Monday, May 8th, 2023

A Possible Cause: Progress & Promise for Parkinson’s

A new study centering on the gut microbiome holds potential answers to Parkinson’s Disease.

Researchers at the University of Helsinki have discovered a potential cause of Parkinson’s disease – certain strains of Desulfovibrio bacteria. The study enables the screening of the carriers of Desulfovibrio strains and the removal of the bacteria from the gut. Strains in patients with Parkinson’s disease cause aggregation of the α-synuclein protein in the intestine and later, the brain.

My uncle had Parkinson’s, and I know numerous people who live with the disease, but this revelatory discovery shines a light on possible treatment for people living with Parkinson’s!

Today, I would like to showcase the art/work of Clayton Petras, formerly featured in Issue #4 of E-Squared Magazine.

claytonpetras.com

“The task of a history of the represented body is to say what has not been shown, and to explain why it is absent.” – James Elkins

Utilizing old-world techniques as well as new, St. Louis-based artist Clayton Petras impresses upon us subjects of identity and disease. In his current body of work he generates a series that attempts to depict the terrifying but also beautiful effects of Parkinson’s disease on the human body.

Turning that which is physical into the visual with marks of detail and grace, Clayton Petras documents the process of neurodegeneration. In depicting the uncontrollable symptoms (tremors, stiffness, depression, mania, etc.) in the abstract with his imprinted marks combined with a societal understanding of disease and the body, he shows the chronological breakdown of mind and body. In his work, Petras addresses questions like, “How do we give identity to a disease that is difficult to diagnose or view on medical technology, currently cannot be cured or put in remission, and slowly changes the identity of the patient?” With his work, he is always looking for ways to visualize and document the degenerative mental disease and transform it into portrayals of the disease itself, its effects, and those it afflicts.

Through his statement-making large-scale prints, Clayton Petras reimagines illness and challenges our societal view of disease and the human body. Petras received a master of fine arts degree from Washington University, has received several awards for his work, and exhibits regularly.

Monday, May 1st, 2023

Celebrating the Sounds of Saturn with China Blue

China Blue was featured in Issue #3 | Man, Machine, & Power of E-Squared Magazine.

Don’t miss her upcoming solo exhibition celebrating the sounds she discovered for NASA in Saturn’s rings.

“Listening for the Unheard”

Opening: 5/13 4:00-7:00 PM

Exhibition: 5/13-6/18

11 Jane Street Art Gallery, Saugerties, NY

Saturday, April 15th, 2023

Pre-order Issue #6

I have been working hard on getting all of the content completed and input into the layout/publishing software. The current issue is near completion, and pre-orders for ISSUE #6 are now open! Recently, I also set up a new shop – placing orders should be much more streamlined.

ISSUE #6 is set to be released by this summer and is centered around the theme of Technosociety.

The issue features an interview with interaction designer and media artist WHITEVOID.
Front cover art is by artist Maarten Vanden Eynde.
Back cover art by multimedia artist Elaine Chao.

You can pre-order ISSUE #6 here.

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

The Egyptian Ostraca & Taxes

Being that it is tax season, have you ever heard of ostraca?

Ostraca, also known as potsherds, are simply broken pieces of pottery that were used in recordkeeping. Limestone flakes and other thin stones were also commonly used.

What kinds of records were kept? Stories, letters, prescriptions, student exercises, receipts, and…debts. Yes, just like a modern-day bank ledger.

The first known system of taxation was in Ancient Egypt around 3000–2800 BC, and records indicate that the Pharaoh would conduct biennial tours of the kingdom, collecting tithes and recorded debts.

📸 of ostraca by Xocolatl

Friday, February 3rd, 2023

Your Community is Important…

Hey everyone! Over the last few months I have seen big accounts hacked, reputable pages completely taken over by spam, and an influx of ads (it now feels like every other post on Instagram).

A lot has been going on with social, and it’s time we start connecting with our communities outside of these platforms. While email may seem archaic, it’s been around for the longest, and we may come to rely on it. Cause, who knows how long these platforms will be around?*cough* Twitter.

The community you have built is important. Don’t lose it. I’m really pushing for connecting via email. It’s been around for a very long time. Register to your favorite artist and/or business newsletters. Or just connect the old fashioned way – offline!

📸 by Billy Brown

Wednesday, January 11th, 2023

Sound Science & Achieving Positive Change

Sound Science & Achieving Positive Change

What does it mean to be “scientifically sound?” It means denouncing pseudoscience and adhering to the requirements of best available science as defined in WAC 365-195-905 (5)(a) and (b) [https://bit.ly/31H0aCh].

OK, that is pretty “jargony.” Simply put, sound science implies that a set of data, facts, or conclusions of a scientific nature are supported by *studies that follow the high standards of the scientific method.*

The results of these studies generate facts and evidence used to inform public decision-making. But sound science alone will not achieve positive change. That is why science *must* be coupled with *effective communication.*

We are no longer in the age of doing “our job” as scientists by presenting the results of our “sound science.” No. 𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 – 𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨 – 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 (𝙎𝙘𝙞𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢) 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩.

Our current system isolates the scientific community from the rest of the world, with no free exchange of ideas, leaving a major disparity in scientific literacy.

Even if you have no formal training in communications, I encourage you to start. Feel overwhelmed by that challenge? Maybe you can start, simply, by breaking down jargony words – like macrophage (large, eater) – to better explain their meaning and/or function.

Recently, I gave a talk about immune system cells for The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and I did just that. I did not use PowerPoint (yuck!), and I coupled the breakdown of words with striking visuals. What can I say, it was simple, impactful, and effective!

