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Quantum Potential
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30 physicists mark an ‘x’ on a piece of paper, 2020
Installation view: Concept Space, Japan Pen/pencil on A4 paper. Overall dimensions, 160 x 192cm approx. Photo courtesy of Atsuo Hukuda/Concept Space Made with members of the Institute of Physics, Scotland (IOPS), 30 Physicists mark an ‘x’ on a piece of paper, is a grid arrangement of A4 sheets of paper, each with an individually hand-drawn ‘x’ on the front. These physicists’ ‘x’s determine exact position from an area of possibility (the otherwise blank paper), inviting a comparison to the collapse of the wave-function of atoms. Discussing this work’s focus on the moment of concretization and the effects of self-conscious awareness, Michael Jarrell of the IOPS has said, “… the exploration of how wave-form collapse relates to decision making is interesting and also relevant and topical, given the current debate around consciousness and quantum theory.” The piece further highlights the constraints in the relationship between participant and page, suggesting these as practical limits to possibility. In doing so it reflects on the perhaps physical nature of possibility and, by analogy, on the nature of the wave-form. The members of the IOPS who contributed to this work were: David Greig, Stuart Farmer, Martin Hendry, Graeme Eddolls, Keith Black, Marion Cromb, John Wrightson, Liam Campbell, Carol Davenport, Ken Hargreaves, Kirsty Annand, Ross Galloway, Catherine Hirst, Giles Hammond, Blane D Ferguson, Paul Campbell, Anne Brown, Malcolm Thomson, Alan Craggs, Simon Andrews, Laura Alexander, Ruth Hamilton, Stewart Bracegirdle, Nick Hardwick, Vicky Ingram, Gail E Millar, Alistair McInroy, Ken Darling, Alison McLure, Gregor Steele, Fraser Cannon, Manlio Tassieri. |
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30 physicists mark an ‘x’ on a piece of paper, 2020
detail views |
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Circle drawing, portrait, 2020
Pencil on paper, A2 (59.4 x 42cm) Circle drawing, landscape, 2020 Pencil on paper, A2 (42 x 59.4cm) These two diagrammatic drawn circles develop the results from 30 Physicists mark an ‘x’ on a piece of paper: each is centred on the average points determined by the location of the ‘x’s in portrait and landscape format. Relating their consideration of concretization and consciousness to the (ensō) circle-drawings of Zen, they further prompt consideration of the viewer’s own positioning in relation to the gallery space. |
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Installation view: Concept Space, Japan, 2020
Geoff and Eilidh Lucas gratefully acknowledge the help of the Institute of Physics Scotland members who contributed to these works. They are especially grateful to Alison McLure and Michael Jarrell of the IOPS for organising these contributions, enabling these works’ realisation. |