ARTISTIC VIEW
What do artists think about dark matter? How has dark matter been represented/ experienced before? From an artistic and conceptual perspective, each artist has approached the idea of expressing dark matter subjectively. Indeed, describing dark matter through a scientific lens is exceptionally different from an artist perspective. The works below are a brief compilation of the most relevant artworks.
Troika
Figure 8 ‘Dark Matter’, 2014, wood, aluminium, black flock, 237.5 x 237.5 x 237.5 cm. Art Basel Unlimited.
Figure 9 ‘Dark Matter’, 2014, wood, aluminium, black flock, 237.5 x 237.5 x 237.5 cm. Art Basel Unlimited.
Troika is a collaborative contemporary art group formed by Eva Rucki (b. 1976, Germany), Conny Freyer (b. 1976, Germany) and Sebastien Noel (b. 1977, France). Their piece Dark Matter is a massive sculptural piece made of Wood, aluminum and black block that represents a real-world simulation of a complex spatial system. The relevance of this three-faced piece remains on the many viewpoints offered by just one black enormous element. It consists in an immersion of the viewer through three distinct geometrical shapes (square, hexagon, and circle) that creates a shift between “realities” in a seamless way. “Yet, contrary to its digital origin, the physicalized version has a weight, a size and takes up space, becoming a way to understand the viscerality and physical presence of the virtual space it was created in. Selected for its ostensible ability to swallow light, the volume is covered in black flock contributing even further to the eery, flattened and artificial nature of the object10.” Besides, its physicality makes it a richer and extended version of the piece to recreate a virtual space which strengthens Troika’s powerful concept.
Hembrey
Figure 10 “Dark Matter.” Shea Hembrey. Accessed April 2, 2018. https://www.sheahembrey.com/gyres/.
Shea Hembrey is an American contemporary artist who questions reality through its work. He is pursuing the exploration of the structure that holds the cosmos. His current interest in exploring the universe through physics makes his work exciting both conceptually and formally. “Dark Matters” is a collection of paintings and sculptures that Shea Hembrey created to show what is not there or intangible energy. Hembrey talks about the set as “a collective meditation on the unseen structure of our universe 11.” The artist statement is clear. “For nearly two decades, I have continually pondered dark matter and dark energy—which together account for over 95% of the cosmos,” Hembrey stated: “The question of these mysteries has repeatedly surfaced in my imagery over the years 12.” The materiality applied to each of Hembrey’s pieces speaks for itself. For example, using wheat straws to illustrate black holes brings part of his childhood on it and an entirely new point of view. His body of work is the most personal Hembrey’s take on answering one question, “What does dark matter look like? 13 ”
Zoccola
Figure 11 DARK MATTER For 9e2, King Street Station, Seattle, WA 2016. Nylon and lights. 9’ x 4’ x 4’.
Susan Zoccola draws inspiration is her research on Dark Matter together with James Sloan’s (University of Washington) discussions. Zoccola affirms, “I created a sculpture which explored the liminal and elusive limits of materiality and immateriality - the threshold of what’s there and what’s not and what might be just beyond 14.” The piece reflects mathematical simulations showing dark matter as a possible actor in a grander scale element, a cosmic web. From the formal perspective, different elements call public attention. The central sculptural body and the projection create a flattened instance of the piece similar to the computer-generated image above. Again, the materiality demonstrates the capability of providing another dimension that a bi-dimensional visual is not able to show.
Barbeito
Figure 12 Dark Matter, a Non-Barionic Structure. Acrylic, pigment printout and 3d printour on canvas. 64x96 inches, 2000.
Pedro Barbeito has created a series of paintings between 1997 and 2002 that investigate on the impact of digital imaging on the language and history of painting, while addressing some of the successes and failures of technology and science15. The theme that connects all the collection is the cosmos, as he is presenting imagery for black holes, dark matter, stellar births: phenomena that are composed in a variety of different shapes and forms yet have no standardized structure. The artist states that “technology and digital imaging have altered our preconceptions of the world; we no longer define things solely by what we can see. Painting, in particular, illustrates both representation and abstraction in very simplistic terms – by what is recognizable and what is not 16�. By using de-centralization Barbeito pretends to pose the question about if the representation changes the perception and interpretation of the things we see.Personally, I find myself aligned with this question as my experminetal work might interpefere with other
Other references (not representing dark matter) Several works attempt to portray natural elements such as wind, humidity, and sound. Each piece represents a concept that otherwise wouldn’t be visible. The artist takes on each piece shows a different way to materialize the concept.
Figure 13 Wind of Boston: Data Paintings, 1.8m x 4m digital canvas . Refik Anadol.
Figure 14 Soundwave, Alex de Graaf.
Specifically, the natural Hygroscope takes advantage of a physical property such as using an animal bladder to project vacuum to glass to view the humidity of the environment. This combination of elements proposes a smart way to show something that otherwise would not be visible.
Figure 15 Natural hygroscope, Zalรกn Szakรกcs , 2014.Pig bladder, pine wood, copper metal.
Lastly, the nature of the Tactile dome, at Exploratorium in San Francisco is an opportunity to explore senses other than sight. As the experience is described at Exploratorium’s website: “Take an interactive excursion through total darkness in our Tactile Dome. Crawl, slide, and bump your way through the pitch-dark Dome using your sense of touch as your only guide through its chambers and mazes17.”
Figure 16 Tactile Dome, Exploratorium.
Whereas many scientific representations rely just on visuals, there is a lot of room for exploring other senses and push the materiality to add more value, but more importantly more information. What do senses contribute collectively to a singular experience?18 . Is not just about vision, there is a multisensory interaction that could trigger other stimuli and a way to discover the world differently. The richness and variety of sensorial experiences that could be designed thinking beyond the sight is a path that will be explored with a series of prototypes.
Figure 16 “The Senses: Design Beyond Vision” , Copper Hewitt. 2018.
Figure 17 “The Senses: Design Beyond Vision” , Copper Hewitt. 2018.
How intangible elements such as light can be perceived as touched?
Figure 18 AURA, Nick Verstand, Salvador Breed ,Naivi , 2017
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