The future of science is effective communication, and it is through effective communication that we can:

✫ Share science with everyone

✫ Correct false beliefs

✫ Bridge gaps between worldviews

✫ Inform public decision-making

✫ Breakdown barriers and include more people

✫ Improve diversity, equity, and inclusion problems

#soundscience #scicomm #sciencecommunication #positivechange #communication #science #dei

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022

Play isn’t just for kids…

Improvising is a basic life function.

That is why I encourage you to “free play.”

What is free play?

Free play is the spontaneous play that comes naturally from curiosity, love of discovery, and enthusiasm. Free play is the essence of our being, something we were born with and then later, strive to recapture.

Free play enables improvisation and creativity, characteristics that are not restricted to only a few professional artists or scientists but are actually 𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚.

It is through free play that we can generate new ideas, but getting stuck in the “evaluation phase,” or being overly critical of yourself, has been found to inhibit the “generation phase” (i.e., the creation of ideas).

There are countless studies out there about play, improvisation, and creativity. In a study by Kleinmintz et al. (2014), three musician groups were evaluated on their performance. The group who practiced improvisation scored higher on fluency and originality compared to the other two groups, and it was concluded that deliberate practice of improvisation has a “releasing effect” on creativity.

So, get on out there and start free playing – what are you waiting for?!

Published Study: https://bit.ly/3Th9FSH

Monday, October 17th, 2022

Help Save SymbioticA!

Help Save SymbioticA!

SymbioticA, a keystone organization in the ecosystem of the international art and science community, is under threat of imminent closure at The University of Western Australia.

This is truly devastating to innovation in the sciences. Research, discovery, and innovation would not be what they are today if not for the organization and its founders: Oron Catts, Miranda Grounds, and Stuart Bunt.

Please sign this petition to lend your support to this internationally renowned, ever-so-critical research facility.

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SymbioticA was formerly featured in Issue #3 of E-Squared Magazine, you can view their spread by clicking here.

“Activities to educate, facilitate, and disseminate the utilization of science for creative and cultural outcomes.”

Established in 2000 by cell biologist Professor Miranda Grounds, neuroscientist Professor Stuart Bunt, and artists Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr, SymbioticA is the first research laboratory of its kind, enabling artists and researchers to engage in wet biology. Located at University of Australia’s School of Anatomy and Human Biology, SymbioticA hosts residents, workshops, exhibitions, and symposiums. They have also established an academic program for both undergraduate and postgraduate students available to artists, designers, architects, scientists and humanities scholars who wish to engage in creative bio-research.

Accommodating residents from around the world SymbioticA, provides an artistic laboratory dedicated to the research, learning, critique and hands-on engagement with the life sciences. As a mark of international recognition of its activities, SymbioticA was awarded the inaugural Golden Nica for Hybrid Arts in the Prix Ars Electronica in 2007.

Both former residents of SymbioticA, Guy Ben-Ary (cellF) and Cat Hope (Sounds of Decay) explored the cross-fertilization of art and science in their projects and Tina Gorjanc starred Oron Catts in her documentary for Pure Human.

You can subscribe to SymbioticA’s eDigest to keep updated on upcoming events, exhibitions, artist residencies, conferences and funding opportunities within the biological arts, design and contemporary arts.

Wednesday, September 14th, 2022

The Congruence of Art + Science as it Applies to Hedonics

During my guest lecture at the University of Georgia, I delved into the fascinating interplay between art and science through the lens of hedonics, exploring how these fields converge to enhance our understanding of pleasure. We examined the current landscape of consumer capitalism and pondered whether ethical consumption is achievable in this context.

I discussed the concept of hedonism and the intrinsic value of pleasure, and how art and science intersect to influence our experiences of joy and satisfaction. We explored various types of pleasure—physical, social, psychological, and ideological—and how products and services can be designed to evoke emotions and create pleasant experiences.

By blending insights from art history with contemporary scientific perspectives, the talk offered a multidimensional view of how pleasure is experienced and expressed in our modern world. We also discussed the current state of art, noting that we are operating in a period largely absent of a unifying art movement.

Since 1969, focus has shifted significantly towards pressing global issues like climate change. The 2010s and beyond have seen a rise in both denial and alarm surrounding these challenges. I emphasized, however, that this absence of a dominant art movement presents a unique opportunity for us to shape a new era. By harnessing our creativity and collective efforts, we have the power to influence future markets and drive a total systems change for the better.

It is up to us to forge new paths, create impactful art, and inspire transformative change.

I was truly honored to be invited as a guest lecturer at the University of Georgia. It was a privilege to share my insights on the intersection of art and science with such an engaged and thoughtful audience. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to UGA for this incredible opportunity and for their warm welcome.

Friday, August 12th, 2022

An Amino Acid Tasting Party, Say What?!

Stay Curious, Dream, & Do.

Did you know, most animals can detect macronutrients in food just by using taste? In fact, the content of food can typically be predicted on the basis of the *taste of amino acids.* Consistent with this, most amino acids have a taste, which makes some of them important as taste-active components in food.

Recently, I dreamed up the idea of having an Amino Acid Tasting Dinner Party and did just that! Consuming amino acids is actually completely safe. In fact, one amino acid – Glutamate – has entered widespread use in the culinary world.

During the party, guests had the opportunity to taste 20 essential amino acids in food safe test tubes. Everyone recorded the way each amino acid tasted – ranging from sweet, bitter, savory, or even just plain weird – and then shared their tasting experiences with the group. Guests also enjoyed various creative & tasting experience courses that I prepared for the party.

Stay tuned! The party was a huge hit, inspiring a lot of conversation in various social circles. With numerous requests for another, there will most definitely be another Amino Acid Tasting Party!

Why does this even matter? A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in processing different amino acids in humans may open new avenues for uses of these amino acids as flavor, nutritive, and therapeutic agents (i.e., taste & appetite).