Week 1 - "Two Cultures"

On week 1, we learned the long-lasting conflict between art and science as two cultures. As C. P. Snow explained well in his words, "Literary intellectuals at one pole-at the other scientists, and as the most representative the physical scientists". 

We also had the chance to learn the effort scholars put to efface this gulf of mutual incomprehension. Different from Snow's perspective that the conflict is caused by the lack of understanding, Victoria Vesna thinks that we can think toward a third culture, which is being between those two cultures. Being an individual that experienced the influence of two cultures, I tend to agree with Vesna that "we are placed between these two cultures, which creates a triangle and promise the emergence of a third culture.


Doodle from google (artistic interpretation)
http://2012.zero1biennial.org/art-and-technology-behind-google-doodles

I was born in China, an ancient country with over five-thousand years of history. I started to feel the interaction of two cultures since I was small. I got in touch with ancient Chinese paintings and learned one of the oldest performing instruments in China: bamboo flute. In the meantime, I started to learn some scientific knowledges like mathematics, chemistry and physics. 

Chinese Bamboo Flute(Dizi)
http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_artqa/2003-09/24/content_39839.htm 

At the first time, I could hardly tell there were any interaction between these two cultures because those art classes and scientific classes are taught separately. However, As I grew over the years, I began to feel the frequent and close interaction of the two cultures. For instance, I a interested in design and Red-Dot design Award is a world-known award that attracts my attention. When I see the consumer electronics like iPhone and cameras, I began to realize that we are actually living in between the two cultures. We have the product that can combine both two cultures and present it to the world.


HTC RE(Camera)-2015 Red Dot Design Award
http://red-dot.de/pd/online-exhibition/work/?lang=en&code=29-05141-2015&y=2015&c=165&a=0


Citations:

Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. New York: Cambridge UP, 1961. Print.

Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between." Leonardo 34.2 (2001): 121-25. Web.

"The Art and Technology Behind Google Doodles." The Art and Technology Behind Google Doodles. Web. 

 "History of Dizi (Bamboo Flute)." History of Dizi (Bamboo Flute). Web. 

"Work | Red Dot Award: Product Design." Work | Red Dot Award: Product Design. Web.