Invisible Universe

What we see in our universe is expanding at an accelerating rate. What we don’t see will take your imaginations captive. Enigmatic and all-pervasive from the beginnings of the universe, dark energy is the stuff we cannot see, the invisible universe. Research into dark energy has turned the study of the cosmos on its head; space is no longer ‘empty’, instead the dark is alive...

Astronomer Carolin Crawford and Flow Motion artists Anna Piva and Edward George take you through their project Invisible. Using dark energy as a core theme, and sonified data from dark-energy research as a starting point, Invisible traces connections between the beginnings of the universe, human beginnings in childhood, childhood perceptions of darkness and cosmological thinking on how dark energy works.

In this musical journey into dark energy, Flow Motion create an awesome soundscape. Live electronic remix and improvisation is provided by Indian Classical musicians Sukhdeep Singh (tablas), Raj Virdee (sitar), Jim Dvorak (trumpet) and Harrison Smith (clarinet, sax), with visuals of sonified data by generative designer Adrian Ward. The performance will be preceded by a brief talk from the Institute of Astronomy’s Dr Carolin Crawford.

Discussion follows the performance. Think about where we are and what we know. Prepare to feel very small as your mind expands beyond the visible to the invisible universe.

Invisible is funded by the Arts Council. This event is part of Science Museum Arts Projects.

Event organised by:
The Science Museum

Speakers

Anna Piva and Edward George, sound artists, Flow Motion
Carolin Crawford, Astronomer, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge

Musicians

Jim Dvorak, trumpet
Sukhdeep Singh, tablas
Harrison Smith, clarinet, sax
Raj Virdee, sitar

Facilitator: Hannah Redler, Head of Science Museum Arts Projects