The Universe is very big, you are very small, act accordingly

Hole in my Pocket return to the Arches with a new commissioned series of work for the Glasgow International 2012. We also have designed a series of performance events, details below.
The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow / 02 April - 31 May 2012 (Noon - 11pm)

Taking direction from the GI's programme "Real Time" Hole in my Pocket explore the experience of time from a macro/micro view point. Trying to understand the concept of "the moment"/ "the present" when viewed against the enormous background history of the Universe.

We believe that we possess too little time; this is the myth we all now live by. What is true is that we are awash in things, in information, in news, in the old rubble and shiny new toys of our complex civilization, and perhaps stuff means speed. We have lost our pace, our connection, our position in the Universe; we can no longer see the stars. The wave patterns of all our facts and choices flow and crash about us at a heightened frequency. Meanwhile we continue to live in the buzz of the Light Age. We wish to live intensely, and we wonder about the consequences. Where is now?

The 'Present'/ the 'Moment'/ the "now", as we experience it, is the freeze frame of these Choices as they are made, at the meeting point of Past and the splitting of possible Futures.

Everything that has occurred up until and while forming our choice is the Past and all action resulting from that choice is the Future. The act of choosing is the only Present that exists, a moment of time so small that it cannot be measured. It is less than the firing of a synapse, less than the formation of thought, it is the fractional inertial moment between something having the potential to occur and for that something to begin to take place and each time alternate Universes divide like cells in a culture.

In this way all choices that we make, alter the Universe.

Waiting for No man, LED, timber, glass, 2012 (More info soon)

The Last Question, digital projection, 2012 (More info)

Your Move, Glass, Timber 2012 (More info)

A Stopped Clock, persepx, 2012 (More info soon)

Time Diagrams, prints, 2012 (More info)

Moments of Greatness

PART OF OUR EXHIBITION AT GLASGOW INTERNATIONAL 2012

Saturday was the first night of our performance/ science lecture / meal extravaganza collaboration with theatre maker Gary McNair. It was a rather fun relaxed event, with the happy audience tucking into a rather delicious 3 course meal while various concepts of time were explored.

I don't want to give away too much of what the evening entails, as there are still two further events to come and I don't want to spoil it for future diners, but I've put a copy of the event place mats below so you can get an idea of the menu.

All the dishes are time/ cosmology themed with such treats as 'Cosmology Carbonara' and 'E=MC peared'. The evening is structured into three short humorous lecture blocks with small one on one interactions happening at the tables in between. (Don't worry these are very harmless so those terrified by audience interaction need not fear. Though one Audience member does get to change the entire path of the Universe.)

Tickets are on a first come, first served basis so if this sounds like your cup of tea then ask for more info at the Arches Box Office 0141 565 1000. Next event is 5:30pm Thursday 26 April with the last event taking place either on 9/10 May tbc. (You can see more about the accompanying exhibition here.)

Gary McNair in full Brian Cox mode.

 A copy of the event place mat with the menu and short description of the event.

The mysterious red and white box that lies on every table and affects how things proceed.

The Last Question

The Last Question, digital projection, 2012

In the foyer our digital projection piece was made in collaboration with Internet whizz kid and all round web-genius Lizzie Malcolm who took our idea and made it real.

This projection focuses on a micro view of Time, trying to capture the fleeting experience of thought, the momentary pulse of choices/ action being decided. The work constantly lifts questions from websites around the world in 'real time' and posts them as abstract ideas on a ever alternating yellow and black backdrop. It is very hypnotic and often humorous piece which resonates with an audience. Some of the questions being asked feel like the opening line to a joke and yet some are filled with obvious pain and sadness. It is also interesting to see how we as a species turn to the Internet for guidance in all areas of life. Some of the Questions treat the Internet as an all knowing, almost omni-present being which can solve everything; from engineering problem and history homework to health matters and emotional trauma.

