JoWonder Video Installation

FLATLANDERS

There were be two screens in a public area. In picture one, Icarus flies up to the sun and falls down
and in picture two, he regains the potential of his wings and is resurrected.

I created a two screen film installation, designed for a public space, to draw attention to a scientific experiment which is planned to take place in Autumn 2007 at the Centre for European Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland. They will be conducting an experiment to try to recreate the sub-atomic structure of the Universe that existed immediately after the Big Bang. Some believe that they may find the elusive Higgs Boson -this is known as the 'God Particle' because of its importance to matter. Others worry that the experiment could unintentionally create a mini Black Hole, with all its fearful consequences.

Surely we must always consider the philosophical and ethical implications of all scientific breakthroughs? There is a beauty in this experiment that fills me with wonder. There is a sense that people should be taking more interest. Is it dangerous to play with the fundamental building blocks of life? I feel we must get scientists to answer the questions.

In ‘Flatlanders’, The piece which challenges our perceptions of scale, time and gravity, reminding us that there are unseen dimensions to existence and that we are indeed ‘Flatlanders’ and that the frontiers of science reinforce this.

I am interested in the power of dreams, symbols and archetypes and their potential to raise awareness. In my installation, the activities depicted turn the logic of our world on its head; a ghostly woman dressed in an 18th century costume, rides on a swing while holding delicately balanced scales, as if like Aeacus from Greek mythology she will judge the situation. Below her, suspended on a giant cup of coffee, mortals roam aimlessly while out of the sky Icarus, both loses his wings and falls into the sea and regains his wings and is resurrected.

Image one, will depict the movement of gravity downwards/time forwards while image two being an inverted version of the first has the movement of gravity upwards.

For the sound track of the piece, I would like to research the possibility of using live recordings of the scientists at work at CERN and the sound of the particle accelerator makes while the experiment is in action.

I agree with philosopher David Gamez that maybe striving to provide a complete account of the world and our position in it is fatally flawed, because some of our best and most successful theories clash with each other or contradict their own basic assumptions. We want to understand everything about the world, but blindspots at the heart of our knowledge will always prevent us from achieving a final and complete description of reality for me art is an attempt to bridge that gap.

"Art might not be the truth, but it is the best we have"
Nietzsche repeated by Einstein