Just as we reduce the visible spectrum to seven colours, we divide the electromagnetic spectrum into seven zones. The middle zone - the smallest - is the only one we call visible, but in truth they are all visible to us now…

The invention and construction of machine eyes that can see all this invisible light has been a collective project of central importance to the advance of our culture since the late 19th Century, and a vision revolution that has made the whole universe visible to us.  Yet it is a collective project in which artists have barely participated, and a revolution that art theory scarcely acknowledges. Our project is to borrowing these eyes that science has made to see all the invisible light that illuminates the universe, and to use them as if they are not a scientist’s but an artist’s eyes. What is the difference between an artist’s eyes and a scientist’s eyes? Well, to begin with, the artist does not always look to measure, while all scientific projects begin with measurement. We might add that the artist is not always looking to harness: mostly it is enough for an artist just to see and to show the poetry.  We should also mention that the artist gives as much consideration to the eye itself as to where the eye is looking: any scientific instrument that allow us to see invisible light has artistic possiblilities beyond what it was made to do. Finally, we should remember that art is about sharing: if an artist is fortunate enough to find a mountain peak from which to see the world in all its glory, the artist will not be happy until as many as possible have seen that glory.


GAMMA RAYS, X RAYS, ULTRAVIOLET, INFRARED, MICROWAVES, RADIOWAVES…

all of these are light. Light that is invisible to our eyes, although scientific instruments like X ray machines, thermal cameras or radio telescopes now make much of it visible. We associate the imagery with medicine, communication, security, astronomy and other specialist fields. This exhibition is about making invisible light into visual art.

Irish artists Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly - also known as ‘The School of Looking’ - are passionate about perception and the search for new ways of looking at the universe. For each part of the spectrum - gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet, the visible spectrum, infrared, microwaves and radio waves - they have created a separate artwork and are present to help you discover this fascinating interaction between art and science.

Developed in collaboration with Crawford Art Gallery and Tyndall National Institute Cork and funded by Science Foundation Ireland, ‘INVISIBLE LIGHT’ is presented by Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris and Planetarium Hamburg as part of Zeitgeist Irland 24.

Curator: Rosetta Beaugendre.

Die irischen Künstler Anne Cleary und Denis Connolly – auch bekannt als „The School of Looking“ –  beschäftigen sich leidenschaftlich mit der Wahrnehmung und der Suche nach neuen Möglichkeiten, das Universum zu betrachten. Für jeden Teil des Spektrums – Gammastrahlen, Röntgenstrahlen, Ultraviolett, das sichtbare Spektrum, Infrarot, Mikrowellen und Radiowellen – haben sie ein eigenes Kunstwerk geschaffen und sind anwesend, um Ihnen zu helfen, diese faszinierende Interaktion zwischen Kunst und Wissenschaft zu entdecken.

„INVISIBLE LIGHT“ wurde in Zusammenarbeit mit der Crawford Art Gallery und dem Tyndall National Institute Cork entwickelt und von der Science Foundation Ireland finanziert. Es wird vom Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris und dem Planetarium Hamburg im Rahmen von Zeitgeist Irland 24 präsentiert.

Kuratorin: Rosetta Beaugendre

INVISIBLE LIGHT at Hamburg Planetarium, 25 September - 2 October 2024 (photos by Fred Dott)