A Petworth Salon to discuss ideas

The Bluestocking Society presents....a Petworth Salon 

Join us Monday, October 6th from 7:30 - 9:30 PM for an evening of conversation on the concept of symmetry:  how do we define and experience it, how might it liberate and constrain us, and how will it continue to inspire our endeavors in surprising ways?



Presenting:

Brie Husted was both a young admirer of punk rock's ability to smash up the order and a pupil of modern design school's disdain for the symmetrical ordering system which "is a favorite of small children, unusually primitive people and the mentally insane because it is so easy to understand".  She has, however, been compelled of late to open up some more classical texts and take a new look at the definition of visual symmetry , its origins and its merits. Why has it been the beauty standard for so many centuries? Is there a deeper complexity that lies beneath this seemingly simple ordering standard? 

Son Tran, nominated a "linguistic thinker" by Buzzfeed and a man who indeed enjoys word-play and can can flirt in other languages rather coyly, will present his views regarding asymmetry:  Uncoupling from the dominant binary, asymmetry can act as a force for liberation and critique of the dichotomy that symmetry imposes.  In this discussion, I’ll present examples in art history and popular culture that make a claim that symmetry is not always synonymous with harmony or peaceful coexistence, but rather, imposes a violent hierarchy which we should overturn, displace the conceptual order, and create a space that leaves room for difference, ambiguity, and fun!

John Straub, director of the University of Maryland's master's program in economics, is going to present a graphical depiction of a a model at the core of microeconomic theory: the model of consumer choice in which the consumer seeks to maximize utility subject to a limited budget. The symmetry related to this model is that the problem can be equivalently represented as one of expenditure minimization while trying to achieve a particular level of utility.  John is also an avid record collector, DJ and photographer.  The attached symmetric image is one of his photographic compositions.  

Nacho Rodriguez Bach's visual art work is a good example of symmetrical reflections, for which he will not apologize. He does not know any better, probably due to the fact that he was formed as a musician and not as a visual artist. Yet his failed attempts at breaking away from symmetry have resulted in some wisdom--that visual and auditive rhythm have much in common--they both stem from cycles and pave the way for the cognitive system's ability to perceive ambiguity. Because language is very cruel, he wants a new word for symmetry that he can understand.

Moderating:

Jennifer Restak displays mild OCD tendencies in the parallel alignment of myriad piles of paper on her classroom desk, enjoys the pairing of the delicate with the rough-hewn and the wabi-sabi aesthetic, and finds near-daily amazement at the frequency in which seemingly unconnected events align to reconfigure our routines.  

Participating in a discussion incorporating your own ideas on the topic with those presented by our speakers:

You!