Event 1: Birth of the Internet

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Me, in front of Boelter 3420
I recently realized that, though I have heard from endless tour guides that UCLA is the birthplace of the internet, I have never explored the actual exhibit in Boelter 3420. Though we now take the internet totally for granted, the room allows us to immerse ourselves in a time when we were in a cold war and developing the internet meant increasing our odds of survival. It's interesting to note that in science, much like in art, spectacular discoveries often occur in times of duress; Picasso's Guernica, a composition created in WWII that evokes the pain of Nazi bombings, is widely considered a priceless masterpiece (Pablo Picasso and His Paintings).

Chalk Diagrams of ARPANET
Viewing the room, one's attention is immediately grabbed by the chalkboard sitting on the left side. Covered in colorful chalk diagrams, it displays the importance of visual representation in the scientific world. The captivating nature of scientific figures indicates its true nature as an art form in its own right: the art of displaying data. Research papers delve into the intricacies of making data easier to understand, and by doing so, further the artistic world's understanding of perspective, space, and composition (Bechtel, Burnston, & Sherados).

He wrote “lo”; before he could get to the “g” in “login”, the system crashed (Kudler)
With those 2 letters, a graduate student at UCLA propelled the world into a new epoch of technology and communication. Shortly thereafter, Tim Berners-Lee introduced the World Wide Web, ushering in a new era in technology and art (Editors). More directly, the internet led to artwork regarding social media, mobile technology, and surveillance, and more broadly, it allowed for artists to be informed on cultures and techniques from across the globe (Farago).

From the authentic lime green walls to the ancient furniture and archaic rotary discs, visiting Boelter 3420 has a powerful nostalgic presence. Yet, it is a recreation, the discovery of which has made me reflect on the power of imitation in art: though not the exact original room, its imitation has allowed the dissemination of new knowledge and shows that reproduction can be an essential art form.
Boelter 3420

Sources
Bechtel, William, et al. “Representing Time in Scientific Diagrams.” UCSD, mechanism.ucsd.edu/worgods/papers/Bechtel.Representing Time in Scientific Diagrams.cogsci.2.5.pdf.

Editors, History.com. “The Invention of the Internet.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 30 July 2010, www.history.com/topics/inventions/invention-of-the-internet.

Farago, Jason. “Culture - How Much Has the Internet Changed the Art World?” BBC, BBC, 26 Mar. 2014, www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140326-how-has-the-internet-changed-art.

“Guernica, 1937 by Pablo Picasso.” Pablo Picasso and His Paintings, www.pablopicasso.org/guernica.jsp.

Kudler, Adrian Glick. “Touring the Recreated 1969 Birthplace of the Internet at UCLA.” Curbed LA, Curbed LA, 29 Oct. 2018, la.curbed.com/2011/10/31/10429196/internet-invented-ucla-first-message-museum.

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