Foramen Nigrum – The Light in the Black Hole
FROM THE STORIES OF 1001 SUNS
Exhibition at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Santiago de Chile, September 30 – October 12 2014.
“After I had left the zone, I realized that the zone was everywhere, the atmosphere had become an atomsphere.”
The diaries of Johanson Johan Johan
In the dynamic landscape of 1999, I embarked on a personal exploration into the realm of energy, uncovering the pervasive influence of radiation in various forms as the unsung hero of societal communication. Despite its omnipresence, radiation somehow lingered on the fringes of our cultural consciousness. The advent of wireless networks, phone systems, GPS location services, and innovative radioactive strategies marked a paradigm shift towards a novel state of immateriality, a cultural evolution over the past six decades.
slide show
Engaged in the realm of binary digital art, I discerned the necessity to delve deeper into the atomic and subatomic languages that underpin our digital world. The bits in our computers, stored by electrons, rely on an intricate grid of electricity for their operational energy. Embracing radiation as a component of my artistic repertoire, I conducted explorations at scientific research sites, nuclear power plants, and exclusion zones, delving into the intricate world of probability, decay, and half-life.
An invitation to the Bienal de Artes Mediales 11 at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Santiago de Chile in 2013 opened new horizons. Introduced by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), I discovered the Paranal Observatory in the Atacama desert, a realm where the oldest memories of the universe are unveiled through radiation, traversing distances spanning thousands of lightyears. Notably, Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the heart of the Milky Way, took center stage in their investigations, emitting captivating pulsing patterns of energy.
Motivated by these experiences, I present a collection of short films and accompanying materials from the “Diaries of Johanson Johan Johan,” titled “1001 SUNS.” These personal reports document my excursions into the captivating world of radiation, which I affectionately term the “Atomsphere.” This ongoing work in progress spans the last decade.
Foto by Juan Carlos Gutierrez Mansilla
With the culmination of this extensive artistic journey slated for August 2015, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Japan, I seize the opportunity to reflect and analyze these memories. Intriguingly, it is only now that the atomic world is gradually receding from our cultural history, making way for fresh strategies and ideas. The evolution continues, and I invite viewers to join me in this exploration of the shifting tides of cultural and artistic landscapes.
Los invitamos a la inauguración de la muestra De las historias de 1001 soles: Foramen Nigrum (Agujero Negro), del artista alemán Michael Saup, que se presenta en el contexto de la alianza entre el Museo y la Bienal de Artes Mediales.
Una instalación multimedial basada en la experiencia del artista en el Observatorio Paranal en el desierto de Atacama.