Making Visible the Invisible: An Exhibition by
ACME PHYSICS
General Partners:
Gary Nickard, Reinhard Reizenstein, Robert Hirsch
Associates:
Dr. Ulrich Baur, Michael Bosworth, Dr. John Cerne, Thomas Gruenauer, Nori Jung, Adriane Little, Dr. Andrea Markelz, Chris Sciano, Dr. Doreen Wackeroth, & Dr. John Wallace
October 15 - December 18, 2005
Opening Reception and Performance: Saturday, October 15, 2005, 8 - 11 p.m.
 |
||
 |
SAY YOU WERE THERE WHEN THEY SPLIT THE ATOM. FOR REAL. |
 |
PLUTO'S CAVE
Shortly after his discovery of the X-Ray, Roentgen was asked: “Can the invisible be made visible?” His revealing reply was: “Not to the naked eye.” This is a core element of our exhibition – and hence its title “Pluto's Cave.” The title, plays off of the famous scene of the cave in Plato's “Republic” wherein he outlines a challengingly abstract epistemological theory. We deliberately confuse the philosopher with the Greek god of the underworld because like his dark realm, the microphysical realm is invisible to us mere mortals. Accordingly – at least part of – this exhibition will endeavor to “make visible the invisible.”
 |
 |
 |
Towards this aim we are constructing actual instruments that will afford a glimpse of the microphysical world. The first and most formidable of these will be a linear electron accelerator powered by two 400,000 electron volt Van de Graaff generators (in effect a fully functional “baby atom smasher”) that, along with one of Reizenstein's signature tree sculptures, will be the centerpiece of this exhibition. This machine will produce a particle beam that, when it impacts the foil target at its focus, will actually split the atom – the effects of which will be made visible in a cloud chamber (or at least recorded by our instruments). In effect we will be the first team of artists to ever accomplish this dramatic feat (even though, as you are well aware, it is now routinely accomplished by scientists). The second major device will be a “spark chamber” that will make visible the tracks of the high-energy cosmic rays that continuously bombard the earth from space. In addition we will deploy a vast array of other instruments and machines, such as a small radio-telescope that will detect various otherwise invisible physical phenomena.
You might ask towards what end is all of this effort directed? Simply put, it is our aim to make the viewer question the very basis for their “common sense” assumptions about the reality of the physical world – basic assumptions like the materiality of matter, the reality of local space and time, and many, many others. Thus, the central premise of the artwork being constructed for “Pluto's Cave” is that with the rise of quantum physics in the 1920's and 30's we had a shocking revelation – the world was not constructed in the safe predictable manner that 19th century physicists thought is was. Instead we learned of the existence of a shadowy microphysical world of almost imperceptible particles that behaved as quixotically as the characters in Alice in Wonderland. Suddenly human certainty about the way the world worked was swept away and in its place stood a set of propositions that caused grave discomfort to those who understood their implications. As the quantum theorist Schrodinger said: “If these ideas don't disturb you, then you have not understood them” and accordingly, the “common sense” notions of what constitutes “reality” have come into question.
 |
 |
 |
UNSEEN TERROR: THE BOMB AND OTHER BOGEYMEN
People are afraid of what they cannot see. Collectively our subconscious is on constant alert for sudden and unexpected danger and death, which can take numerous and ever-changing shapes from the witchcraft to terrorist attacks.
Since 9/11 the form of a tower evokes a dichotomous contrast between stability and fragility. Unseen Terror , a tabletop skeleton made from the1950s plastic Girder and Panel toy set, offers an idiosyncratic micro and panoramic visual mini-history of such invisible and innate cultural fears using The Bomb as it focal point.
These terrors of the collective subconscious, going in and out of fashion, represent a societal neurosis concerned with the peril of the moment that is constantly in the news cycle. Paradoxically, the odds of a traumatic death from any of these Swords of Damocles, hanging by a single hair over our heads, are remote at best.
ACME PHYSICS
General Partners
Gary Nickard, Reinhard Reizenstein, and Robert Hirsch
Associates:
Dr. Ulrich Baur, Michael Bosworth, Dr. John Cerne, Thomas Gruenauer, Nori Jung, Adriane Little, Dr. Andrea Markelz, Chris Sciano, Dr. Doreen Wackeroth, & Dr. John Wallace