Invitation to an Opening of Tom Greenbaum's Work in Juried Art Show

My work will be shown in a brand new gallery called the Sante Fe Complex in it's first ever juried show. Wish me luck! I am donating all proceeds to a non-profit organization - but, it sure would be fun if I won. The gallery is in the nearly revived railyard area of Sante Fe. See the invitation attached. It would be great if you came to the opening!

OCCAM'S RAZOR

http://www.sfcomplex.org/occam/

A Show of Art and Technology Collaborating in the same space.

Simple, yet no simpler.

Opening

October 18, 2008

4:00-8:00 PM

at the Santa Fe Complex

632 Agua Fria, Santa Fe, NM 87501

During the opening there will be a live performance of the Smokin' Bachi Taiko (http://smokinbachi.com/) drummers premiering new work written just for the show.

All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best, or so said William Oakham back in the 14th century. Somehow, that became Occam's Razor and set the standard for evaluating scientific explanations and theories. Albert Einstein saw the risk of excessive simplicity, though, and countered by saying, "Things should be as simple as possible but not simpler."

What does that have to do with Santa Fe Complex's first juried art show? It's up to the artists, who can explain their ideas here. We'll be happy with a cabinet of curiosities, a science fair, an art exposition, and a three-ring circus of brilliant and fun interpretations of the wisdom of Messrs. Oakham and Einstein.

My entry consists of a series of six (6) un-mounted prints. They are all 15.00" x 17.39" printed with UV-resistant archival inks on very-heavyweight gloss paper, rated at 100+ years of fade resistance.

• A detailed description of my design concept at: http://www.karmatetra.com/ISDE5/Buckminster_Fuller_Challenge.htm
• A handout describing the project to be distributed at the show: http://www.karmatetra.com/ISDE5/spheriphor_study06.htm#4-Page_Foldout_Presentation
• I also created a colorful button featuring my Spheriphor design to be available at the show: http://www.zazzle.com/spheri_spiral_occams_razor_button-145327584582462169

Artist's Statement:

FULLY TRANSPORTABLE DIGITAL DOME WITH OUTSIDE-IN PROJECTION SYSTEM FOR GEOSCOPE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DATA VISUALIZATION

By Thomas J. Greenbaum

A Buckminster Fuller Challenge 2008 semi-finalist design science solution presented for consideration as an art and technology collaboration for Occam's Razor juried show -- how does this make sense? This is a very complicated title; how does this demonstrate a simple solution? The simple answer is that complexity and simplicity are two sides of the same coin.

My design science solution depicted in six printed images, offers an innovative method for projecting data on a half-sphere (full-dome) Geoscope. My intent is to realize the Geoscope vision of R. Buckminster Fuller as stated in his book Critical Path, "With the Geoscope humanity would be able to recognize formerly invisible patterns and thereby to forecast and plan in vastly greater magnitude than heretofore."

Complexity and simplicity are alternately revealed on a multitude of levels. Macroscopically, planetary issues spanning nations and continents are highly complex. Perhaps Fuller's simple idea of projecting global data on to a large sphere can reveal the solutions. However, now we are faced with the problem of projecting complex multi-dimensional data sets in high-resolution on the convex surface of a large dome. The simple solution is the best one. Geometrically divide and conquer the spherical space. I use geodesic geometry to place off-the-shelf, digital projectors in an omni-symmetrical, outside-in arrangement. Pixels are optimized as well. Swell, but, the problem is not yet solved. How do we transport and set up a multitude of digital projectors precisely arranged about a large dome? Another complex problem which I solve with a simple framework that unfolds using servo motors and a light weight support structure.

Wait. You ask, "Is geospatial data the only thing that can be displayed on this dome?" Glad you asked, because I have some ideas about presenting non-geospatial data on a spherical surface. I call this my Spheriphor, or spherical metaphor. You say, "That is great, but now present all of this in six images." Wow, that is a complex problem. Perhaps, Edward Tufte's concept of "small multiples" can simplify things...

Some Notable Ayn Rand Quotes

I heard the following quote on a recent episode of Criminal Minds television show. I am a big fan of this TV show and a much bigger fan of Ayn Rand. I read Ayn Rands' The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged in college; both books had a big impact on me. It has been a while since I thought about Ayn Rand and so I felt a compulsion to record this excellent quote.

“Reason is not automatic. Those who deny it cannot be conquered by it. Do not count on them. Leave them alone.”

The last two sentences of the quote were not mentioned in the Criminal Minds episode. Of course, the FBI agents would not have much to do if they followed the last bit of advice.
My challenge is to "leave them alone" as Ayn Rand says. Definitely a tough one for me. I am a student of reason and find it frustrating when I encounter someone who denies reason. It is almost a feeling of religious zealotry that grips me. I feel the need to convert the person to a belief in reason. This is especially difficult for me in dealing with my father who I feel often denies reason for the sole purpose of winnning an argument.

“The truth is not for all men, but only for those who seek it.”

Then we come to this quote about truth and the persons who seek it. This tempers my need to convert people to the belief in reason because it is also the path of the truth seeker. Who am I to force someone on the path to seek truth? Truth can only be found by following reason. Therefore, someone who denies reason has no interest in the truth. Do you agree?

What about religious truth? Can this be found using reason? The Buddhists believe this. The seeker applies intellect, logic and reason to the path of truth in order to test all assumptions and relative truths. It is only after exhausting these tools that we come to the end of the path and find the absolute truth which is beyond logic and reason.

Teyata Om Gate Gate Para Gate Para Sohm Gate Bodhi Swaha

This is the great mantra from the "Heart Sutra" also known as the Prajnaparamita Sutra. It means Beyond, Beyond, The Great Beyond, Beyond That Beyond, Awaken, Rejoice!

Ayn Rand reminds us that reason is the source of all great creative acts. Can we include the "highest religious abstraction" among the artifacts of our reason as she states? Some may have a problem with this. I believe this is true, because language itself is a product of reason.

“From the smallest necessity to the highest religious abstraction, from the wheel to the skyscraper, everything we are and everything we have comes from one attribute of man -- the function of his reasoning mind.”

The Buddha says that words [religious abstraction] are but fingers pointing at the moon. They are not the moon itself. The intent is to look at the moon and not focus on the fingers. In this way, the religious abstraction, an artifact of reason, can point to the absolute truth beyond the reasoning mind.

“A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others”

Which brings us to creative compassion, or compassionate creativity. This is the foundation of Ayn Rand's philosophy. The reasoning mind, with its tremendous power to create is motivated by compassion. A wonderful, beautiful and hopeful thought indeed. Something that is needed especially in troubling times when world finance is controlled not by compassionate creative people, but by destructive, anti-creative scammers (anti-truth seekers) motivated by greed.