Coffee talks
Friday 19/02/2021 @ 11:30, On-line - meet.google.com/sue-bwvk-axf
Pamela Breda (Kingston University, London, UK), "The Quintessence"
“The Quintessence” is a practice-based, theory driven artistic research which aims at exploring the visual imaginary of outer space and the construction of contemporary astrophysical knowledge from sky observation through artworks in multimedia forms, namely experimental films, photographs, site-specific installations, audio recordings and an artist’s book. Through crossovers and the erasing of boundaries between disciplines, the project approaches visual representations of the universe as a complex narratives constructed through the combined agency of technological apparatus and human intervention. The domain of astrophysics is approached as an evolving system, which evades the fixity of truth- encompassing statements. Audio-visual documentation generates a sensorial representation of highly secluded scientific laboratories, often situated in remote locations and usually not accessible to the general public, thus providing a first-hand impression that would not otherwise be accessible. Films and photographs of stars and galaxies act as charged surfaces in which multiple gazes - those of the artist, the scientists and the viewers - come together due to the unifying action of universal light travelling through space. A series of audio interviews conducted with scientists provides an intimate portrait of astrophysicists’ unique background knowledge, ideas and creative intuitions, moving beyond the traditional academic representation of scientists as individuals possessing an unquestionable knowledge of the universe. Evolving around key topics such as the nature of scientific progress and our role as humans investigating the universe, the interviews provide a unique commentary on the act of looking at the stars.