Text by CLOT Magazine
Decoding subjects such as higher dimensional math and particle physics has become the focus of Chris Klapper and Patrick Gallagher’s current work. In 2014 they began Dataatadata, a series centered on the beauty of information and the poetry of numbers and how they can be used to express immense ideas visually and experientially.
During their residency at Fermilab in 2020, they focus on developing compelling and meaningful visual interpretations of the science and expression of the infinitesimal universe of atomic structures and subatomic particles.
Our time as the 2020 Fermilab Artists-in-residence was an incredible and unpredictable adventure. What started out as a rare up close and personal exploration of one of the most historic and premier science laboratories in the world quickly had to adapt to the limitations set by the pandemic. As visual artists, our approach to the creative process has always been inspired by our experiences in which we look to absorb and interpret our subjects. They explain.
Their main goal from the start (of their residency) was to create an expression that could draw direct relationships between this stunningly complex subject (physics) and connect it to the larger realm of the human experience. A way to show that within the densely intricate mathematics and abstract theories behind the physics of our invisible universe, there was a symmetry and sameness shared with the world and experiences on a human scale. Sound waves, lightwaves, currents and tides, particles and spin. The connection we were looking for was finding sameness and a way to visualise the interactions of the infinite.
The result is a series showing data points across the surface of two independent spheres that we can manipulate and control. This visualisation expresses the potential movements of spherical waves with varying amplitudes and expresses this complex understanding of reality in a way that is enigmatic, colourful and filled with energy.
#DATAATADATA: Angular Momentum runs through April 29, 2022.
