tuesday- Thursday January 7-9th Three day Firenze museum pass. Students will dive head in to get familiar with the museums and greatest hits of sculpture and painting in the museums in flounce. The first three days will be a crash course in some of the major players and works in Florence. Students will revisit based on specific projects but three days will be spent visiting art and science museums alike to get a barometer on the collections in both art and science institutions: Uffizi, Pitti Palace, La Specola (oldest science museum), Museo Galileo, Cabinet of Physics at the Firenze University, Duomo, Couploa, Palazzo Strozzi, Academia (Michelangelo s David and captives), Baptistery doors (birth of perspective). Thursday Jan 9th SACI- students will collect art materials and get settled into studio space at the school.

4 Project 1 Alchemy/ Anatomy La Specola, meaning observatory is the oldest scientific museum in Europe. This museum holds the famous 18 th century wax anatomical sculptures still in pristine condition. These were created with incredible detail from corpses to explore the inner working of the human body and were used for medical and surgical references. La Specola is a particularly interesting museum of natural curiosities that was unlike anything of its time and opened to the public in 1775 to showcase plants, fossils, crystals and a wide collection of taxidermy animals. The class will look at how documentation, collection, categorization of specimens led to both alchemy and medicinal purposes, and how wax artists working in the same building the museum is now influenced the understanding of the human body. On site assignment: Students will have the opportunity for a unique 1 hour tour of the Hall of Skeletons containing hundreds of animal skeletons form the 18 th Century, which is not available to the public. Sketch, Photograph or document the specimens and space in the Hall. Friday January 10th SACI,Studio time. Continuation of Anatomy/ Alchemy project Blog entries due. 500 word minimum, 3 images WEEK 2 Sunday, January 12 th - Class Dinner Monday, January 13 th Day trip to Venice to visit the Natural History Museum, Departure at 8am, return at 6pm. Tuesday, January 14 th SACI, Studio time. Continuation of Anatomy/ Alchemy project Professor Halloran s opening Wednesday, January 15 th Project 2 Machines and Technology: Among the studies of natural causes and laws, it is light that most delights its students. Among all the great branches of mathematics, the certainty of its demonstrations preeminently elevates the minds of its investigators. Perspective, therefore, should be preferred above all man s discourses and disciplines. In the subject the visual rays are elucidated by means of demonstrations which derive their glory not only from mathematics but also from physics; the one is adorned equally with the flowers of the other. -Leonardo da Vinci

5 Just outside of Florence is the town of Vinci where Leonardo da Vinci lived. There in the Museo Leonardo da Vinci students can see scale models of every machine and invention that was found in the pages of Leonardo s journals. There is a prolific display of tanks, helicopters, flying machines, systems of moving water through cities for irrigation, and an incredible study of nature and anatomy. One of the themes that we look at in the current course of Art and Science is the visualization of technology that is necessary for engineers, designers and scientists at JPL to communicate about current NASA projects. on site assignment: Choose and document one of Leonardo s machines as a basis for a project ie: anamorphic perspective, war machine, movement of water, flying etc.. Thursday January 16 th SACI, Studio time, begin Machine project Friday, January 17 th Day trip to Milan to visit Leonardo s Last Supper fresco at Santa Maria Nouvella, and the Museo Nazionale of Science and Technology, Leonardo da Vinci. Depart 8am, return 6pm. WEEK 3 Sunday, January 19 th - Class dinner Blog entries due. 500 word minimum, 3 images Monday, January 20th SACI, Studio time. Continuation of Machine project Tuesday January 21 st Project 3 Astronomy Galileo Galilees original telescopes used to observe the moons of Jupiter and phases of Venus are on display in the Museo Galileo along with a collection of lenses and optics that birthed modern astronomy. It is interesting to note that Galileo made lenses himself and after studying optics taught perspective drawing at the Academia where Michelangelo s David is now housed. Many of the exhibits at the Museo Galileo focus on the understanding of light, lenses and optics that lead to early astronomical discovery. Strangely, one of Galileo s fingers is also housed in this museum! On site assignment: Draw from one element found in the research library upstairs and in the museo as a bounding point as a work on astronomy, lenses, navigation, spheres. Wednesday January 22 nd SACI, Studio time. Continuation of Astronomy project Thursday January 23 rd Students will partake in Studio Visits with two contemporary Artists working within a historical place. The density of the art and architecture in Florence is immense. We will

6 discuss the influence of history and how it factors into contemporary art production and discussions. SACI, Studio time. Continuation of Astronomy project Friday January 24 th SACI, Studio time. Continuation of Astronomy project Saturday, January 25 th Walking tour of the hidden sundials in various church facades. Final Critiques and Farwell Dinner. Sunday January 26 th Depart for home!