'Quantum Questions for Dummies'

Research output: Non-textual formExhibition

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Abstract

This solo exhibition was curated by Marcel Hager (of büro unwahr who brought the Gao brothers to Berlin) and Howard McCalebb (artist and founder of DadaPost, a venue exploring art as a tool to critique cultural and political frameworks). It consisted of an installation of sculptural and animated elements derived from research into contemporary cosmology and physics’ endeavours to understand the fabric of space-time. I am interested in the dynamic between the creativity of theoretical speculation and the rigours of observation and proof. My overarching research question focuses on art and science, specifically on the politics of space, asking how scientific research can be likened to contemporary art practice. Both involve speculation and testing. Recent work centres on exploring lay peoples’ attempts to understand contemporary scientific research on the fabric of the universe through my on-going work with Armagh Observatory. In this I am conscious of the work of Olafur Eliasson, Trevor Paglen, The Arts Catalyst and dOCUMENTA [13].In Quantum Questions I use folded acoustic foam to construct sculptural objects with seemingly infinite variables, referencing how space might be bent and distorted, non-Euclidian or might contain more than space-time’s familiar four dimensions. Starting with readily available patterns for polygons I extended the score of a fold line along the entire sheet of foam, thus creating a vast range of unpredictable folding possibilities that can never be replicated in subsequent reassembly. I utilise trial and error when manipulating materials, testing their physical properties and juxtaposing them with other materials. Accompanying animations speculate about various actual and theoretical structures in the universe, featuring footage from Armagh Observatory’s Meteor Patrol cameras and my own imagery, thus paralleling scientific research through artistic enquiry. Hybrid, Boulder Colorado & Tulca Galway), and Spike in the Data (2012, Solo show Third Space) All these works are concerned with the problems of representation and the area of slippage between an idea and its political context.This work is an extension of previous work and PhD research examining the politics of place.
Original languageEnglish
Size30
Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - 30 Jul 2011
Event'Quantum Questions for Dummies' - DadaPost / Berlin
Duration: 30 Jul 201121 Aug 2011

Bibliographical note

Reviewed by Urszula Usakowska-Wolff on http://www.strassenfeger.org/news/421/15/Kunstkosmos-des-Planeten-Dada-Post.html

Related works include Spike in the Data (2012), Structures Invisible Eye (2011), Sputnik (2008) & Dark Matter (2007)
Reference text: Armagh Observatory
Outputmediatype: Mixed media, sculptures and animations

Keywords

  • Installation
  • sculpture
  • animation
  • astronomy
  • quantum physics

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