The viewer finds himself trying to imagine not only who the person asking the question might be, but also pondering the story that lies behind their question. They find themselves wanting to know the answers to the questions or attempt to answer the questions themselves which creates a tension in the viewer and makes the experience start to feel pretty intense.

The title of the work is taken from a short story by Isaac Asimov in 1956.

The below animation is a small sample record of actual questions being asked to demonstrate how the screen works. The actual piece looks quite different and we will link to an on line version of that piece, once a digital home is ready for it.

Your Move

American physicist Hugh Everett III (The father of the frontman of the band Eels.) proposed in 1952 his "Many Worlds" theory, stating that many universes exist parallel to our own. The physicist theorised that each time a situation exists with more than one possible outcome, a new Universe is created to accommodate that situation. In that way, all potential outcomes are accounted for, and happening elsewhere.

Therefore, each time we make a choice, the Universe splits into parallel Universes. We make all of the possible choices we could have made but each in a different world. We however are aware of our choice only in our own world.
The 'Present'/ the 'Moment', as we experience it, is the freeze frame of these Choices as they are made, at the meeting point of Past and the splitting of possible Futures.

Everything that has occurred up until and while forming our choice is the Past and all action resulting from that choice is the Future. The act of choosing is the only Present that exists, a moment of time so small that it cannot be measured. It is less than the firing of a synapse, less than the formation of thought, it is the fractional inertial moment between something having the potential to occur and for it to happen and each time alternative Universes divide like cells in a culture.

 In this way all choices that we make, alter the Universe. 

 When presented with two options, if we choose option A instead of option B we send the Universe down a particular path. The consequences of this are unknown. who knows what life might have been like should Option B have been picked instead of Option A."

We have explored this theory in our installation 'Your Move' which is housed in a secret room in the bowels of the Arches and which can only be accessed by prior appointment through the box office.

Its a room in which choices are made and futures are formed.

Time diagrams and installation snippets

 Time diagram

 Universe diagram

Waiting for no man, LED and timber installation
Like the Universe is currently busy, processing your action. An ever moving, ever turning count of the moments of our lives until the end of time.

Timeline - Tape installation
This is the entire history of the Universe from the big band to a theorised end in 1000billion years at a scale of 1m = 10million years. It starts in the southside of Glasgow, the present falls onto a table in the Arches and then it continues all the way to the Northen outskirts of Bergen in Norway.

Theory of Time to Speed transit

Another little image from our new Glasgow International exhibition on at the Arches 2 April - 31 May.

Uppercase Magazine

Got my first issue of the wonderful Uppercase magazine today in which an illustration of my little bean man makes an appearance, where he is enjoying some typical Scottish weather. (see extract above.)

I've been meaning to subscribe to the magazine for ages, having been an avid reader online and I'm glad I finally made the purchase as the real object is very nice. Strangely my first issue to arrive was No 13 and it arrived on Friday the 13th, seems a bit serendipitous. I shall take it as a good sign and fingers crossed Friday the 13ths unlucky effects are cancelled out.

After having super glued my fingers to a hook earlier on while making something for the Arches exhibition and knocking over a neatly sorted pile of paperwork I'll take all the bonus luck I can get.

Want your very own little Bean man dancing in the rain then why not visit my Etsy page here.

Timber

Bank Holiday Blues

I've been feeling like this little pig all morning. Gazing out the work window at the lovely park, the blossom filled trees and the sprinkling of sunshine. Though in my case its a plastic bag and not a bright red bird that is fluttering around the tree top.

Arches 96% complete

Well i think a week after starting the install the Arches exhibition is almost complete. Couple of little bits to add/ change and the secret room to finish and then its all done. Woo hoo. Big thanks to Joshua for his install expertise. Without his help I'd still be laying down the timeliness through the building. If you are looking for some semi-scientific art to view this bank holiday then why not pop along and let us know what you think.
Ps - applying vinyl is a nightmare

Arches in Progress

Good first day of installation in the Arches. Roll on tomorrow.